Can't we all just get along?

Ivan Seeking

Those are the now famous words of Rodney King, which he spoke in response to a series of events that began twenty years ago, today.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/28/us/rod...ile/index.html

I still have mixed feelings about all of this. On one hand, the history of police brutality in the LA area is undeniable. Not only have I seen it, not only have events from past decades come to light over the years, but we've also had a number of cops in the family and I've known a few other people who joined the force. When you have to deal with the worst of the worst of society, day in and day out, it takes a huge toll. It changes a person. From the pov of friends and family, it can destroy a person. So while I have found various incidents and experiences involving LA [area] police to be disturbing, I can understand why things get out of control. It's a war.

That said, police brutality is never acceptable. Sometimes it was difficult to not see the police as a bunch of thugs.

We had a family member who was an LA city cop his entire career. When he died we found a huge stash of illegal weapons in his shop. His daughter told me that he carried many of these weapons as a standard practice.

Antiphon

Every smart cop carries an extra weapon to be able to plant on a dead suspect if things get out of hand. I know I would do this. Self defense has different aspects which require different weapons. There is physical, legal, and moral danger to a policeman on the job. His sidearm is for physical protection. The gun he plants on the dead offender is for his legal protection. And his own psyche must be able to withstand the moral danger. This comes in the form for example of finding $20 million in small used bills abandoned in a warehouse in Sylmar, CA. Do you take some of it and become a thief yourself?

It's not easy to be a cop.

Office_Shredder

Is this crazy speculation, or just wild speculation?

Hobin

...Which makes said cop a criminal to the very laws he swore to uphold. I'm not saying cops don't have to deal with a lot more than any person should have to deal with, but deciding that they're somehow above the law is NOT an acceptable way of dealing with the problem.

Pythagorean

Police misconduct is fairly pervasive. In the US, the most common form of police misconduct is excessive force. False arrest is fourth on the list:



from http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com/?p=4053

When we do criminal statistics, we always talk about the numbers only reflecting the one's that got caught. I wonder how extreme that difference is when the law enforcers are the criminals.

rytmenpinne

No, we cannot... unless we completely give up on our egos and stop violently enforcing our will upon others, but that's just not gonna happen.. at least not in the near future..

feathermoon

We've had a sherrif break into peoples houses to steal information for sale to paprazzi locally. This being a suburban area in the middle of no where.

The question is, are law officers more or less likely to commit a crime than the general population?

Ryan_m_b

Ehhh...What? Why are you advocating getting away with murder?

nitsuj

"Going Postal"

another set of famous words.


What makes the stresses of cops different from that of say a postal worker?

I appreciate that a cop must handle the stresses far better than a postal worker, and hopefully they do.

I see nothing wrong with be rough on someone who is "tough".

I do feel bad for police regarding the "police Brutality". Kicking the snot out of someone is one thing. Being very rough, or causing a bruise of requiring a couple of stitches isn't "police Brutality".

In the olden days cops would "throw down" with the "outlaws".

Hobin

Something that requires stitches CAN be police brutality, depending on the situation.

Pythagorean

I'm thinking it was an argument technique. What it looked like to me is he essentially put on a cop disguise and said "i'm a bad person" to convince us that cops were all crooked.

nitsuj

Something causing bruising can be police brutality.

I don't think you honestly missed my point.

In Ottawa, a "police Brutality" case involved a cop who was video taped slamming a handcuffed female's head into the hood of their cruiser, not Hollywood movie style, more like big brother manhandling me style. Hmmm... I don't even know what became of it lol, I have to check but am sure he was disciplined.

Oh and in addition that video came out, piggy backing another "police Brutality" case (had more merit). So media is to blame for some of this heat between aggressive police & (aggressive) citizens. Our police chief was so slick handling the situation though, no more fire.

Antiphon

You couldn't be more wrong about what I said. I meant it literally and flatly. Police have the right to use deadly force to protect themselves like anyone else. But when they get jumped by someone who outweighs and outmuscles them, they are obligated to kill that person in self defense. If that cop-assaulting perp turns out to have been unarmed (but who likely would have used the officers own weapon against him) the modern justice system crucifies the officer.

It's his moral duty to overcome the flaws in the justice system by carrying a gun he plants on the dead perp to save himself from an unjust legal system.

Pythagorean

I'm sorry I was wrong.

Ivan Seeking

Likewise, it is the duty of every citizen to take the law into his or her own hands when crooked cops are in play, right?

Ryan_m_b

Words can't describe how stupid I find this statement.

Hobin

*shudders* Antiphon, I hope very much that you're trolling.