The Whack ‘Em and Stack ‘Em Mentality of American Cops

[n2doc]

by JEFFREY ST. CLAIR and ALEXANDER COCKBURN
Police work continues to be a relatively safe occupation. In the 1970s, an average of 220 officers died each year. In the 1980s, 185 officers were killed on average, with the average number dropping to 155 in the 1990s. The number of police deaths continues to decline, year by year. According to the publication Officer Down, there were only 95 “duty related” officer deaths in 2013. Forty-two of these fatalities were vehicle related. Another 14 deaths resulted from heart attacks while on the clock. Only 27 cops died from gunfire last year and several of those were shot by other cops.

Craig Floyd, chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, contends that “law enforcement remains the most dangerous occupation in America today, and those who serve and make the ultimate sacrifice are true portraits in courage.”

This is nonsense. Compared to the daily perils of being a retail clerk in a 7-Eleven or toiling on a construction site, let alone working on a trawler in the Gulf of Alaska, logging in the Pacific Northwest or working in a deep mine, policing is a fairly invulnerable trade.

But as vividly recounted by James Bovard in a piece for CounterPunch this week, it has probably never been riskier to be pulled over by a cop on one of America’s roads. Bovard writes:

“Killings by police are not a negligible proportion of the nation’s firearms death toll. Shootings by police accounted for almost 10 percent of the homicides in Los Angeles County in 2010, according to the Los Angeles Times.

more

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/13/the-whack-em-and-stack-em-mentality-of-american-cops/

[jsr]

1. Shootings by police account for 10 percent of homicides

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/12/wheres-the-body-count-from-shootings-by-the-police/

[Jackpine Radical]

2. There is only one solution for the problem.

Quit releasing the statistics.

Cops are heroes. They only kill people who deserve it.

Anybody who says different oughtta be shot.

[RoccoR5955]

7. Not only that,

but the cops are the judge and jury.
If they say you are guilty, you are guilty, and they will administer justice on their own as well!

[Jackpine Radical]

8. It's so much cheaper that way.

The courts need to be reserved for important things, like corporations suing each other over trademark infringement.

[JNelson6563]

3. Sadly some still love authority figures.

With the mantality of 6 year olds being told by their teacher that cops are heroes and our friends. Sometimes they are but more often, not so much.

Julie

[intaglio]

4. I think Mr Craig Floyd may be massaging the truth

Police officers do not even make the top 10 according to Business Insider - The 16 Most Dangerous Jobs In America
11) Police and sheriff's patrol officers: 18.6 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $55,010
10) Electrical power-line installers and repairers: 19.5 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $49,170
9) Taxi drivers and chauffeurs: 19.7 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $22,440
8) Driver/sales workers and truck drivers: 24.5 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $37,770
7) Farmers and ranchers: 26.1 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $60,750
6) Structural iron and steel workers: 30.3 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $44,540
5) Roofers: 34.1 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $28,410
4) Refuse and recyclable material collectors: 36.4 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $22,560
3) Aircraft pilots and flight engineers: 56.1 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $92,060
2) Logging workers: 104 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $32,870

And, still all time number 1

1) Fishers and related fishing workers: 127.3 fatal injuries annually per 100,000 full-time workers; median salary $25,590

Most of the really low paid jobs here will not be carrying the healthy pensions, benefits and insurance given tho LEOs

[kristopher]

6. Thanks. nt

[Laelth]

5. k&r for the truth. n/t

-Laelth