American cops are on a dangerous power trip

[marmar]

from Salon:


“If you don’t want to get shot, just do what I tell you”: American cops are on a dangerous power trip
The defenders of Law enforcement have reacted predictably to the Sandra Bland tragedy -- with bullheaded defiance

HEATHER DIGBY PARTON


The arrest and resultant death of Sandra Bland in Texas after a petty traffic stop has justifiably caught the imagination of the American public. The video of this young woman’s treatment at the hands of police — by all indications for failing to be verbally submissive — is terrifying. National reporters are shocked, and wondering just how something like this could happen in the good old USA.

But those of us who follow these stories all the time know very well that this sort of altercation happens every day in America and often results in tasering, physical violence and worse, as police officers demand total deference in both word and deed in their presence. When citizens attempt to assert their rights, argue with officers or demand justification for being taken into custody, cops move to immediately establish their dominance and often physically force the citizen to comply, regardless of the pettiness of the alleged crime.

Here’s a little reminder of what cops, and many fellow Americans (until it happens to them), believe citizens should do when a police officer is present:

If you don’t want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you. Don’t argue with me, don’t call me names, don’t tell me that I can’t stop you.

That’s from an op-ed by a former police officer and current criminal justice professor by the name of Sunil Dutta. His argument is, of course, complete nonsense. Yes, on a practical level, knowing what we know about how police behave in this country, one would be wise to just try to get out of any dealings with a cop alive. Here’s a stop that ended with the police breaking a window and tasering a black male passenger inside the car while his kids screamed in the backseat. Here’s one in which the police thought a bike-riding black man (who happened to be a firefighter) was “throwing signs” at them. (He was just waving hello.) In the end, he got lucky. They only threatened to taser him. ...................(more)

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/23/if_you_don%E2%80%99t_want_to_get_shot_just_do_what_i_tell_you_american_cops_are_on_a_dangerous_power_trip/

[samsingh]

1. kick

[niyad]

2. k and r

[Left coast liberal]

3. Fudging terrifying!

[GoneFishin]

4. Every cop who is involved in any type of violent altercation with a citizen needs to be drug tested.

Even for low IQ racist cops the quick transition to rage and violence cannot be organic in all of these cases.

[A Simple Game]

6. I agree 100% and any accident at all should be a mandatory drug test too.

Accidents in most industrial settings are usually cause for a mandatory drug test, cops are no better.

Do any cops even have random drug testing?

[RoccoR5955]

11. Not just drugs, but steroids

Many of these cops I see in the videos, I can swear have physical symptoms of those who were on steroids in the 90s. I would believe that some of these cops are having 'roid rage when they kill people.

[GoneFishin]

30. I agree. Steroids was my true concern. I knew someone whose muscle mass/body weight

increased by about 50% in a year. In that same window of time he turned from an easy-going person to someone who frequently talked about ripping off peoples' limbs based on minor perceived slights.

To me, these cops have got mental problems beyond just normal anger stemming from stress or frustration. There is some chemical shit going on in their brains.

[Flatulo]

47. Bingo. These guys are abnormally huge. nt

[JDPriestly]

41. Good point! I would never have thought of that!

Especially true of the officer in the Sandra Bland case. He reacted in a crazy way.

[NJCher]

63. I sat in traffic court for 16 hours

Over four nights to fight a ticket (I won). While there, I could not believe what I saw.

Almost every cop who had to appear to testify had huge biceps and bulging abs. Also tattoos. Almost all bald, having their hair shaved close to the head.

I'm thinkin' steroids, too.

Also, re the near-bald head, I heard about some research that says that in a group, if there is one bald guy, he is perceived as the dominant, or alpha male. I wonder if somehow the police subconsciously know that and that they are going for this look as an element in establishing their dominance.


Cher

[GoneFishin]

64. I would not be surprised if it is conscious and deliberate. I have noticed the same thing.

[jalan48]

5. So is the United States and it's Presidential candidates ready to take on the issue

of our being in a police state? Can they even talk about it? Can the media? The militarization of the police that has occurred in the past 15 years is there for all to see-why do we only talk about it when there's a civil disturbance and the military hardware starts rolling down the streets? It's an issue that effects everyone, blacks and other minorities more than others because they are on the front lines.

[RoccoR5955]

32. Bernie Sanders has been talking about it

But the mainstream media doesn't want people to hear him.

[JDPriestly]

42. Bernie sure is talking about it. I think O'Malley will too.

Hillary is probably talking about it but very politely.

Listen to Bernie on this issue. He says outright that the police violence has to stop. He recognizes that officers have a difficult job but the abuse has to stop.

[appalachiablue]

54. The 1994 VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL ACT that Bill Clinton signed funded new prisons, 100,000 police

and created 60 new death penalty offenses. Since then the US prison population has risen to 2.2 million, the largest in the world including communist China which Bernie focuses on. I remember in the later 90s and early 2000s meeting and hearing many young men interested in training in the criminal justice and law enforcement fields; it was huge.
In 2002 I even attended a law school conference on the subject because of a prominent speaker and thoughts of taking legal studies classes.
Since May and July 2015 when BILL CLINTON spoke at a NAACP conference, he has apologized for his criminal justice policies saying that we "went too far, made things 'worse' and that we have too many people in prison".

BILL CLINTON: I MADE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORSE: WE WENT TOO FAR: THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN PRISON
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1156024

[JDPriestly]

56. The Clintons seem to have made a lot of bad judgments when in office.

No one will be right about everything all the time. But the Clintons seem to be too much bent by the furor of the times.

In contrast, Bernie has a moral compass that guides his decisions. That's why he has been pretty steady in his opinions over the years.

Fairness, moderation, caring about others, recognizing that we are in this together, that we are one nation, that poverty is a horrible fate, that every life has dignity, that war is a solution only in really extreme circumstances, that religious freedom and freedom of conscience are important values, that the family is important, that fair wages are important, that unions help working people and are therefore also important, that Americans are suffering under America's trade policies, opposing the Iraq War and so many issues, Bernie has been right.

His secret is that moral compass that is embedded in his very soul. It steadies him and makes him seem cranky and stubborn I'm sure to others in Congress. But look how right he has been on the issues over and over.

It's that moral compass. When Bernie speaks, after each sentence I sort of hear his inner voice asking, checking in with that moral compass. It's not so evident when he is giving his stump speech in its many variations. But when he answers questions or talks about new ideas or new goals, you can hear that inner voice.

That's what makes Bernie so unique -- that inner moral compass.

We need that in the White House.

Feel the Bern!

[appalachiablue]

59. All true and well said. He's such a good legislator for this country, I cannot belive the derisive

comments on M$M and the newer attacks. It's going around that he takes 'time to warm up' and get going; I don't see that at all. Last night on Chris Matthews the panel was rehashing him and Net Roots laughing how Bernie's that grouchy, irritable 'get off my lawn' older man. I'm done with MSNBC, cancelling Ed Schultz was the final straw.

[JDPriestly]

69. It's Bernnie's grouchy, ittitable personality that people love.

That's because we do want those bankers and the greedy big business people like Walmart of our lawns. That's what we want. So saying that Bernie is one to get people who don't belong there like people who nose into other people's business, people who collect all kinds of profiles on consumers, people who don't want to pay their fair share of taxes but want to take taxes and privatize government functions, people who want to increase personal indebtedness of Americans but not their wages, people who form corporations so that they can keep their personal wealth and bankrupt their business, people who on the other hand push working Americans into bankruptcy for no good reason, off the front lawn.

Enough is enough. A lot maybe even most Americans hear that phrase and feel one big shudder of an "amen" rush through their bodies.

Probably not true of the overpaid pretties who read the news on TV. They live in the world of the blessed by wealthy with opportunity and recognietion -- or at least they think they do -- at least for the moment.

Cancelling Ed Schulta was the last straw.

I hope that many liberals will cancel cable over the cancellation of Ed Schultz. There are lots of alternatives on the internet and you can hook your internet up to your TV. You can get good entertainment by combining specific subscriptions to certain internet stations like Hulu, Netflix and lots of others.

And you get much better coverage of the news from a lot of sources like Pacifica (Democracy Now for example), The Young Turks, Real News Network and lots of others and I'm sorry that I don't remember all the names of all the great internet TV out there.

Hey. Bernie Sanders had his own internet TV station and speeches on YouTube. What more do you need?

[appalachiablue]

70. The panel guests on Matthews were being a*ses like others on that network lately.

For several years I've followed Bernie on the Thom H. program, M-F, 12-3PM ET. The town hall type 1- hour segment 'Brunch with Bernie' on Fridays is great as you prbly know; gives a good sense of his views and temperament. Callers ask questions and bring up topics. Always thoughtful, even tells some to contact his DC office for help. Sensible, caring, patient and professional he is; would make a great doctor, counselor, professor or dean now that I think of it. A fighter too which is good and I respect. Saw a flash of that at a 2 hour evening public policy forum (not a campaign rally) I attended in July. It was over gun positions and got a little tough but I thought it fine.

Through Dish TV we get the FSTV (Free Speech TV) Channel that carries Thom's program, Democracy Now!, Mike Papantonio's 'Ring of Fire', other shows and great docs. Direct TV also carries FSTV. We watch programs online if away and know of Cenk, TYT. Just heard Ed Schultz might be put in an afternoon slot- like 3PM. He also does a Sirius XM radio show, or did. Thom's commented how conservative Comcast is, even compared to GE, previous MS/NBC owner. Like this country, the Media has gone so far right. But Bernie's tapping into people's needs and frustrations with his special appeal and populism for sure, thank heaven.

I just feel for people in areas that only get FOX, in many communities that's all there is, even with a few DUers I've noticed from comments. Fox is free and available everywhere, unlike cable MSNBC that costs. It's heard in motels, banks, auto shops, stores, the only choice on many military bases and has contracts with a 100 colleges and universities for their sports programming, for 20 years. Clinton signing the 1996 Telecomm Act to deregulate and lift media ownership limits basically led the way for privatization and then big consolidation, like banks.

Read only 10% of US households have internet service; I can believe in these tough times. Too many on the left think people know about independent, online news sources because they do, a mistake. Like others, I came across TH by accident, heard him mention AlterNet, Kos, DU. Maybe I'm different but other folks where I am, and in PA, OH, MN, NC, FL, etc. don't know these either. A recent post here said again, when will good b/millionaires fund an alternative, accessible media? (Current TV doesn't have to be the end). In the meantime, let's enjoy net neutrality, a big one on the GOP list. SANDERSTORM IS HERE!

[JDPriestly]

72. Thanks. Great post.

[Live and Learn]

67. +1 nt

[KansDem]

7. What I've noticed in my 62 years walking this planet...

...is the how often now the f-bomb is used by police when addressing the "protected and served."

I've seen many videos and am appalled at the profanity police officers use with citizens.

[RKP5637]

51. IMO cops are becoming more and more a dangerous cult carrying guns! n/t

[whathehell]

57. I noticed that too. n/t

[lark]

8. This is SOOOOO out of hand, it's scary and ridiculous.

There have always been bad cops and they've always been enforcers of the "norms". That's why in the heydays of the Vietnam protestss, we got that they were totally against us and called them PIGS. From there, it's only gotten worse. Now, they still hate protesters and abuse them every way possible (unless it's rw marchers, those they protect). But they also go hard after minorities and young women constantly for little/no reason and for things they'd never care about if done by a white adult male. Laws need to change, body and car and jail cameras should be required everywhere and can't be turned off, this needs to be a national law - certainly can't expect the states that are the worst to do this on their own. We also need to stop giving police military munitions, they aren't at war with us, or shouldn't be in any event. We also need to really start prosecuting them asshole killers, that's all some of them are. Once being a police isn't a total license to kill and cops are in jail for this, the behavior will certainly be reduced. Another thing, they need to have much better personality tests and make over agresssiveness, arrogance, or uncalled for fear or dislike of "the other" disqualifying traits. Only with these changes could we ever begin to trust cops again. Right now I fear and loathe them.
I know they aren't all bad, but who knows what type of cop you'll get if you call?

[awoke_in_2003]

21. "They aren't at war with us"

Yes, they are.

On edit: they will eventually cast the net wider, especially as wealth disparity continues the way it is going. Eventually white people are finally going to see firsthand what the African American community has been putting up with for decades

[libdem4life]

24. What I have heard is that it is easier on the cop

if the "suspect" is dead. Otherwise the jurisdiction is forced to go through an extensive and expensive review that might mean lost wages. A death...they can say anything to justify it.

Cell phone photos and surveillance videos now making that a bit more difficult. Time and technology is on our side. I have to believe that.

[Dustlawyer]

53. I used to work with police and would go on ride-a-longs with them.

I made friends with a very good patrol Sargent and had a discussion with him about different kinds of cops and why so many behaved badly and abused their authority. His answer makes sense. He said that a large percentage get into law enforcement to be able to excercise power over others. Another were the steriod, body builders with much the same attitude. Still others were the HS jock type that liked being part of a team, while some just have a good sense of right and wrong and want to help (yes they exist too).

Having spent time on the job with them gave me a much better understanding of how the job can change one from good to bad as well. They are lied to and cursed every shift they work by John Q. Public. For some officers, they lose the distinction between good and bad folks and develop an "us against them" mentality. People wonder why the "good ones" don't cross the blue line when fellow cops do bad shite. It is because they know it will cost them their jobs and/or career, as well as jeopardize themselves and their families. It is a huge cost for doing the right thing, just Google "Serpico."

Community policing is one proven method of helping in this area, but I would suggest that groups like Black Lives Matter go on ride-a-longs and engage the officers they are with because it can be a two-way learning opportunity.

[felix_numinous]

9. We are being terrorized

This is what needs to be addressed head-on. Black people have been scapegoated and made example of for everyone to see (really Black people never stopped being terrorized, but now there are no protections for recourse). All this while there is a Black president, who everyone fears for his well being--so what is he supposed to do, right?

What we need to get a handle on is the dire situation America is in right now--we are living in a police state. Yes this has been building steadily for years, erosion of human rights (health education and welfare) means that anyone can be singled out, yet the value of human life has virtually disappeared if these young people can just be picked out and picked off so casually. It's like police have turned into machines. And with a small shift in focus they can start on another group.. This is terrorism.

Singling out one group involves isolating them from everyone else, and because being singled out (never mind being hunted) is a universal fear, this can trigger the fight or flight reaction in the collective. It is human nature to run away from this issue--but we simply can't. This is not going away unless we all stand up for our own relations. Because we are all related one way or another. The diseased ones want us to think different.

I would like to hear directly from this administration on this and would encourage everyone to just start making noise, every chance you can. I think it is our civic, social and human duty to do so.

If we do not address this now, no election, candidate, representative,institution, document means anything. Their words will mean nothing.

Stay safe, peace. My prayer is everyone wakes up so POC don't have to go through this alone anymore.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

10. nothing new

late 70's - early 80-'s

I hitched across amerika - east to west and back three times - white - long hair - rousted many times - three times harsh -

pigs - can not even get a grip on what it would be like to be black and at their "mercy"

the pigs still MURDER - at least we are looking at the fact

[RoccoR5955]

12. Been there, done that.

I can agree with you 100%

[SoLeftIAmRight]

15. jail in jackson wy - unlawful sleeping

good hard kick in the ribs to get me up - it hurt for weeks

same on the beach in Florida - not as physical in Arizona or Louisiana - but jail again in Louisiana - charge? - when my lawyer contacted the courts there was no record of my night in jail - 1500 bail money gone into the void

Fucking pigs

[RoccoR5955]

34. Oh, I just got beat up by some undercover detectives

when they found out that I outed them to some friends. They found me on the street, jabbed my umbrella into my gut, searched me for no reason, and told me to "be careful, because next time it would be worse."

[world wide wally]

13. To " serve and protect"?

It was a good idea anyway.

[appalachiablue]

71. The police told a relative in FL 'we're not here to serve and protect' about a year ago

when they contacted them about a neighborhood issue. Go figure, things have changed, in many ways.

[Horse with no Name]

14. This is the Catch-22 and I am mortified that the DOJ isn't moving forward to protect the rights of

the citizens in all of these cases.

We have rights. We have the right to not be detained. We have the right to ask the questions of why we are being detained if indeed we are. If we are being detained, we have the right to shut up and not say a word. We have the right to leave if we are not being detained.

However, time and again when citizens who know their rights exercise them, they are being murdered by cops.

The culture of "do what they say and you won't get hurt"....is your safest bet. However, it is unconstitutional and nobody really seems to care.

Nobody is there to make sure we are safe, after all, the Constitution is just a goddamned piece of paper whose only purpose seems to be to protect gun ownership.

[awoke_in_2003]

23. The DOJ serves Wall Street

just ask Eric Holder.

[kentuck]

16. Very dangerous power trip...

Every cop in America needs to turn in his resignation and re-apply for his position. If he/she does not understand his job in regards to the citizens he is sworn to protect, then he/she should look for a different job.

[Enthusiast]

17. Cops are no longer deserving of respect.

[WinkyDink]

18. This reality needs a special POTUS prime-time address, so that the issue is A FOCUS OF US ALL.

[hunter]

19. 'roid rage.

Hemorrhoids or steroids, it's not always easy to diagnose.

[GoneFishin]

31. It sucks when they have both.

[Nitram]

20. The "War on crime" and "War on Drugs" gave cops a license to kill.

Bow down or die.

[kentuck]

22. It used to be, "Put up your hands!"

Now it is, "Get on the ground!!"

[libdem4life]

25. Obama needs to be pressured...Legacy and all.

If he doesn't do anything, we must let him know that his inaction on police brutality and murder has increased exponentially on his watch.

[840high]

35. Agree.

[appalachiablue]

58. I wonder what percentage of our population is working in LE and CJ, including police depts.

and the courts, same for the PIC, prison industrial complex and the military. I think it's a lot. Several months ago here I read about a small town/city where the people were protesting to get back their prison that was to be moved because they depended on the jobs. Last Memorial Day I read that 38% of Americans have someone in their family in the armed forces.

[libdem4life]

61. Those are very good jobs. Great benefits

and retirement. Very difficult to fire. so they can get away with a lot.

[appalachiablue]

62. Yes, what changes in the last 20+ years. In the 90s many young people from small towns and

large cities who couldn't afford college went into the military too, another sector with huge growth I never expected to see in my lifetime.

[1monster]

26. THESE three paragraphs in the article...

It turns out that the last 30 years of police training are partially responsible for that attitude. When police adopted the “broken windows” strategy of citing people for lane changes without signaling and the like, they lost focus on teaching de-escalation methods. They also lost interest in professionalism, patience and psychology as necessary tools in the police arsenal. In fact, they came to believe they only need loud voices, tasers and guns (maybe in a pinch some body armor, Humvees and some tear gas). They certainly lost sight of the common sense understanding that authoritarian tactics are anathema to a free society.

Police officers have tough jobs, nobody disputes that. Our streets are flooded with guns, which police officers’ fiercest defenders don’t seem to care about. But to paraphrase “Mad Men’s” Don Draper, that’s what the great benefits, early retirement and generous pensions are for! They deserve everything they earn and more. But the fact that the job is tough does not mean they are entitled to make citizens grovel before them and offer them unquestioning obeisance.

In fact, it’s the other way around. It’s people like Sandra Bland who are entitled to their rights, which are guaranteed under the Constitution. None of us should have to give them up simply because we’re in the presence of an officer of the law. It was to protect us from exactly that sort of abuse that the founders wrote down the Bill of Rights in the first place.

[B Calm]

27. I've said it for years, all cops are on an Ego Trip. You get pulled over and want to get off with

a warning, just say things that will build up their ego.

[spanone]

28. it appears 'we the people' are the enemy

[kelliekat44]

29. Looks like elected officials aren't going to do anything about. It will be up to citizens to reign

them in with neighborhood watch groups for the new thugs on the block. And citizens will have to get their voting creeds together and VOTE!! Any elected official, anywhere, who supports or supported renegade police acts of brutality need to be voted out of office.

[Liberal_in_LA]

33. today's beat down.. cops starting pounding on guy who has both hands up

WATCH: NYPD officers beat young black man who had his hands up over allegedly-stolen pizza
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/watch-nypd-officers-beat-young-black-man-who-had-his-hands-up-over-pizza-he-didnt-steal/


grocery store surveillance video shows a young black man holding his hands up in surrender before two New York police officers start pounding him in the head over the suspected theft of a $3 slice of pizza.

Thomas Jennings, 24, can be seen in the surveillance camera video leaning on the counter at a grocery store in Brooklyn on July 7, when NYPD officer Lenny Lutchman approaches from behind and immediately starts shoving him in the chest and grabbing his wrist. Jenning appears surprised and raises both hands in surrender.


Suddenly, Lutchman’s partner Pearce Martinez runs in and without breaking his stride or saying anything, rains down a full-force right hand punch to Jennings’ head. He continues to pummel him and Lutchman joins in, hitting Jennings with his baton. During the beating, Jennings remains curled over the counter and doesn’t fight back.

While Martinez handcuffs Jennings, Lutchman continues striking him, even though Martinez is facing no challenge from Jennings, who appears to helpfully put his hand behind his back.

“I didn’t ever know it was coming,” Jennings told the New York Daily News.

[Unknown Beatle]

44. Fucking pigs!

I told my wife that I don't trust the police. She said that the majority are good cops and I said, "how can you tell which are the good cops and which are the bad?" She didn't have an answer. It's the one bad cop out of many that I dread meeting.

If I was in an alley and I saw two shady characters coming towards me, I would immediately know what was going on. But, if I was in same alleyway and saw two cops walking toward me, I wouldn't know if they were trying to help me or beat the shit out of me. So, I would have no other recourse but to assume the two cops were like the two shady characters.

[Flatulo]

46. Un-fucking believable. Those guys are animals and

have no business being police.

[McKim]

36. This Middle Aged White Woman Will Think Twice Before Calling the Cops

Just today I realized that I was scared of being stopped in traffic by a cop. And I would really think twice about calling the cops to come help even in my upper middle class white neighborhood. They might just shoot one of my neighbors who they think are a criminal when the neighbor really came over to help in an emergency. They are totally out of control and they have a culture that is sick.

[Yo_Mama]

37. Reuters!!! post on what your rights are

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/07/23/breaking-down-the-legal-issues-in-sandra-blands-arrest/

Do you need to comply with a police demand to get out of your car?

Not unless it’s related to the violation. If a police officer smells alcohol on your breath, he or she can ask you to get out of the car. If you’ve been pulled over for a turn signal violation, there’s no reason to ask you to get out of the car unless there’s something additional in that interaction that rises to the level of probable cause, such as an officer seeing a baggie of pot in the car, or something else that gives rise to a crime.

Cops commonly forbid citizens from recording them. This is unconstitutional, but they are doing it anyway.

Police culture in this country is so perverted that many forces commonly violate civil rights.

[WillyT]

38. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[ibegurpard]

39. k&r

[JDPriestly]

40. Excellent.

I don't understand why police officers think that citizens lose the right to free speech just because they have been stopped by a police officer. Seems to me that if free speech means anything, it means something when a citizen is confronted, stopped, spoken to, arrested or touched by a police officer. That's when it really matters.

Although we are rightfully and wisely advised to keep our peace when spoken to by a peace officer because what we say may be held against us even if what we say is in our opinion perfectly innocent.

Still, while it is wise to remain silent no matter what when around a police officer, we certainly retain the right to speak, the First Amendment right of free speech. There is nothing in the Constitution saying we can't speak our mind to a police officer.

Don't try to do it though. Because as you see from the Sandra Bland video, asserting your right to free speech when stopped by a police officer could be one of the last things you do in your life.

So shut up when stopped by an officer even though the Constitution protects your God-given right of free speech. Be safe no matter what.

[dreamnightwind]

43. The move towards a police state has been a consequence

of the government moving towards representing the wishes of the rich corporations rather than the people.

As the government gets less and less legitimate as a servant of the people (see the Pickety study, policy no longer happens in response to the people's needs, only to the needs of the 1%), it keeps its illegitimate power unchallenged in several ways.

One of these ways is to make sure we have zero or very few candidates for office who are not captured by campaign donations from the 1%, and the strings that come with those "donations". They don't challenge the military, the police, the financial overlords, or the extraction industries, or they pay the consequences.

Another is the state developed a strong-arm police force to put down insurrection, a boot stamping on the faces of the poor and the disgrutled, per Orwell. It's here, folks.

[GoneFishin]

55. 100% true. The predatorily wealthy are not the target of this shit. So they condone it/encourage it.

[bobGandolf]

45. So Pleased To See 92 Rec's For This Thread

92 members recommended this thread so far. That number is a very good indicator that a large number of members view this topic as very important. Too many times in the past abuses were drowned out by those who blindly supported the police.
The OP is correct, the abuse of power, by policemen, is at a critical point due to the increased frequency of them, and video that does not lie. It is crucial that the good cops start speaking out, break the code of blue silence, clean up your departments.
If you continue down the current road, the populace will lose all respect for you, and that will make your job impossible.

[Locrian]

48. great article

I fear that this will be extremely difficult to fix. The cops and the entire "cop system" thinks they are doing the RIGHT thing. They simply do not understand another way, and they reinforce their belief system with the fierceness of a religious "true believer" ie NOTHING will change their mind that THEY are the ones in danger, and the suspect HAD IT COMING.

These guys see themselves as the good guys. They see force and domination as the only way to be the good guy. It's sad really, but not unexpected with power in a climate of ever increasing military escalation, winner take all, zero sum, kiss up and kick down.

We need a radical change - it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of learning.

[winterwar]

49. Great Post

Thank you

[TheKentuckian]

52. The blue gang has always been a predatory disaster, I'm glad folks are waking up a little bit.

[raouldukelives]

60. The militarization of the police is the militarization of us.

And not just any militarization, but American militarization. This ain't your Grandads military, this is a finely tuned killing machine free from self-doubt and ever striving to free one from the conscience of ones deeds.

It really is truly remarkable how effective they have been at turning civilians into remorseless killing machines. If you can dream it, you can do it they say and over the decades with hundreds of billions of dollars they have gotten pretty darn close to that dream.

Well, until one is free of the machinations, until ones mind is clear of the fog and can start to visualize just what they have done with their life in the name of money and the reverse definition of public good.

God save me a from a soldier of fortunes death bed cries for forgiveness.

[L0oniX]

65. America is on a dangerous power trip.

Just ask other countries.

[HickFromTheTick]

66. A Few Bad Apples.....

The cops that are attracted to the job because they get to wear a big gun, order people around, drive real fast, pretend to be Billy Jack, and take out there steroid-fueled rage on "civilians" who don't "respect their authoritah" give the other 5% a bad name.

[Paka]

68. Over ten years ago in West Linn, Oregon,

I was pulled over for a burned out turn signal even though I did put it on. I was threatened and verbally abused and the cop said "he could tow my car and make a pedestrian out of me." I am an old white woman and was polite and deferential with the creep.

My BIL when hearing the story said it was my fault for having a rasta sticker in the window of my car. I obviously deserved to be mistreated. It's no wonder the police thugs are out of control when general opinion is that out-of-control.