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Policing - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - An Outstanding Article

since9

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Jan 14, 2010
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Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
The author of this article is himself a certified peace officer in Georgia, in addition to being a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. I found the objectivity with which he approached the subject to be surprisingly refreshing. In fact, in answering the question of "how can law enforcement better deal with the "bad" and the "ugly"?" he replied, "The answer is a return to the idea of "community oriented policing.""

The only comment he made with which I might disagree was, "Can society survive without police? Not a chance." It's not that I believe anarchy works. It doesn't. It's that in every society, absent an official, codified law enforcement solution, someone always steps up to the plate and fulfills that role. Societies that fail to do this do not long survive. Thus, in one sense, I do agree with the undercurrent that we'll always be in needed of tough, fair-minded individuals who are willing to confront and are capable of putting down the threat when necessary. On the other hand, it doesn't need to be the "police," a relatively recent invention. The role of a sheriff is quite similar, but has important differences, a prime reason why we maintain sheriffs to this day.

To keep things on an even keel, however, We the People will always need to maintain the ability to police our own, to suspend bad cops on suspicion of wrongdoing until either cleared or convinced, as well as to remove or further punish them if they stepped over the line in any knowingly illegal manner. Yes, they walk a thin line, and like all humans, they sometimes make mistakes. Yes, they need to have room to maneuver. No, that should not include room to break the law (abuse of authority, assault, murder) while escaping behind the color of law.
 

skidmark

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So, how can law enforcement better deal with the "bad" and the "ugly"? The answer is a return to the idea of "community oriented policing." Many police agencies have had great success by sponsoring "citizen police academies" and use those short courses, open to the public, as a foundation upon which to build strong relations within the communities they serve.

Why not discuss the need for administrative, supervisory and disciplinary policies that are proactive as opposed to waiting for a citizen complaint or lawsuit to begin dealing with a "rogue" cop? What about policies and procedures to retrain, reeducate and/or discipline the cops who see the "rogue" cop in action but do not report that?

It's another "can't we all just get along together" moment.

Cops and the folks they work for could do much better if they got to know each other. LEAs do not have to surrender all autonomy and authority when they start cleaning up their own internal messes. But they need to look at The Thin Blue Wall of Silence for what it is - a conspiracy of accessory after the fact. They and the prosecutors complain when the community remains silent (often with reasons associated with personal physical safety), but appear not to see that the same is taking place within their own ranks.

Right now we all seem to be stuck at http://www.columbia.edu/~sss31/rainbow/whose.job.html . It's not the sort of situation where anybody, all alone, and effect the needed change. But a few somebodys getting together on both sides of the table now is better than waiting till everybody is on board.

My challenge is to get to know the CLEO on more of a personal than a consumer with complaints level and then to use that as a springboard to begin addressing the Thin Blue Wall of Silence issue. Think I'll look up his name and see about getting an apppointment with him.

stay safe.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
If the author of the linked article is Phillip Holloway, where does it say he's a certified law enforcement officer?

His website doesn't mention it, nor does his c.v..
Not even the article supports it:
Philip A. Holloway, a CNN Legal Analyst, is a criminal defense lawyer who heads his own firm in Cobb County, Georgia. A former prosecutor and adjunct professor of criminal justice, he is former president of the Cobb County Bar Association Criminal Law section. Follow him on Twitter: @PhilHollowayEsq The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

The Ugly: The ugly truth is that police have one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth.
Ugh, this old horseshite again?
I thought even a CNN drone would know better than to report such speciousness.
 
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