71–80 of 339 posts
A common response to the idea of "police reform" is that it will make it harder/more expensive/etc to hire police, which we all agree we need. As an armchair economist who believes that everything DOES happen at the margins, we can't completely ignore this, so I'm at least somewhat sympathetic to the argument. But what really kills the argument is looking at how our medical professionals have stepped up and responded…
The Insurrection Act requires a State governor or legislature to request military assistance during an insurrection. The act also allows the president to act without that, if the State is not acting in a way that is protecting people's rights. This is why Bush could not deploy the National Guard during Katrina - the governor of the state refused to request the help, and it was not deemed to have come to a point where the president would impose the military anyway. The last time this act was used was during the Rodney King riots, where the governor of CA requested assistance.
This is a long way to say that we have made it difficult to deploy the military or use military force within the US. And for good reason.
So, why do we allow police departments to arm up and look/act like the military? If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck - is it not a duck?
I get that there are circumstances where SWAT may be required, but why does every PD have a SWAT team? Why isn't it required that the governor authorize the use of SWAT in every case?
SWAT is now routinely used to perform dawn raids (no knock raids) on people who have no criminal record, and where no violence has been reported.
Controlling the equipment may be part of the solution, but it won't do any good unless the deployment of SWAT and other military style options are more carefully, judiciously, and transparently controlled.
The equipment issue isn't going to solve anything, this is just lip service to the real problem. Police Unions have effectively created a system by which officers are nearly immune from prosecution and even if successfully prosecuted their record cannot travel with them in many cases. Now one fix that removing some of the equipment will do will reduce the amount of psychological impact it has on those wielding it, as…
Changing the inventory will reduce the appeal of police work for psycho assholes who fantasize about shooting protesters. Special weapons and vehicles should be reserved for centralized, specialized police forces who are called out when needed, if ever. Most cops should be issued a radio and a bicycle, so you attract people who want to look like [1] instead of [2]. 1: https://files.kstatecollegian.com/2014/08/08.27.1…
Having police on the roads is having a huge positive impact on drinking and driving. Let’s be careful not to over-correct when demilitarizing our police force.
Focusing on the gear seems like a cheap and easy solution compared to fixing training and accountability, the actual root of the issue.
Have fun with this one, folks:
I would like them to provide and require body cams for all officers at the federal level and require all deaths and injuries occurring in police custody to be reviewed by the FBI/justice dept.
But we had police shooting at reporters on live TV already. It's not that documented misconduct didn't exist. What's missing is savage consequences for misconduct.
[1] https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/make-cops-carry...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure, maybe there is limited use in some of this equipment. But my small city police department recently got a grant for 450 high powered assault rifles and armored vests, on top of the hundreds they already had. There are only 700 officers including things like traffic enforcement. Of course the police union lobbied for more. They have armored trucks and undercover vehicles. They have mobile towers to survey. They h…
I live close to a small town in the Bay Area, called Los Gatos. Quaint, expensive, beautiful place. It was Big Truck Day at the library and a lot of government employees were showing their vehicles. Fire trucks, trash compactors, a huge bulldozer, and there was a police car and a handful of officers around. A little girl came and pointed at a rifle and asked the officer, “what is this for?” He said, “to protect mysel…
The bellicose see war everywhere...
A common response to the idea of "police reform" is that it will make it harder/more expensive/etc to hire police, which we all agree we need. As an armchair economist who believes that everything DOES happen at the margins, we can't completely ignore this, so I'm at least somewhat sympathetic to the argument. But what really kills the argument is looking at how our medical professionals have stepped up and responded…
Changing the police narrative to one of serving, regardless of adversity (see doctors and USPS) from one of "getting to play with violent toys"...
The equipment issue isn't going to solve anything, this is just lip service to the real problem. Police Unions have effectively created a system by which officers are nearly immune from prosecution and even if successfully prosecuted their record cannot travel with them in many cases. Now one fix that removing some of the equipment will do will reduce the amount of psychological impact it has on those wielding it, as…
[0] https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/ferguson-michael-brown-...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Changing the inventory will reduce the appeal of police work for psycho assholes who fantasize about shooting protesters. Special weapons and vehicles should be reserved for centralized, specialized police forces who are called out when needed, if ever. Most cops should be issued a radio and a bicycle, so you attract people who want to look like [1] instead of [2]. 1: https://files.kstatecollegian.com/2014/08/08.27.1…
> Most cops should be issued a radio and a bicycle, so you attract people who want to look like [1] instead of [2]. Having police on the roads is having a huge positive impact on drinking and driving. Let’s be careful not to over-correct when demilitarizing our police force.