03-30-2022, 03:36 PM
(03-30-2022, 03:13 PM)GMDino Wrote: My words will speak for themselves.
Yes, they do.
Quote:If anyone wants to share a quote where I called police a different species or said they should just put up with everything and shut up I'd live to see it.
No one said you did, stop being Fred and making silly claims.
Quote:Otherwise I'll stand by what I said: It never should have come to this and people should be trying to change it for the betterment of everyone involved in the community. Just because it is bad doesn't mean it progress can't be made to make it good again.
I don't think anyone here disagrees with your general sentiment, but the way to achieve this is not likely to be agreed upon.
(03-30-2022, 03:21 PM)Sled21 Wrote: It appears certain people can't comprehend life as it is. They live in a fairy tale land of rainbows and unicorns. They don't understand that people who commit crimes do not want to go to jail, and many times will use violence to keep from being locked up. They think the police should just be professional and "Reed and Malloy" them into the back of a cruiser. Doesn't work like that. The only way to lock up a violent criminal who does not want to be subdued is to use more violence to subdue him than he's using to get away, and there's no way that doesn't look ugly on camera. It's either that or let him go on his way on down the street. But don't hurt him. Don't hit him, certainly don't choke him, don't tase him and absolutely don't shoot him even if he's shooting at you. Remember, no one will help you, but everyone will film you. Oh, and if you struggle with him and he happens to be a morbidly obese POS hopped up on drugs and he has a heart attack, well pack your bags for your penitentiary stay. The public has a choice and they made it. They inevitably over the last few years have sided with the criminals over the police. So, since most police officers are not dumb, they made their choice as well. They retired or resigned, transferred to a more supportive community, or they made the decision to ride around in the cruiser with the max A/C on listening to the radio with the windows up and do no proactive police work that might result in having to put hands on someone. It's a simple self-defense decision really. It's called the Ferguson Effect and it's real. "Do I get out and chase that guy, risk getting killed or sued or charged, or do I turn left and go get some coffee?" And now violent crime is skyrocketing, and people wonder why, and all of a sudden, they want their police to do something. I'm retired from police work now, but still have many many friends who aren't. Society is on their own by their own choices. And when did all this start again??? It started with "The Cambridge Police acted stupidly"
See, a lot of people would argue that the "no proactive policing" (and BTW I understand completely what you mean) is LEO's simply refusing to do their job. In reality it's choosing to only do their job, which is respond to calls, and not put in any extra effort. I'm largely out of the field now (yes, I'm management, but I'm that rare version that line officers like working for) but I can absolutely understand the notion and I'm not sure I would react any differently. Especially when, in many of these cities, the DA won't file charges anyways and the arrestee is free before you even finish your paperwork.
I protect my people when they're in the right. The only time I've even been threatened with discipline was when I refused to discipline an officer who did nothing wrong. Upper management ordered me to write them up and I refused, telling them they could write me up for the refusal if they so chose. In ended up going nowhere because my officer's actions were completely appropriate and within policy. But most people at lieutenant level and above would have written him up in an instant to play the political game and hopefully climb the ladder higher. I know you know exactly what I mean. If you work for someone who won't protect you, and note I'm not saying cover up for you, when you're on the hot seat then you're going to leave and a municipality is no different than management in this regard.
Seattle is already paying a hefty price and it's only going to get worse for them. Portland has the same issue, absolutely no one wants to work there. Who would want to work somewhere hostile for a government that will happily throw you to the wolves should something go wrong, or even be perceived to go wrong.
