Police brutality/institutionalized aggression. A partial solution.

[20score]

Last edited Sat Oct 25, 2014, 05:44 PM - Edit history (1)

I'll propose one answer –and there are many, many things to be done - about police brutality, the drug war and its excesses, and institutionalized aggression.

Wearing cameras is great, but it won't solve everything. Many people in the country, unfortunately, can only be motivated by fear and or money. Empathy and doing the right thing eludes them. They're too dumb, too selfish or too callous to care. (Maybe too busy.) So, to get people involved will take informing the citizens about the costs to the taxpayer,s of employing the worst officers.

There are over two hundred SWAT raids a day in the USA. That number is staggering. Tens of thousands of raids per year, executed for trivial reasons. Property destroyed, innocent people wounded or killed, a mockery made of freedom and the country's values, etc. There are also four hundred people a year killed by cops. Germany fired 85 shots in 2011, British officers fired 3 in 2012. Nobody knows how many thousands of rounds were fired by our police last year, but over 400 people were killed. Yes, our country is larger and more violent. But not to that degree. Not even close. Those numbers in-and-of themselves are a criminal indictment of our system. It's sickening, embarrassing and shows a pathology that should not be allowed to continue.

My proposition is to educate the people on the billions of dollars spent defending the criminals in our employ. Demand the local politicians, whether in New York and Los Angeles, or in Bill Wyoming - if these officers do the wrong thing and cost the town, county, state or city money, they will lose their jobs. Immediately.

Listen to what the experts have to say on the subject. (This alone should be its own post.) Watch and learn:

http://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/wipi/2014/Schedule2014/2/

Added on edit:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-04/nyc-police-abuse-joins-pothole-settlements-costing-735-million.html

[marym625]

1. K&R!!

Great post. Subject that is not addressed nearly enough and is completely and utterly out of control.

I have book marked so I can check out the link later

[20score]

13. Thanks. I actually believe this may change things if embraced.

[20score]

2. One city alone, will pay out close to a billion for police brutality,

property loss, etc. NYC, by itself. I'm still looking for an aggregated study for the entire nation, but the price will be close to what we pay for SNAP, and feeding tens of millions.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-04/nyc-police-abuse-joins-pothole-settlements-costing-735-million.html

[marym625]

3. That is criminal

Just criminal

[punkin87]

4. K & R! Great idea. How do we educate them?

[20score]

6. Through sites like this, letters to the editor, town council meetings,

talking to coworkers and friends, to name a few things. And I'm open to any and all ideas to get this idea out there.

[20score]

5. I was truly hoping for some feedback on the idea.

Maybe if it was titled differently.

[marym625]

7. perhaps reword title

And add it to your response on my post.

Your post goes along with sheshe2 new post what is happening. . Some. Certainly no where near all.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025715017

[sheshe2]

8. KnR

Description

Local law enforcement is a critical community service, and the expense of maintaining a modern and effective police force can be substantial in relation to local resources. At the same time, military equipment, SWAT teams, and aggressive search and seizure tactics have been called into question by the recurring loss of innocent life and Fourth Amendment concerns attendant to the use of overwhelming force. This panel will consider the funding mechanisms available to police and sheriff departments for equipment and capital investments, the incentives these revenues create, and the conflicts between community trust and the atmosphere of counter-insurgency which military style raids engender in marginalized communities.

From Your Link

http://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/wipi/2014/Schedule2014/2/

Continuing education, mandatory psych evaluations and drug testing of the officers must be done on a routine basis. The ugly needs to be weeded out. An outside group should be doing this, and not a "friend" or member of the PD.

Thanks for your Op 20 Score.

[20score]

9. Thank you Sheshe! (May I call you She:))

Couldn't help myself. Your reply actually helped improve my mood.

Thanks.

[sheshe2]

10. Yes you can call me she~

Good Op, thank you.

[20score]

11. :)

[99Forever]

12. K&R

[20score]

15. Thanks!

[suede1]

14. Kickity!

[marym625]

16. Just had time to check the links

Kick again