Do you favor national, state, or local control of our police forces?

[el_bryanto]

I am just curious about this question - it's obvious with the recent issues that something needs to be done. So one question is where do you think ultimate authority should rest?

5 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	I strongly support national control of our police forces
	0 (0%)
	I somewhat support national control of our police forces
	0 (0%)
	I strongly support state control of our police forces
	0 (0%)
	I somewhat support state control of our police forces
	0 (0%)
	I strongly support local control of our police forces
	4 (80%)
	I somewhat support local control of our police forces
	0 (0%)
	I don't like any of these options; let me tell you what really makes sense. ______!
	0 (0%)
	I don't have enough information/expertise to make a call.
	1 (20%)
	I like to vote!
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[avebury]

1. I do support the demilitarization of

local police forces.

[el_bryanto]

3. But who should retain control over those forces?

I agree that that is an important step as well.

Bryant

[avebury]

17. I don't know.

What I do know is that police forces don't need rocket grenade launchers, assault tanks, and other military hardware. And they most certainly should not function as an occupying force.

[Xyzse]

2. I really don't know enough about such things.

[MineralMan]

4. We have multiple police forces, at all three of those levels.

I favor continuing in that way. Local, state, and federal police organizations all have different jobs.

I live in St. Paul, MN. There are city police here, a Sheriff's department for the county, the State police, and several federal law enforcement agencies with offices in my city. All have different areas of focus and expertise. All are needed.

Your poll doesn't make sense, really.

[el_bryanto]

7. Within the context of the current crisis though -

It feels like something needs to be done to reign in local police. I don't know where that change can best be effected.

Bryant

[MineralMan]

9. I don't disagree with you. But the state and federal government

will be investigating what happened. That's part of their roles in all of this. It appears that the police department in that Missouri city is ethnically unbalanced when compared to the demographics of the city. That's always dangerous. It also appears that it is badly supervised and by incompetent people.

Sadly, that does happen with city police departments at times. And that's the responsibility of that city's City Council or whatever body is in charge. Most Chiefs of Police are hired by the City Council, not elected. Ferguson, MO needs to throw out its City Council and elect one that will supervise the Chief of Police properly.

One city; one department. This particular department appears to be out of control. Changes will probably occur.

[NYC_SKP]

11. The flaw in the poll question...

We'd all love national control, if control means that we'll have some benevolent national power making these decisions.

Well, we don't have that now so I'm not sure I want to leave that, or provide more power to that national level body.

Thus, I answered in favor of more local control. No doubt this also has problems but at least problems in my county won't impact others hundreds of miles away.

In the current crisis, it would seem that way too much authority rests locally, unopposed, and that way too little is being done from a federal POV to knock it off.

[el_bryanto]

12. That's the issue - i like what some people down has proposed

of an oversight committee for these sorts of situations. Seems like it could work. But simple national control could create some real problems.

Bryant

[TreasonousBastard]

5. I'll support any damn thing that...

doesn't cost me anything.

Free votes on the internet-- YEAH!

[el_bryanto]

8. I'm not sure how to take this. nt

[justiceischeap]

6. I support oversight committees not associated with the police

Kinda like the failed system when it comes to college rapes and the victim can either go to the police or have the college hear the facts. That said, I think in cases such as the Mike Brown shooting or the Eric Garner stranglehold situation, that a non-partisan committee oversee the investigation. They don't necessarily have to run the investigation but they have to be a part of the investigation as it's ongoing. If they see something that isn't transparent, then they say so and those investigating are made to comply. I don't know if it would work overall but I think it wouldn't necessarily hurt.

[sarisataka]

10. There is potential for abuse at any level

if there was a single controlling entity, there would be no recourse when the system gets out of control.

With multiple layers, as we have now, if a group needs to be reined in, another level can take over policing duties until corrective action is completed.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. I support better training and extensive psychological testing of potential officers.

When anyone in Houston can walk in and become a deputy sheriff, there's a problem.

[frylock]

14. i support oversight by our national govt

[bettyellen]

15. I think the goals of local police departments need to be reexamined and severed from political

influence. In too many cities, violent crime has become under reported due to political pressure to show increased quality of life. Conflicting pressures to hit arrest quotas (and profit) have led to more interest in low level drug offenders. I knew a lot of good cops who were just disgusted by the changes 20- 25 years ago.

[Humanist_Activist]

16. All police departments need to be overseen by local civilian review boards...

who would be responsible for oversight and investigating police complaints.

[TheKentuckian]

18. Yes. Yes. Yes! As many standards, eyes, and controls as possible and ways to go over heads.

[MohRokTah]

19. Local.

Now we'd actually have police forces instead of thug forces if the police were capable of being trusted to police themselves.