Are the police twice as bad as gangs? (solutions, myth, education)

[winterscorpion]

Originally Posted by Gangsta Disciple

I fully agree with your entire statement....I like the term you used..."community outreach group" I dont know if it was a sarcastic statement but we prefer to be called a clan or an orginization...You have to understand i am from a neighborhood were we are seen as a gang so I am used to being called a "gang member" and when i saw the thread i automatically had to speak up for my "community outreach group".
And actually the bloods were always a gang...Its actually the crips that you are thinking of....crip stands for C.ommunity R.estoration I.n P.rogress....The bloods were created by several gangs who came together to battle the crips for drug turf....Me and my "Community Outreach Group" are very sharp in our "gang" history so we know exactly what we dont want to become...

Ok, so lets use this in context. You mentioned the word Clan. Just to show you the depth of your hypocrisy, Imagine a group of Anglo people, wanting the very same things you wanted, equality, decency etc. I have a nagging suspicion you would be calling the cops because they were "The Clan" as you know them to be, not as what they truly are. So in essence your ok with the phrase as long as it fits neatly into you ideology. Used elsewhere, the term "Clan" will take on the meaning of a racist group that you yourself claim to dislike. Imagine that? Like I said genius, keep talking...its fun reading your educated banter.

Winter

[Rggr]

Originally Posted by Gangsta Disciple

I fully agree with your entire statement....I like the term you used..."community outreach group" I dont know if it was a sarcastic statement but we prefer to be called a clan or an orginization...You have to understand i am from a neighborhood were we are seen as a gang so I am used to being called a "gang member" and when i saw the thread i automatically had to speak up for my "community outreach group".

Can you explain how your "community outreach group" is seen as a gang? I've spent a lot of time in neighborhoods with gangs and crime, and the "community outreach groups" working for the good of the community have never been confused with the gangs. How is it that your groups is confused with gangs when you're working to better the community? By the way, if your own neighborhood confuses you, I'm not sure it's fair to criticize the police for confusing you.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by winterscorpion

Ok, so lets use this in context. You mentioned the word Clan. Just to show you the depth of your hypocrisy, Imagine a group of Anglo people, wanting the very same things you wanted, equality, decency etc. I have a nagging suspicion you would be calling the cops because they were "The Clan" as you know them to be, not as what they truly are. So in essence your ok with the phrase as long as it fits neatly into you ideology. Used elsewhere, the term "Clan" will take on the meaning of a racist group that you yourself claim to dislike. Imagine that? Like I said genius, keep talking...its fun reading your educated banter.

Winter

I have lived in Scotland.

In Scotland the only people who have the right to wear knives and swords in public are clansmen.

The clans are strong there. They have been strong for many centuries.

Community groups of inter-related family, every clan member is a relative of each other. They keep their streets safe.

They work with the police. Sometimes they are pro-police and sometimes they are anti-police. Sometimes members of the police are clan members.

Clansmen also enlist into Army units together, and there are clansmen units of the Royal Army.

If you want access to weapons, you go to the clan. Drugs, taxation, many things there are controlled by the clans.

[Nomander]

Originally Posted by Gangsta Disciple

I fully agree with your entire statement....I like the term you used..."community outreach group" I dont know if it was a sarcastic statement but we prefer to be called a clan or an orginization...You have to understand i am from a neighborhood were we are seen as a gang so I am used to being called a "gang member" and when i saw the thread i automatically had to speak up for my "community outreach group".
And actually the bloods were always a gang...Its actually the crips that you are thinking of....crip stands for C.ommunity R.estoration I.n P.rogress....The bloods were created by several gangs who came together to battle the crips for drug turf....Me and my "Community Outreach Group" are very sharp in our "gang" history so we know exactly what we dont want to become...

Ahh yes, thanks for the correction on the cripts, it has been a while since I studied on gangs. Anyway, in my law enforcement classes, this was a topic. That is, the definition of "gang" and what constitutes one.

People seem to get funny about "groups" of people doing things. To a degree, I can understand and it all depends on how you display yourself to the community. You could be a shining example of good, yet if you are throwing signs, dressing in unofficial uniforms, and congregating in public with no clear identified purpose, then people are going to assume negative things.


If you are a good organization as I mentioned, a "community outreach" group, then my hat goes off to you. We need more people taking an active participation in positive things at the local level. In that respect, I see your group as no more different than volunteers for the police, fire, medical, needy, etc...

Have you worked with the police before as a group? Most police organizations welcome community groups that have goals of a safer and cleaner neighborhood. For instance, here in Texas many areas have worked with the police officers to establish neighborhood watches where citizens patrol and work with the police in stopping crime.

I think if you work closely with them, you will find that the "bad" cops are less than the media proclaims. Don't get me wrong, there are some bad ones, as well as those who have poor social skills and walk around with chips on their shoulder, but there are a lot of good cops out there. I think the good outweighs the bad to be honest.

[Rggr]

Originally Posted by Nomander

Ahh yes, thanks for the correction on the cripts, it has been a while since I studied on gangs. Anyway, in my law enforcement classes, this was a topic. That is, the definition of "gang" and what constitutes one.

People seem to get funny about "groups" of people doing things. To a degree, I can understand and it all depends on how you display yourself to the community. You could be a shining example of good, yet if you are throwing signs, dressing in unofficial uniforms, and congregating in public with no clear identified purpose, then people are going to assume negative things.


If you are a good organization as I mentioned, a "community outreach" group, then my hat goes off to you. We need more people taking an active participation in positive things at the local level. In that respect, I see your group as no more different than volunteers for the police, fire, medical, needy, etc...

Have you worked with the police before as a group? Most police organizations welcome community groups that have goals of a safer and cleaner neighborhood. For instance, here in Texas many areas have worked with the police officers to establish neighborhood watches where citizens patrol and work with the police in stopping crime.

I think if you work closely with them, you will find that the "bad" cops are less than the media proclaims. Don't get me wrong, there are some bad ones, as well as those who have poor social skills and walk around with chips on their shoulder, but there are a lot of good cops out there. I think the good outweighs the bad to be honest.

I think that's a fair, thoughtful post.

[BButrell]

Originally Posted by winterscorpion

I have a nagging suspicion you would be calling the cops because they were "The Clan" as you know them to be, not as what they truly are.

Errrr...I think you've missed something. We don't exactly live in cop-calling neighborhoods, and this "clan" wouldn't be anywhere near our neighborhoods anyway.

Say what you want, your an idiot and anyone who thinks like you is an idiot!

"You're." I'm just saying, if you're going to call someone an idiot...

Although I will say this, GD:

1) You're seriously playing w/fire
2) I don't buy your "gang signs for peace" story for a minute, and
3) If you ARE telling the truth, you look stupid as hell. I don't see a lot of anti-racists in pointy white sheets, complaining because people think they look like the Klan.

Originally Posted by Rggr

How is it that your groups is confused with gangs when you're working to better the community?

Maybe he should pull that bandana off his face.

You know, I've known more than one young, black man who has been shot and killed for dressing like that - some from one side of the law, some from the other - and they WEREN'T gang members. They just liked the look. I know we all should have the right to wear whatever the heck we want and not be harmed over it, but that's not the world we live in, and I have little sympathy for anybody who more or less wears a "shoot me" sign. ESPECIALLY not an obvious e-thug who would pee himself if he was around some real gang bangers. Most people I know in gang neighborhoods do their best to avoid dressing that way, because you're either going to get jumped from one side for "claiming," or jumped from the other side, who isn't going to care if you're claiming or not.

[winterscorpion]

Originally Posted by Nomander

Ahh yes, thanks for the correction on the cripts, it has been a while since I studied on gangs. Anyway, in my law enforcement classes, this was a topic. That is, the definition of "gang" and what constitutes one.

People seem to get funny about "groups" of people doing things. To a degree, I can understand and it all depends on how you display yourself to the community. You could be a shining example of good, yet if you are throwing signs, dressing in unofficial uniforms, and congregating in public with no clear identified purpose, then people are going to assume negative things.


If you are a good organization as I mentioned, a "community outreach" group, then my hat goes off to you. We need more people taking an active participation in positive things at the local level. In that respect, I see your group as no more different than volunteers for the police, fire, medical, needy, etc...

Have you worked with the police before as a group? Most police organizations welcome community groups that have goals of a safer and cleaner neighborhood. For instance, here in Texas many areas have worked with the police officers to establish neighborhood watches where citizens patrol and work with the police in stopping crime.

I think if you work closely with them, you will find that the "bad" cops are less than the media proclaims. Don't get me wrong, there are some bad ones, as well as those who have poor social skills and walk around with chips on their shoulder, but there are a lot of good cops out there. I think the good outweighs the bad to be honest.

Its been my experience that the ones with "Chips" are usually the newer younger ones...with between 2 and 8 yrs experience. I also noted that its also dependent on the supervision, and the community's views that influence alot of a Police Officers behavior. Not saying that the attitudes are limited to this particular experience level, just saying that its been my experience. I've noticed that the more reserved police officers tend to be those with 8 to 20 or 30 yrs as they have seen just about everything people can do to one another. Because of this experience they are able to effectively plan a course of action that, for the most part, results in a win win situation.

To think that a group of people employed by a city, municipality, or parish constutues a gang is simply foolish. These people have rules and guidelines that must be followed or they are subject to much harsher penalties than that of the civilian sector.

If a citizen steals a candy bar, its a slap on the wrist... a ticket, a fine and thats all. A cop steals a candy bar and its a ticket, a fine, his job and his livlihood as it will follow him the rest of his days. We are held to a higher standard. Sure there are those that fall from grace...name a job and Ill find one where there was person who took advantage of his position.

My whole point is simply this. Police are not Gangs as one would have you believe. They have rules, they abide by them for the most part and they place themelves voluntarily in harms way so that the citizen (they're boss if you will) doesnt have to.

The Agency I work for subjected me to a thorough background investigation, a thorough psychological exam, interviewed my family members, subjected me to a polygraph exam, and a full physical, and went so far as to check my financial records. They then went through my high school records to ensure I had the mental capacity to do the job. Now I dont know about you, but I dont know any "Gang" that requires that type of screening, do you? You can google just about anything and find hundreds of articles on bad cops, just like you google teachers and find hundreds of articles on teachers having sex with students. We are people and as such, we screw up from time to time. You make a bad decision and people look at you wrong. We make a bad decision and it could cost us our career and freedom.

I would like to say to all that have been wronged by police for whatever reason, the Lord says to forgive as its one of the hardest things to do. If I harbored a grudge against every person that wished bad things on me, I would be consumed by hate and would be ineffective as a police officer. I shrug it off, chock it up as aperson having a bad day and forget about them. Never forget, they are people to, given to the same temptations, misfortunes and problems as every other person. Not making excuses....just stating the obvious. I cant speak for all, but Im an honest God Fearing Cop. I'm doing the best I can and will make no apologies if your acting like a fool and I am course with you in order to get you to stop your illegal misconduct. Dont act like that and I wont interfere with your right to do whatever it is you do. We are not a Gang! We are a brother and sister hood trying to keep chaos from knocking on your door. Surely there must be someone out there who recognizes that fact?

Peace...

Winter

[BButrell]

Originally Posted by winterscorpion

If a citizen steals a candy bar, its a slap on the wrist... a ticket, a fine and thats all.

*stares at you*

If I harbored a grudge against every person that wished bad things on me, I would be consumed by hate and would be ineffective as a police officer.

You're a police officer? YOU? Sweet merciful crap.

We are a brother and sister hood trying to keep chaos from knocking on your door.

Then you're miserable failures. I didn't see a single one of you fat freaking bastards yesterday when there was an all-out BRAWL that went on yesterday, and *I* was the one who called. Even taped what was going on on my cell phone because there were small children outside, which was the only reason why I even bothered. But as usual, the police fail again. After all, we're just a bunch of hoodrats, so why the hell would any of you care? Too bad there wasn't a nice, quiet basketball game going on - then we would've had two squad cars full.

[arctichomesteader]

We are not a Gang! We are a brother and sister hood trying to keep chaos from knocking on your door. Surely there must be someone out there who recognizes that fact?

We didn't have cops in our early history and we didn't have chaos. We don't need police.

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

We didn't have cops in our early history and we didn't have chaos. We don't need police.

I've often said the same thing. If we didn't have these macho cops 'stirring up' the bad guys, the criminals would probably soon tire of the game. After all what fun can it be to snatch a purse, or assault your neighbor, if the cops aren't going to become involved?

Here's my method of dealing with crime...see if you agree. The next time some gang-banger comes up behind you with robbery or mayhem in mind, simply turn around, look him in the eye, and STARE at him. Let the little punk's conscience get the better of him. Soon, I can guarantee you the little 'twerp' will turn red in the face, and probably run away to hide in shame. Embarrassment is a powerful tool against crime.

Who needs the police anyway?