Quote Originally Posted by Dawgology View Post
It's not just killings that are instances of police brutality. I'm just looking at stats there and that's troubling that we couldn't go two weeks without breaking 500 incidents.

As for the section about black population accounting for 50% of violent crimes and thus coming into contact more with leo. That's a chicken and egg thing, no? Self-fulfilling prophecy somewhat.

Not really, in regards to violent crimes the police are typically called TOO them they aren't there before they happen. In other words, we typically aren't there before the shooting, assault, armed robbery, rape, murder happens they arrive as it's happening or shortly after to pick up the pieces. We have to look at WHY that is and then go from there. It has very little to do with law enforcement and a lot to do with poverty, education, and leadership. That could be addressed many ways.

But your points about growth is correct. We need to defund the military toys (and things that are war crimes) and invest in pay, training, etc. I personally don't think Minneapolis will be successful, but I'm interested to see the results and how this will drive the conversation forward.

I think we can all agree of these 5 things for cops that would make life easier for everyone (cops, poc, white people alike):

1. Require body cameras at all times. (Have someone trained to watching all active cops in the department. Once one feed goes out notify officer immediately. If unable to fix immediately, officer is to return to precinct and be supplied with a new one. Not to engage in any cop-like activities. Arrest with the buddy system to mitigate a person in custody when one camera goes out.)

Most body cameras arent live feed they record and download...and they are expensive. Our department spends about $75k a year on them and we are just a mid-seized department. If you are in pursuit of an individual with a weapon or in the middle of breaking up a dispute you can't just leave to go get a camera and come back later. I mean: guy is running after his wife with a shotgun through the front yard and and you jump out to stop him and your camera falls off or stops working...you just turnaround and leave?? It's going to be VERY tough to use a buddy system when your department is underfunded or DE-funded. Most precincts barely have enough officers to cover a regular shift as it is (that's with one man per beat)...how are you going to afford more police with less money in your budget. Plus...you get rid of qualified immunity then no one in their right minds will be law enforcement anymore anyway. With that said body cameras should be required for all law enforcement but it's going to have to be funded. It's not just the device you are buying but cloud storage forhundreds of thousands of hours of footage and software to parse it all and search it

2. End chokeholds. No neck restraining, period. 100% agree

3. End qualified immunity. You're trained by the law. You shouldn't be able to go outside said bounds without no restriction.

50% disagree. That means if I get in a tussle with a drunk guy that wants to drive home and decides to fight me and he ends up breaking his nose or wrist or whatever...or if I tase him...then he will be able to sue me and also I will have aggravated assault charges leveled against me. Law enforcement officers would be bankrupt or in jail within their first year. I propose QI stands but we appoint a special unit that complaints go directly to at the state level that are triaged by a wide variety of professionals and then appropriate action is taken if warranted. A unit that is dissassociated from the AG's office or any law enforcement agency that is made up of attorneys, social workers, psychologists, use of force experts, investigators, etc. It would be a FULL time job.

4. Stop spending on ridiculous toys, spend on the officers themselves. (The money saved on riot gear, tear gas, swat bullshit is going to more than make up for cameras and training.) 10000000% agree

5. No Han Solo shooting. As a cop, you do not shoot to kill first. You are trained to handle a deadly weapon. You are trained to act under pressure. Shoot to disarm or don't shoot first. Cameras will help tell the story here.

100% disagree You just can't do that. In the heat of the moment when bullets start flying or someone is running at you with a weapon very few people have the type of control to shoot a weapon out of your hand. The second you pull the trigger of a gun you are committing to kill someone. It is a deadly weapon. I've seen people shot in the foot, leg, and arm die within 5 minutes and someone shot in the head live and go home th enext day. Once that projectile enters a body and impacts a bone it can go pretty much anywhere inside of the human body. I can't express enough how wrong you are on this one. Every time I hear this argument I just think someone has watched too much TV and movies. If someone pulls a gun on you you have a second to decide whether or not you want to live the rest of your life. If you want to go home to your family. At the end of the day...don't...pull..a...weapon...on....a...cop... It's a very simple method.

Don't think that this stuff is unreasonable. Would make things go a lot smoother. People wouldn't have to videotape every encounter with a cop. People could feel secure that the cop has a level of oversight that will prevent police brutality. (Again brutality is not limited to death.)

You are correct here and THAT needs to be addressed. Most of the rhetoric seems to focus on death though so that's what I geared my thoughts toward. Again, I have been in law enforcement for 20 years...I have seen our department offer one...ONE...4 hour course on communication and we are probably ahead of the curve on that for most law enforcement agencies. As opposed to our mandatory FIVE TIMES a year training in shooting and fighting. That has to change. You can't sharpen a sword and not expect it to cut. We have to change the way we hire and train.
Bravo, Sir! Well thought out and great stuff!

ETA agreed that shoot to disarm stuff is people watching to much tv.