Police earning the hate

[NAN]

It really is incredible to me that during protests about police over-reactions and over-aggression, they continue to be overly reactive and overly aggressive.

Yeah, the sad part is watching every single officer there just do nothing. I'm sure "most" officers being good is still an accurate statement but imo seeing everything this past week it's a smaller amount of good than I thought before this week.

Yeah, I'm boggled that there is still overraction over some words, etc. You'd think with all eyes on them, the officers would tone it down some, and hopefully make it the "new normal".

That said, really, what do you expect though in front of the public the "good" officers to do in that instance. If you start showing cracks in the public, that is where things get out of control. In instances like this, that has to be addressed behind closed doors. Now, in instances like GF, where someone is literally dying, yes, you have to do it right then and there.

It's extremely easy for someone to say "you should do this" in that situation.

[NAN]

That Buffalo thing was sick. Honestly, if the old man did approach them as they were telling them to move back due to curfew or something, just handcuff him. He's an old dude.

[willeyeam]

It really is incredible to me that during protests about police over-reactions and over-aggression, they continue to be overly reactive and overly aggressive.

Yeah, the sad part is watching every single officer there just do nothing. I'm sure "most" officers being good is still an accurate statement but imo seeing everything this past week it's a smaller amount of good than I thought before this week.

Yeah, I'm boggled that there is still overraction over some words, etc. You'd think with all eyes on them, the officers would tone it down some, and hopefully make it the "new normal".

That said, really, what do you expect though in front of the public the "good" officers to do in that instance. If you start showing cracks in the public, that is where things get out of control. In instances like this, that has to be addressed behind closed doors. Now, in instances like GF, where someone is literally dying, yes, you have to do it right then and there.

It's extremely easy for someone to say "you should do this" in that situation.

I think if a few officers stood up to that the reaction would be overwhelmingly positive and would create some trust between the protesters and police. We'll agree to disagree

[Troy Loney]

That is the second video I've seen of cops pushing around elderly people. I would definitely say that the sentiment among the police forces across the country, is that these protesters are their enemies and are to be treated as such. Which to me, furthers the argument that the police in general is the problem, and not the random bad apples that murder black people. The problem with regards to race is that in general, the black community seems to be seen as the adversary to the police, and that is why they are typically receiving the punishment.

I am probably not articulating this thought particularly clearly, but I think the gist of it is that when the debate is framed in the strictly racial construct, is dilutes the problem and prompts unconstructive divides among people, that I believe, are in fundamental agreement. Policing is littered with disincentive and the legal system has built a shield around holding them accountable. Whether or not these overlying truths are racially driven is irrelevant, and I think people can disagree. And to me, it's inarguable the brunt of the consequence for this falls on black communities.

[NAN]

People are focusing on the negative more because that is what they want to correct, and so it amplifies the "police are bad", when in reality there is probably far more good out there that is not brought forward. And same goes for the other side of the spectrum with the protestors and black community.

There are definitely things that need to be fixed, and on both sides. I think when people start viewing one side or the other as "the enemy", that is where the trust detoriates and the issues grow.

I mean there are still officers doing their job, in the correct way that are also being shot, killed, beaten, or having vile things thrown at them as well. It makes the entire situation difficult when you are out there to be able to judge who is there to harm you and who is there peacefully. But you don't get nearly the amount of twitter clicks for that.

[NAN]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/minnea ... lic-safety

I know this was posted before I believe, but I'm interested in seeing how this turns out. I personally think people are going to find out how difficult it will be to "police" using citizens and social workers. There are a lot of bad people out there that aren't going to give a ****.

[shafnutz05]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/minnea ... lic-safety

I know this was posted before I believe, but I'm interested in seeing how this turns out. I personally think people are going to find out how difficult it will be to "police" using citizens and social workers. There are a lot of bad people out there that aren't going to give a ****.

I would be moving out of Minneapolis as quickly as possible.

[eddy]

[willeyeam]

[tifosi77]

The single biggest issue that requires reform, imo, is this 'thin blue line' code-of-silence bullpucky. If cops seriously started policing themselves (in the context of in the field and in the locker room, so to speak) then I think a huge amount of misconduct would be eliminated. And, honestly, I have no idea how you address that. That seems like it's more than institutional, and veers more into the built-into-the-equation kind of territory.

I've said this many times in the context of terrorism, but a pervasive environment of tolerance of bad conduct just enables more and more bad conduct. And so you have people who themselves might never be moved to commit any bad act sitting on the sidelines quietly observing others, with a lower threshold of restraint, going out into the world and throwing acid on schoolgirls or shooting up a music venue in Paris.

[mac5155]

I read (a headline) that stated all of the Buffalo PD Resigned in solidarity when the 2 officers were disciplined for pushing the old man (video above)

[willeyeam]

It's nice when the trash takes itself out

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

They resigned from the riot squad.

[Orlando Penguin]

Fire em all if they want to resign from their jobs. Call their bluff like Reagan did with the air traffic controllers and MLB did with the umpires in the mid 90s. Them standing in solidarity is the big problem in these bad cop scenarios.

[Shyster]

It's entirely possible I'm imagining this, and fabricating a narrative in my head. But it seems like in the last couple years, there are a lot of police misconduct videos that show that kind of behavior. Not just the officers creating a line-of-sight obstruction, but detainments happening more closely to things that can obscure sight lines. The Floyd incident, for example; they take him to ground next to a parked car removed from where things first escalated.

I don't know if that's normal and for whatever reason I'm just noticing it more, or if there has been an actual increase in that kind of procedural conduct.

You are not imagining anything. I follow a number of channels on YouTube of people in the "First Amendment Auditor" group. Those are folks who record police stations, government buildings, and police officers and police activities as a sort of test to see if the police respect their right to do so. (Every federal appeals court to address the question has held the recording the police in public is not only legal, it is constitutionally protected activity under the First Amendment). Not only do many police officers fail spectacularly, but I have seen over and over again that if someone is recording, say, a traffic stop, police officers will intentionally position themselves to block the camera. Many police will also shine their personal flashlights or their car's spotlights into the cameras to blind them. I've even seen videos of police officers walking literally to within inches of a cameraman and then taunt the person recording, who knows full well that if they so much as touch the cop who is up in their face, they will be arrested on the spot. The police know that everyone has a camera now, and they don't like it.

[Shyster]

[Shyster]

In the lower video, note the cop moving his bike so that he's blocking the view of the arrest.

[Shyster]

VIDEO: Chain of events before tear gas deployed at peaceful protest in Richmond

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/ri ... -richmond/

The 8News investigative team has been slowing down, zooming in and critically reviewing drone video sent to us of Richmond police deploying tear gas on Monument Avenue Monday night.

After review, it appears that Richmond police may have first launched tear gas at their own men and women, leading to a spiral of events that resulted in peaceful protestors being tear-gassed.

The drone video shows hundreds of people at the Robert E. Lee Monument protesting the recent murder of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

In the video, a gray truck pulls up to the police barricade and it appears that a Richmond police officer sees the truck, turn and lobs tear gas at the vehicle.

When you look closely at the video, you see that the truck is escorted by police and is carrying more officers to the scene.

Once tear gas was deployed, a chain of events occurred where more gas was deployed, this time against the peaceful group of protesters gathered at the monument.

tl; dr: Idiot cops were startled by the arrival of a pickup truck carrying more officers, so they gassed their fellow cops and then gassed the crowd.

[tifosi77]

I'm creeping ever closer to a mental and emotional state re the police that I'm finding very personally uncomfortable.

[Shyster]

Nearly $150,000 Missing From Police Safe Shows Why Civil Forfeiture Is Fundamentally Flawed

https://www.forbes.com/sites/institutef ... ly-flawed/

Who took $150,000 in cash out of a Lancaster County Drug Task Force safe? That is a question that the Attorney General of Pennsylvania will now consider after Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams recently revealed that the money was missing. At a press conference this week Adams stated, “This appears in every aspect to be an internal theft.” To avoid any conflict of interest, Adams asked the commonwealth AG to lead the investigation and possible prosecution.

Just a reminder that police misconduct includes more than physical assaults.

[mac5155]

Question for the OP (singled out due to profession )

Do you need a "permit" to have a "peaceful protest"? And if not, do the police have the right to order you to disperse? And if they order you to disperse, how much time do they have to allow?

This stems from me watching a video of (supposedly) Pittsburgh, where the police order the demonstration to break up, then give about 15 seconds before another warning, and before the second warning is complete, start physically breaking up the protest.

[mac5155]

I'll also mention, it is rather funny how many people don't realize that peaceful assembly is a first amendment right. Usually the same individuals who tote their 2A rights "shall not be infringed".

[Shyster]

The right to assemble is not unlimited, and generally the government may impose permit requirements and place reasonable "time, place, and manner" requirements on assemblies. For example, it would probably be permissible for the government to require protests to stop before 9 pm, and likewise the government can prohibit protests on major roads like interstate highways. To be constitutional, any time, place, and manner restrictions must be viewpoint-neutral and must apply to everyone regardless of who they are or what message they might be conveying.

I doubt that many (or even any) of the recent protests have actually obtained permits. If so, then the police likely did have the right to order the protesters to disperse. I've never heard of any time requirement for a dispersal order, but it's also the case that I don't do very much con law stuff (and have never done a protest case).

[mac5155]

Doesn't make what police are doing right. At the same time, "peaceful" isn't the only check box that needs covered.

[MR25]