Attorney General Garland: Minneapolis Police Probe Necessary

ThatRobGuy

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If they wanted to do something meaningful, they'd probe all police procedures rather than focus on a regionally-specific department that happened to be the subject of a high-profile case.

Makes me think they're singling out one particular department to appease some folks rather than looking at the issue at a macro-level.
 
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Occams Barber

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If they wanted to do something meaningful, they'd probe all police procedures rather than focus on a regionally-specific department that happened to be the subject of a high-profile case.

Makes me think they're singling out one particular department to appease some folks rather than looking at the issue at a macro-level.


Looking at US policing at the macro level may be a big task.

According to Wikipedia there are around 18,000 separate police agencies in the US. This proliferation may itself be part of the problem.

Law enforcement operates primarily through governmental police agencies. There are 17,985 U.S. police agencies in the United States which include City Police Departments, County Sheriff's Offices, State Police/Highway Patrol and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.

From: Law enforcement in the United States - Wikipedia
OB
 
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keith99

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Looking at US policing at the macro level may be a big task.

According to Wikipedia there are around 18,000 separate police agencies in the US. This proliferation may itself be part of the problem.

Law enforcement operates primarily through governmental police agencies. There are 17,985 U.S. police agencies in the United States which include City Police Departments, County Sheriff's Offices, State Police/Highway Patrol and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.

From: Law enforcement in the United States - Wikipedia
OB

Not to mention that things can be very different within a police department. I expect very different attitudes from Rampart and West Valley divisions here in Los Angeles. And even greater variation within the CHP.

When I was younger I often took bike, as in bicycle, rides where I would be in areas patroled by 5 or 6 different police departments.
 
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SummerMadness

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If they wanted to do something meaningful, they'd probe all police procedures rather than focus on a regionally-specific department that happened to be the subject of a high-profile case.

Makes me think they're singling out one particular department to appease some folks rather than looking at the issue at a macro-level.
Probing one department and publishing the findings has an effect on the procedures at other departments.
 
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disciple Clint

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Based on the testimony at trial, it looks like the department did not have racist tendencies and had internal systems in place to maintain quality policing. We say officers testify against a fellow officer and the Police Chief clearly state department policies that appeared to be reasonable and without favoritism. Even the prosecuting and defense attorneys had nothing to say that indicated anything improper in the procedures of the department or that there was any systemic racism evident. Functionally when departments get adverse attention from the Feds people start becoming much more concerned about protecting themselves than protecting the public. This has proven in the past to be counter productive when it comes to reducing crime and protecting minority communities.
 
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Tiberius Lee

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Looking at US policing at the macro level may be a big task.

According to Wikipedia there are around 18,000 separate police agencies in the US. This proliferation may itself be part of the problem.

Law enforcement operates primarily through governmental police agencies. There are 17,985 U.S. police agencies in the United States which include City Police Departments, County Sheriff's Offices, State Police/Highway Patrol and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.

From: Law enforcement in the United States - Wikipedia
OB

The root cause of “killed by Cop” is not racism, Police Union or any other logistics. It’s the Gun culture of America. People can buy and carry a AR15 any where they want. And you want police not to be trigger happy? In UK 90% police don’t carry guns, they don’t have to, there are not enough gun on the street in UK. But in USA too many people running around with semi-automatic guns and in some occasion police making life and death decision in matter of second.

I do agree with others that systematic racism exist in police force, many of the law protect police offer way more then it should. System needs to be changed, need to re-priorities how to fund police department.. all that .. but if we had less gun on the street .. we would have less police shooting.
 
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Tiberius Lee

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Based on the testimony at trial, it looks like the department did not have racist tendencies and had internal systems in place to maintain quality policing. We say officers testify against a fellow officer and the Police Chief clearly state department policies that appeared to be reasonable and without favoritism. Even the prosecuting and defense attorneys had nothing to say that indicated anything improper in the procedures of the department or that there was any systemic racism evident. Functionally when departments get adverse attention from the Feds people start becoming much more concerned about protecting themselves than protecting the public. This has proven in the past to be counter productive when it comes to reducing crime and protecting minority communities.

After a year Minneapolis Police department can say whatever they want, truth is the department is broken just like every other police department in the country, after Mr. Floyd died, the department put out a report saying

“He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.”

Only reason we are here today because a concern citizen took video. If not it would have been a story of “another black man violated police order and died from drug overdose.”
 
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RocksInMyHead

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Based on the testimony at trial, it looks like the department did not have racist tendencies and had internal systems in place to maintain quality policing. We say officers testify against a fellow officer and the Police Chief clearly state department policies that appeared to be reasonable and without favoritism. Even the prosecuting and defense attorneys had nothing to say that indicated anything improper in the procedures of the department or that there was any systemic racism evident. Functionally when departments get adverse attention from the Feds people start becoming much more concerned about protecting themselves than protecting the public. This has proven in the past to be counter productive when it comes to reducing crime and protecting minority communities.
If you bothered to read the article, you would know that discriminatory practices is only one of the three issues that the AG will be probing. The other two being excessive use of force and treatment of people with behavioral disabilities.
 
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disciple Clint

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After a year Minneapolis Police department can say whatever they want, truth is the department is broken just like every other police department in the country, after Mr. Floyd died, the department put out a report saying

“He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.”

Only reason we are here today because a concern citizen took video. If not it would have been a story of “another black man violated police order and died from drug overdose.”
We can respectfully agree to disagree. I believe that the facts of this case would have come to light. There were officers who had serious questions, there were responding first responders medics who had serious questions, internal investigations would have sorted this out and it would have been up to the DA to decide if charges should be made. I think the proof for this is the witnesses at the trial.
 
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disciple Clint

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If you bothered to read the article, you would know that discriminatory practices is only one of the three issues that the AG will be probing. The other two being excessive use of force and treatment of people with behavioral disabilities.
Nothing there that the department itself is not or cannot address without the help of the Feds. It would appear that the department is trying to do the job the way it should be done. The proper values are in effect.
 
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Ana the Ist

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If they wanted to do something meaningful, they'd probe all police procedures rather than focus on a regionally-specific department that happened to be the subject of a high-profile case.

Makes me think they're singling out one particular department to appease some folks rather than looking at the issue at a macro-level.

If they wanted to do something meaningful....they could.

Solving this problem leaves them without a key issue to run on.
 
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Tiberius Lee

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We can respectfully agree to disagree. I believe that the facts of this case would have come to light. There were officers who had serious questions, there were responding first responders medics who had serious questions, internal investigations would have sorted this out and it would have been up to the DA to decide if charges should be made. I think the proof for this is the witnesses at the trial.


These are all speculation. We would never know if anyone had serious question about this, or medical examiner doubted cause of the death, or IA would found out the fact. The police department lied. The put out a statement which is completely fabricated. Only reason the truth came out is because a girl took the video. If not, all those police officer who you think was concern would kept their mouth shut, IA would write a report and no one would know about it.

I don’t think it is a “ systematic racism” is the issue but the police culture which says “ we need to protect our fellow police officer no matter what” is the issue. There are only handful bad apple in police department, but rest of the police officer protect the bad apple, if they don’t, the entire department turn against them.
 
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RocksInMyHead

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Nothing there that the department itself is not or cannot address without the help of the Feds. It would appear that the department is trying to do the job the way it should be done. The proper values are in effect.
Forgive me if I'm unwilling to take the word of an internet rando with an agenda on this one.

Minneapolis PD has had a ton of issues over a very long period of time. They've tried to take steps to fix them, but those steps don't seem to be working - which is why the federal government is stepping in.
 
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ThatRobGuy

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Looking at US policing at the macro level may be a big task.

Sure...but probing one specific metropolitan police department is unlikely to foster any broad meaningful changes. Depends on if someone is wanting a small win "for show", or if they want to take on the daunting task of creating real change. The latter isn't going be easy.


To use a classroom analogy:
If there was a school where people cheating on tests with their smart phones was running rampant...but at another school 30 miles away, that wasn't an issue.

It wouldn't make sense to focus on one solitary person you caught cheating...that's too granular.

It also wouldn't make sense to use that one particular school as an impetus for making a blanket "no smart phones allowed" policy, especially if they were proving to be a legitimate research tool in other schools.


I think it's better to address the issues that are "shared issues" at a broad level, and then micro-manage the issues that are specific to particular locales.
 
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ThatRobGuy

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Probing one department and publishing the findings has an effect on the procedures at other departments.

I don't know if that's a safe bet to assume...

Even if it was, sometimes that could have a negative impact on departments that don't have the same particular sets of problems.

For the obvious ones (like there shouldn't ever be 4 cops ganging up on an unarmed woman and putting her in a choke hold) those should be blanket policies.

But some more granular issues exist that aren't the same everywhere.

There are tools within any profession, that can be abused, and when you cater policies to the worst possible bad actors, and restrict the tools based on what they may abuse, you run the risk of making the job harder for everyone else who may not be abusing the current system.

For instance, if there was one person at the office who was going to adult websites on their computer at work...sure, a blanket policy of "all employees need to get pre-approval to open Chrome, and wait for an HR person to be available to come over and stand behind you while you search for something" would address the problem with that bad actor... however, it'd make the job a whole lot harder for the majority of people who aren't abusing the PC privileges at work.

Or, in the Medical field...sure, you could weed out the few shady doctors who are recommending un-needed procedures to line their pockets by requiring that Doctors need to get insurance pre-approval for every single thing they do/prescribe... but that's certainly going to make things less efficient and a bigger hassle for the majority of honest doctors who just want to prescribe amoxycillin to a patient for an ear infection without having to spend hours on the phone with an insurance rep to get it approved.
 
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