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Personally I am against defunding the police, or even funding reallocations that include modifying the police budget and reducing the number of officers and especially replacing them with social workers.
HOWEVER
I will acknowledge, there are alot of bad apples out there that are cops, and many of them do not become prosecuted when they violate the rights of citizens due to Qualified Immunity, and/or favor from the department in general which runs rampant among cops. This, unfortunately incites public fear of police and also causes unnecessary escalations between the public and the police.
I am a black male and I do believe in racial profiling, but I do not believe cop misconduct is strictly restricted to race. I have seen cops abuse white ex-military veterans and arrest them without cause just as much as they would fire a bean bag on a BLM protester who is not actively posing violence but protesting peacefully and not interfering with the public or business. I've seen them beat up a white woman who was not in any way or form a threat to the officer but just not fully compliant to the officer and countless unlawful detainments as well as brutality of all races.
Another issue is, who really wants to be a cop? They are underpaid, hated by the public (even more so today) and have quite a dangerous job, therefore the typical contender to the badge is either A.) has a deep passion for the job or B.) is a total nutjob who is willing to undertake the risks and is probably a bit borderline himself to be willing to do so. ... and option B is typically the person who violates rights and gets away with it.
Some hypothetical thoughts on policing and racism...
I am not entirely sure if Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck only because he was black, as Chauvin seemingly displayed insecurity issues throughout his career. Quite possible that it had nothing to do with race and everything to do with Chauvin as a person, but I can't dismiss the race factor entirely. Floyd and Chauvin did clash together frequently in the past as they were both security gaurds in the same night club years prior, but its not clear if Chauvin recognized Floyd or not either. Overall, both were in the wrong IMO, there were no hero's in that incident.
On the otherhand, Rayshard Brooks 'was' shot and killed with legitimate reasoning after the officer was very cooperative with him, had a legitimate reason to arrest him, he resisted, and even grabbed the officer's taser, and pointed it at him.
That stated though, while I overall agree there have been alot of police incidents where the criminal was misrepresented as the victim, I also have to acknowledge that police brutality, violence and oppression 'is' a real problem in America, but I don't agree with the solutions of funding reallocations and becoming softer on legitimate crime. There needs to be a way to hold officers more accountable for their civil actions while maintaining their integrity to real law offenders.
"What is the correct answer for oppressive police?"
With all my interactions with the police, and there have been plenty, I have NEVER met an "oppressive" one.
" there are a lot of bad apples out there that are cops,"
And you base this on what? Something you read or saw from a liberal so-called "news" source.
How many times have YOU personally experienced it?
“There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps... then turn around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”
If the police says give me your ID and an innocent black person says this is not a “stop and ID state”. How does my ID provide evidence wether I have committed a crime?
Does that justify an assault and false arrest?
That is why a jury awarded a family $8.5 million last week.week.
What about the white kid who the cop lifted off the ground and crushed his skull into the pavement? That kid was completely innocent.
Should people comply with unlawful orders? people should let bad police trample over their constitutionally protected rights?
"What about the" OVER 6 MILLION interactions people have with the police each year and NOTHING BAD happens?
Sure, there some "bad "guys, but, to paint ALL police is asinine!
As most others have said, cooperate, be polite and the odds are NOTHING bad will happen to you.
The correct answer is to recruit better candidates with proper background checks rather than pandering to ethnic minority targets, which see less able and even unsuitable candidates often recruited.
Go back to the core Policing values as laid out by Sir Robert Peel in his Peelian policing principles and reflect these principles in training, whilst improving de-escalation techniques.
A proper rank and structure, and proper discipline, with better oversight by management and senior officers, and tight control and accountability especially in terms of specialised units, coupled with properly funded corruption units, whether they be police or other independent agencies.
Better oversight from independent bodies staffed by people who are are genuinely independent of the police and good access to this system of independent investigation, whilst an end to the police dealing with serious complaints against them, as the police investigating themselves often doesn't work, due to the blue line code of silence.
Change the law, to reflect the laws in other parts of the world, that have higher standards in terms of the use of lethal force, and towards using such force where only legally absolutely necessary and after all other possibilities have been exhausted.
Finally establish an independent federal funded organisation dedicated to examining miscarriages of justice.
Last edited by Brave New World; 03-16-2023 at 05:26 AM..
First I need to stop you and say, police brutality in general generally has nothing to do with someone being conservative, liberal, white or black. Although I will generally agree that acting out will generally increase the odds of police brutality, doing the latter does not automatically eliminate them either however. You see, there are instances where you can lawfully act out in certain situations and still be within your constitutional rights. Doesn't necessarily mean it's SMART, but it's also not unlawful either, and I think that is one area many people are upset about in terms of police brutality.
Take a look at Ryan Wingo from the Arkansas State Police. He fired a bean bag gun against a BLM protester who was lawfully acting within his rights, was not obstructing businesses or operations and was told to disperse by the police, which he allegedly complied with without restraint or aggression. Wingo still however fired a Bean Bag to his face disfiguring his jaw... Per Arkansas law, they cannot use Bean Bags unless the perpetrator is either resisting in some hazardous way (non-hazardous can be dealt with by Mace or Tear Gas)..
...
Likewise, the same officer detained a white likely conservative veteran who honked his horn at the officer for making an immediate and sudden U-Turn with no emergency lights right infront of the veteran nearly colliding with him as he turned around to chase a speeder, the officer heard the hunk and immediately turned back around, rammed the veterans car after the veteran immediately and lawfully stopped... ...arrested him when he used a profane word in his speach (that was not a direct intent to demean the officer but stressing his frustration)
and nothing happened to that officer whatsoever, not even disciplining.
While I generally support the police, it would be naive to believe that all cops out there are going to treat you fairly 'only' because you are treating them with respect. Although I will agree that respecting them typically will make things go smoother with most cops.
And I'm stating this without BIAS as I lean much more conservative than I do liberal and do not support BLM, HOWEVER; if they are acting lawfully (unlike the George Floyd riots where they burned down buildings and obstructed businesses) they still have a constitutional right to express their belief, regardless of how foolish it may or may not be.
THAT stated, I do believe MOST cases where crap happens with the police, there are two sides to the story and there's TYPICALLY more to it than 'just the cop' who is overstepping his boundaries. BUT ... is it unreasonable to expect that cops should respect all of our constitutional rights even when things get alittle squirrely with them in communicating with them? This in particularly has nothing to do with defunding them or disempowering them, but ensuring the public is treated fairly regardless of political leanings or race in general (and once again, this happens to all people regardless of what side of the fence they lean or what race they are.)
There are cops in action shows on the REELZ channel that many on here need to watch, if you get it, and see what the police have to deal with way too many times.
... and did not exercise all of my constitutional rights as I am generally a friendly and cooperative person. But a skeptical person, regardless of any political leaning, might not have the same view points.. ..you see, the reason I am posting this is, there are many good cops, but there is a glaring problem of how many cops either do not know of, or do not care about our constitutional rights and will willfully violate them without justification... and I think that part, is a legitimate problem that should be considered (without defunding them.)
So I need to reiterate, my focus and intent on this topic is .. improving the police, not defunding or de-militarizing them.. ..but asking if it is reasonable the cops are more affluent with the law and willing to be cooperative within those provisions.
" but there is a glaring problem of how many cops either do not know of, or do not care about our constitutional rights and will willfully violate them without justification..."
And those are a very SMALL amont if you look at the REAL stats!
As was mentioned I'd like know what "a lot of bad apples" constitutes.
I don't think what Chauvin did to Floyd was out of the ordinary for him. However, I do not believe he was deliberately trying to kill Floyd either. It was another day on the job. He just didn't give a shxt when he knelt on his neck.
Being a policer officer is no doubt a stressful job but it is still a job. But you can't take your problems out on the public because you're sloppy or having a bad day. You wear a badge. On the other hand it's unrealistic to think it won't happen given human nature.
So, what is the answer?
All I can suggest is a better job of screening officers before they are hired and looking closer at complaints.
At the same time just because someone cries racism or police brutality does not make it a fact. Right now, any video clip no matter how incomplete which catches a police officer involved with a Black suspect the officer esp. a White officer is automatically deemed guilty of something.
If a white cop is dealing with a bad black guy and the cop does "something wrong, it is all over the left media.
Now, when a black cop is dealing with a black guy, or white guy, and something goes wrong, crickets!
This is a great answer. I will add another suggestion if one finds their local police force corrupt or abusive. Vote in your local elections and hold the officials over the police responsible for their behavior. It is ultimately the responsibility of the community to regulate and manage its police force just as it is their job to do the same thing for local schools. Police issues are always a local issue.
Never going to happen.
Way too many like to whine and complain, yet will NEVER DO anything!
One of the challenges for law enforcement in the USA is the sheer number of law enforcement agencies, roughly 18,000. That means a lot of possible different responses to any event they encounter.
There are over 600 police training academies in the US. I am not sure how many of them share a similar training program, but I am reasonably certain the quality of training varies with some better than others.
It's hard to generalize when talking about "the police" since there are so many different police departments and agencies.
1.... accept statistics which debunk the lies of BLM, antifa, democrats!
STOP THE LIES OF THE LEFT AND BIDEN
STOP THEIR HATE AND FEAR MONGERING
This alone would defuse the explosive situation the left has created where cops are in fear of their lives and Black men are in fear of cops. The left has sounded the siren call to kill cops and accuse them of abuse where none exists.
Police unions must differentiate between cops that make an error and cops who do not belong on the force.
Democrat mayors and governors foster crime and return predators to prey upon the community.
End sanctuary cities!
Close the southern border!!!
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