On recent police brutality

[timtom]

For about the past year, or so, I have been noticing that, for every instance of unwarranted police brutality brought to light on the net (and there are far too many) I couldn't help noticing that here, in the greater West Palm Beach area, there is a dearth of such stories.

Being a speeder (but a safe driver nonetheless), I have had several occasions to converse with our local police (from several municipalities). The police here have been remarkably polite and professional.

Almost no attitude at all.

I wanted to share this little item as an effort to catch a glimpse of the other, not darker, side of police.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/02/14/s3c_awards_0214.html

And, I'm willing to bet that other folks here have similar stories, too.

Just to offset the outrage a bit, doncha know.

[johnnie]

1. Yeah, not all cops are bad

But as you can see by the hundreds of responses you got that this is an unpopular opinion here. Of course there are bad apples, but there are in any occupation. I've personally have known some cops that should have never been given a gun and a badge, but I have known many that have served respectfully and many people were glad they were there when they were needed.

[Zodiak]

2. Great

...ask them to stop covering up for the bad ones, and they will not be lumped together with them.

We are in a police state, and I think that is fueling the anger more than anything. People have lost trust in law enforcement because bad cops failed to be delivered to justice. All that many citizens see when these incidents come up is a circling of the wagons and the replacement of justice with "just us".

[johnnie]

3. But it is nothing new

Watch the movie "Serpico" or even better, read about Eliot Ness. Bad cops have been around forever and people have been complaining about them for just as long.

The question is, "what should be done about so many bad cops?". I've asked that question a few times here on DU and not ever really received an answer. Who should be hired to enforce the laws and will these people ever end up bad?

I know that there are shitty cops, but what should be done to weed them out before they start throwing people out of their wheelchairs?

[Zodiak]

4. My solution

An educated police force. Baccheloriate required. And well-paid. Of course the program would emphasize ethics as well as rote learning of laws and techniques. Oversight by another group other than the cops themselves would help, as well.

No more high school bullies.

Yes, it means a smaller police force, but then again, do we really need to incarcerate so many people?

[timtom]

6. Good points!

I agree wholeheartedly.

Education is certainly necessary, but the real problem is getting non-authoritarian people with some sense of soul to work in that profession.

Oversight!!! A sine qua non (without-which-not, for non Latin folks). And in the political spectrum, as well. In spades!!

And no. We certainly do not need to incarcerate so many people. Way too many people in jail.

Pot smokers, for one, but there are others.

Thanks for reading and responding.

[timtom]

5. I do not disagree with you one bit!

It was actually a cleansing act for me to post this.

Every time I learn of another outrageous incident, well...It's not a good reaction that I have.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

[timtom]

7. You're right. Not a popular opinion.

Unfortunately, lotsa DU'ers are not ready for prime time fair and balanced.

And as for those not needing to have a gun and a badge -- let me underscore that with a brief tale.

I know a person who got out of the college recruitment world to become a cop. I always regarded him as a rational and essentially kind human being.

Several months later, I ran into him and asked him how he liked his job. Standard response. Then, I asked him his opinion on all the senseless tasings that had been going on lately. His response was quite telling. He said that it was necessary because of "all the scumbags out there."

That's a hell of a preframe for going into a unique situation (as any situation involving the authorities must be). Logical conclusion: don't need to use reason, logic, or human emotional defusing techniques. They're just scumbags.

Pretty flipping sad.

Thanks for reading and responding.