Not all police are bad, but all police need oversight and accountability

[Joe Nation]

We have a policing problem in this country. We have a policing system that investigates itself, is accountable to itself, and disciplines itself. When hasn't that been a recipe for corruption in any organization?

Only since the proliferation of cell phones and body cameras has the problem with these public servants been so front and center. Any young black person will tell you that this is nothing new. It just has more visibility now that we have cameras everywhere.

If there are legions of good cops serving today and only a few bad apples, why aren't the vast majority of these good cops turning their fellow cops in for corruption? If you turn your head in the face of corruption, aren't you also corrupt?

Don't even get me started about qualified immunity for police. Ultimately, if a cop is found to have committed some kind of corrupt act, and they are held responsible in civil court, the taxpayers end up footing the bill and that has to end.

Show me the downside for a corrupt cop here. How are they ever held accountable?

Have you ever had an occasion where you called the cops and they showed up and caught the thief, or found a stolen item, or solved a crime? Did they even try or was it a waste of time?

[lapfog_1]

1. I just assume that every cop I meet is a rogue cop

and I avoid them as much as possible.

[inthewind21]

2. I have said to my

police acquaintances, as soon as all you good cops start calling out/turning in the bad cops I'll change my mind. Until then, NONE of you can be trusted.

[republianmushroom]

3. agree with most of this posting

[BlueLucy]

4. The one time a friend of mine was robbed... someone was immediately arrested.

Unfortunately it was not the person who committed the crime. My friend told the cop that the man looked similar but was sure it wasn't him as the suspect had very noticeable Nikes with a bright orange swoosh. The cop tried to convince my friend that the suspect had changed shoes. He literally just pulled someone off the street and called it day.

[Initech]

5. The lack of accountability in this country is a huge part of the problem.

And all conservatives want to do is tear down regulations. Which will lead to more crime and murder, then they will turn around and use Fox News fear porn to blame it on anyone but the people who are responsible. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Arazi]

6. Nope, ACAB. They're either a bad cop or covering for bad cops

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. The entire institution is working as designed.

[Caliman73]

8. The system and purpose of policing as it is now, is corrupt.

The concept of police, and having people around to for safety and to enforce laws, is not a bad concept in and of itself. However, the idea of policing was developed primarily to keep "the rabble" in line, not as a community service. The protection of property and hence "money" is baked into how police are used in the United States. A system that started in England and came to the colonies.

Even people with good intentions, working within a system that incentivizes abuse of power and corruption, may not engage in those actions themselves, but will necessarily have to be complicit in order to retain employment and their personal safety.

I don't think ACAB like some do, but as I said, good police working in a bad system, cannot maintain both their integrity and sanity. They will lose one or the other.

A better way to reduce crime and need less police, is to systemically address the issues that contribute to crime. Poverty, stress, lack of access to resources, lack of connection to the community, etc...

The above, is the concept behind the terribly named, "Defund the police" movement. Fund community, fund health, fund opportunity, fund social workers, fund therapists, fund community organizers; and you will not need as many police.

[aocommunalpunch]

9. The barrel is spoiled.

That's it. No more talk of bad apples. They've spoiled the fucking barrel.