Policing in America Is Broken. How Do We Fix It?

SummerMadness said:

Policing in America Is Broken. How Do We Fix It?

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I don't think that's accurate. I think policing in America is very good in some places. Good enough that a concept of "best practice" exists.

My impression is that some departments, like Minneapolis, have poor training.

Is not the complaint the militarizing of the police? Just another army not restricted in the way the armed forces are within the nation.

timothyu said:

Is not the complaint the militarizing of the police?

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I hear that a lot. It seems to refer to police wearing body armour.

Body armour is a good thing. Policemen in constant fear of their lives don't always make good decisions.

Radagast said:

It seems to refer to police wearing body armour.

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A little more armed than the six shooter and night stick of back in the day. Lethal force was not so lethal.

Of course times change out of necessity in some cases but need not do so across the board. I wandered into Detroit late one night in the late 80's at the end of town where the stadium was. Never been there before, had no clue where I was. Being the only vehicle around, a police car immediately stopped me. I was amazed at the toys he had , but then again his car was shot up also. He flipped out once he figured I and my white privileged pre-teen kids were out of our safe zone. He told me to put the high beams on and for the kids to keep their heads down and make my way down a street he pointed out, without stopping for anyone, except to roll through red lights ( it was late) until I got to the other side of town. I even picked up a cruiser escort for part of the way. It left me wondering how long a life span these guys in the danger zone had at night. Even more so how it had turned into such a danger zone in the first place. It had been 20 years since the Black Day in July. Nothing like it in my country at the time.

So I guess certain areas require different tactics, but there should be no reason to unify it across the board, thus creating an army IMO.

I might add, totally different than the end of the 60's where hitting Chicago about 4 in the morning, ended up in the south side coming into town. Wasn't long before we were stopped at a barricade by these nice young black men calling themselves weathermen. Guess they were preparing the morning report for the radio stations. Wondered why they needed rifles though. Anyway they didn't seem too happy with my white blond Aryan looking crewcutted friend asleep in the back of a white 64 Rambler but I presented a more radical appearance of the day. Once they figured we were Canadian, they instantly lightened up and flashed peace signs and even gave us an escort through the south side. Opposite to Detroit and of course the cops in Chicago were still seeking blood after their bloodbath perpetrated when unleashed upon demonstrators a year and a half earlier. So it shows to go situations are different everywhere ( and for both sides).

Johnboy53 said:

People might not like this idea but the only way this will bring peace is to put Black police in mainly Black area's and white police in white area's. What do you think about this?

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Minority officers have been recruited, starting in the 1960s. It doesn't make any difference. The minority communities consider them "traitors" and treat them like all the other police.

timothyu said:

A little more armed than the six shooter and night stick of back in the day. Lethal force was not so lethal.

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Excepting SWAT teams, most police carry pistols as a personal weapon; the lethality is about the same as the classic six shooter.

The night stick is still there; just a little larger. Police are more likely to get shot, so there's usually a bulletproof vest. Plus handcuffs, radio, and torch.

timothyu said:

It left me wondering how long a life span these guys in the danger zone had at night.

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They survive by being totally alert at all times. Sometimes that being constantly on edge makes them shoot when, in hindsight, they shouldn't have.

timothyu said:

Even more so how it had turned into such a danger zone in the first place.

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St. Louis, Baltimore, and Detroit are among the most dangerous places in the world. It's worth asking why local governments let it get that way.

pitabread said:

There are amply studies on these sorts of things. Especially in this day and age where information is at our fingertips, there's no reason to not do the research.

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I meant I literally didn't have time. I was getting ready to go somewhere.

pitabread said:

Has it? Just looking at crime rates in the U.S. for example, there has been a general decline in the last few decades.

Interestingly though is the public perception is that crime has increased.

5 facts about crime in the U.S.

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That's funny....the number of police has increased, the amount of crime has gone down.

Ana the Ist said:

That's funny....the number of police has increased, the amount of crime has gone down.

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Who knew?

timothyu said:

Who knew?

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Lol shocking, right?

It's weird to see people on the left making the same 2 points...

1. We've seen a massive increase in the number of police in the 80s and 90s...

And...

2. The crime rate has steadily dropped since the late 90s early 2000s...

Yet somehow, they don't see how those 2 points are connected.

Johnboy53 said:

Then have all police departments mixed with all kind's of races. No police department need to be one race.

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Make up your mind. Remain diverse of become segregated. Which one do you want?

JohnB445 said:

I think America is done for, I am 22 still young I have been considering moving to somewhere where there is a better quality of life.

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the netherlands has an average work week of 25 to 32 hours, also easy for american citizens to enter