In and around our progressive Northwest big cities, it's fashionable to treat cops with disrespect and suspicion. Even Portland's Mayor Tom Potter, the city's former police chief, for cri-yi, recently found himself with a mouthful of shoe leather after falsely denigrating his officers for apparent racism. Today, the cop-hunting continues, as the Seattle P-I frets that no King County Sherrif's deputies have been fired since 2002 for misconduct, and that internal investigations of county deputies are down by half from 2001 to 2004.
I'm all for weeding out the real bad actors, but the public posturing over it all is more than tiresome. I want police to be able to do their jobs without fear of phony accusations, and without the attendant impetus toward de-policing. Reporting on scorecard-keeping of firings and investigations betrays an unhelpful "gotcha" pre-occupation; the public interest is better served by deploying limited media (and police) resources on strategies for improved crimefighting.
When it comes to policing, liberals and the media are living the 1960s bumper sticker that said, "Question Authority." My vote goes for questioning suspects and "police watchdogs," and for letting police know they are highly valued. A parting thought from the fictional LAPD Detective Lt. Harry Bosch, the great crime novelist Michael Connelly's hero: "Who polices the police who police the police?" It sure ain't the press.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 23, 2006 12:18 PM | Email ThisSo the police take the criticism to heart, institute reform, weed out the bad actors, clean up their act, inforce the rules of conduct, get rid of the bad cops, and now the hate America left is crying about the fact that the police are acting responsibly?!?!???
I guess if one hates America enough one can find a dark cloud in a silver lining.
Posted by: Obi-Wan on March 23, 2006 01:13 PMWhen two police detectives were directed to investigate, they told the firefighter to erase the photos inside the digital camera, in an apparent attempt to cover for another public safety officer. Initially, the City merely said it was under investigation and that would be that.
Eventually, the newspaper reported the name of the firefighter and learned that the firefighter had been surfing adults only web sites while in the fire station.
After having dropped the investigation, the press coverage has now resulted in an entirely new investigation - now investigating the police for serious and likely true charges of evidence tampering and more.
Three years ago, the newspaper ran a story noting there was a six month backlog in processing of traffic tickets. What happened? The politicians chose to use revenue production to prioritize law enforcement. Police began writing citations everywhere and to every one. Revenue production became the priority. We could get no action on the meth house next door, or the kid next door who shot two of my dogs in the head. (Their policy required that a deputy investigate this but they did not.) However, five times over 11 months, neighbors called in unlicensed vehicles parked in the street in front of the house: average response time, 15 minutes to write a revenue producing citation.
According to the paper, a majority of the traffic citations contested in court where thrown out. People who merely wrote a defense to the Court had their fines slashed. The reality is that most people cannot take time off of work and waste a day for a Court appointment to save $100 from a unjust fine.
The up shot: Can we trust the police?
Well, believe it or not, I spoke with the Sheriff and staff and I have a lot of respect for them and view myself as a supporter of our public safety agencies. The problem was not them but failed political leadership that created a bad PR problem for them.
I suspect a lot of police complaints ultimately derive not from MSM witch hunts - but stupid politicians making stupid requests. Even Seattle Mayor Greg Nickles asked at a council meeting if there were ways they could use the police department to increase city revenues? I would not be surprised if directions to cover up police actions come from the top, while the police themselves take the blame.
Posted by: Ed on March 23, 2006 02:34 PMHowever, when they're right as they seem to be, then there is surely some reforms that need to be made in the office. For those who are saying this is unfair...you reap what you sow. When you have had years of abuse by some in uniform and you are unwilling and/or unable to do anything about it...don't shoot the messenger for the message. You (Sheriff's department) created this monster and you let it get to this point. Maybe if you actually investigated the complaints instead of covering up for the bad cops, you wouldn't be in this situation. Instead you allow the bad ones to continue their unethical and illegal behavior. It's not the messenger, it's the behavior that has tainted the office.
Posted by: DRW on March 23, 2006 03:46 PMWith their hyped up expos`es of their perception of bad policing - they initiate new forms of de-policing.
White cops no longer want to arrest minority suspects for fear of racial bias complaints.
Straight cops no longer want to respond to gay disturbance calls for fear of sexual prejudice complaints.
Cops cannot ask the immigration status of non-english speaking and undocumented suspects...Seattle City council says that's a no no! ( Welcome terrorists to our city?)
Rioters need only claim police brutality to get a hefty settlement from the cities they destroy...
According to the liberals and the media...ALL criminals were in the process of turning their lives around at the time of their crime...and it was just a shame that the police 1. arrested them 2. beat them 3. shot them 4. tazed them 5. you name it... poor poor criminal....sigh..(barf)
The liberal and media agenda:
Create the doubt in the public...
Enhance the perception of dishonesty among police officers...
Saturate coverage of isolated incidents of questionable police practice and behavior...
The ultimate result will be social chaos, corruption, crime and fear. For the police - it will be disinterest, de-policing, and fear of arresting suspect in a "protected class" or an anarchist with an attorney.
"Drive-by shooting" will be answered by police "drive-on-by's"....
Just as they are doing to our evironment, education, social and racial relations...the liberals and the media will do to our most important means of emergency first response and protection...they will reduce it to chaos!