Trigger-Happy Policing
In this country
If it looks like a duck,
and walks like a duck,
it’s a duck. 2015
In recent months and years, America has witnessed a rash of incidents involving seemingly trigger-happy police officers who shot or killed people under questionable circumstances. Most of those shot or killed were black.
But Whites, Hispanics, and females have also been on the wrong end of abusive police officers. Only a hopeless cynic or a bigoted mind could deny there’s a problem with rogue cops.
How should we respond to rogue cops?
Though it can be tempting, the proper response to these rogue police actions is not to get crazy by rioting, looting, etc. No. The proper response is to use our votes to make the fundamental changes we want. When we do this, we can put people in positions who are sensitive to our concerns. When we vote, that also means we will be in the pool of people selected to serve on grand juries.
Grand Juries are chosen from active voter lists. When we don't vote, we don't appear on the lists of available people to serve on grand juries.
When we vote, we can put in place Civilian Police Review Boards. These board can monitor the training and behavior of police officers. The review boards would have citizen representation. They also could be empowered to implement more psychological testing for police officers.
Police applications could include the following questions: a) Have you ever been a member of a group with a history of racial bias? b) Have you ever been recruited by a group with a history of racial bias? c) Are you friends with someone who is a member of a group with a history of racial bias? d) Do you have relatives who are members in a group with a history of racial bias? Review boards also could require police body cameras.
These lessons are lessons learned from the Civil Rights Era, and they worked. But the lessons weren't passed along, or they were ignored because they were not considered confrontational enough. It's been said that those who don't know their history are bound to repeat it. Some of us don't know our history, and we are repeating it.
Summary
Our goal should be to make sure rogue police officers are held accountable for their lawless actions just like everybody else. When they start receiving long prison sentences for their actions, and when they are subject to capital punishment for their actions, just like anybody else, then, and only then, will our goal be met.
Unchecked, excessive police brutality isn’t just a threat to Blacks. Left unchecked, Whites, Hispanics, females, gays, students will also find they are victims of excessive police brutality.
Finally, good police officers should put some distance between themselves and bad police officers. However, when they fail to do that, they run the risk of being lumped together with bad police officers.
In this country
If it looks like a duck,
and walks like a duck,
it’s a duck. 2015
In recent months and years, America has witnessed a rash of incidents involving seemingly trigger-happy police officers who shot or killed people under questionable circumstances. Most of those shot or killed were black.
But Whites, Hispanics, and females have also been on the wrong end of abusive police officers. Only a hopeless cynic or a bigoted mind could deny there’s a problem with rogue cops.
How should we respond to rogue cops?
Though it can be tempting, the proper response to these rogue police actions is not to get crazy by rioting, looting, etc. No. The proper response is to use our votes to make the fundamental changes we want. When we do this, we can put people in positions who are sensitive to our concerns. When we vote, that also means we will be in the pool of people selected to serve on grand juries.
Grand Juries are chosen from active voter lists. When we don't vote, we don't appear on the lists of available people to serve on grand juries.
When we vote, we can put in place Civilian Police Review Boards. These board can monitor the training and behavior of police officers. The review boards would have citizen representation. They also could be empowered to implement more psychological testing for police officers.
Police applications could include the following questions: a) Have you ever been a member of a group with a history of racial bias? b) Have you ever been recruited by a group with a history of racial bias? c) Are you friends with someone who is a member of a group with a history of racial bias? d) Do you have relatives who are members in a group with a history of racial bias? Review boards also could require police body cameras.
These lessons are lessons learned from the Civil Rights Era, and they worked. But the lessons weren't passed along, or they were ignored because they were not considered confrontational enough. It's been said that those who don't know their history are bound to repeat it. Some of us don't know our history, and we are repeating it.
Summary
Our goal should be to make sure rogue police officers are held accountable for their lawless actions just like everybody else. When they start receiving long prison sentences for their actions, and when they are subject to capital punishment for their actions, just like anybody else, then, and only then, will our goal be met.
Unchecked, excessive police brutality isn’t just a threat to Blacks. Left unchecked, Whites, Hispanics, females, gays, students will also find they are victims of excessive police brutality.
Finally, good police officers should put some distance between themselves and bad police officers. However, when they fail to do that, they run the risk of being lumped together with bad police officers.