Maybe we should defund the police.
Stop that, please.
That entire “defund the police” is the dumbest idea out there. You NEED police, any society needs police. Either that, or next time your being assaulted or robbed, well, sucks to be you.
What the US needs is a completely restructured police system, from the ground up. It needs officers that received training, not the 3-6 months dicking around with idiots that teach them “anyways, then I started blasting”. It needs restructuring of yhe laws so that they can be held accountable when they abusre their powers. They need to learn how to de-escalate situations instead of throwing oil on fires. Racism needs to be squeezed out.
This is how police works in other countries, this is why in other countries we actually like and respect police .
This also requires other changes in the US. This justice system based on revenge has to go. Focus on rehabilitation instead. You gotta limit your guns. I know that people start screeching at the idea, bit if by now it’s still not clear that US citizens are NOT able to responsibly use their guns, then you have issues. You yourself might be super responsible but the next ten people are not. Take the guns away. Best would be all of it.
Those are things that will make your country nicer, and your police actually respectable.
While I agree that the system needs to be restructured, and rehabilitation and limiting of guns would be very very good policy. The idea of defunding the police exists for a reason.
US courts have ruled that police are not obligated to put themselves in danger for you. So if you are being attacked, and the police believe the attacker could pose a threat to them, they don’t have to do anything to help you or stop the attacker. So next time you’re being assaulted or robbed, it may still very well suck to be you even with the police in line of sight.
Furthermore, the police spend the budget that they do get on military equipment rather than training their officers in de-escalation.
So at what point do we stop funneling so much money into the police for them to waste it on things that make situations worse. We either have to defund the police and put the money towards other services such as social workers who can de-escalate through non violent means, or start putting restrictions on how the police are able to spend the money, and having stronger guidelines/requirements for the training they go through.
police are essentially unneeded in a society that treats its members with compassion. That role is better handled by social workers. Defunding the police seems like a dumb idea to people principally unconcerned with compassion, but extremely concerned with a governmental occupationary force who, in a fit of paranoia, cant imagine that maybe humans arent rabidly violent without a looming threat of violence. One might in fact imagine that police themselves are responsible in part and often in whole for the many systemic failures that appear to justify them at their incredible unrivaled level of funding to you.
Also, you described reforms that would necessarily involve defunding the police. You agree with the position but think you dont because of the soundbite.
I have so many questions, but I will limit it to one. Why are you content giving the power to defend yourself to someone else?
Because if you leave it up to each person to defend themselves, you have literal anarchy. You’ll have the weaker that will be at the bottom abused and only the strongest on top. You’ll have abuse and people getting away with abusing. It’s the thing I’m happy is far, far behind us.
We all need trained police.
Police are strong and abuse the “weak”. A monopoly on violence does make people weak.
I’m not sure if I am a top or bottom. I prefer horizontal.
No
Police is strong, yes, but in most countries they don’t abuse the weak. US police is another thing, but US police is in such a bad state that most US citizens don’t even know anymore what police is supposed to be for. Its supposed to be held accountable, it’s supposed to protect and serve. US police needs an complete top to bottom overhaul and unfortunately loads of current officers should be fired. A national “don’t hire” list should be instated. The police union as it exists today should be torn down and rebuilt too as currently it only exists to protect rotten apples.
But it won’t be enough. You’ll also have to change how US citizens see the justice system m. Currently it’s used as a tool for vengeance more than it’s a tool of rehabilitation. You gotta focus more on rehabilitation, people will get back in society one day and I’d like them less criminal, not more. Lower penalties and more pragmatic focus. Right now if I get arrested for a major crime in Europe, I’m in trouble but I’ll get help and a few years later I can have my life back on the rails. In the US, my life.is over, so of course I’ll be violent to the Police. Prisons must focus on mental health, education, etc.
You’ll need to chante gun laws and outlaw most guns, leave a few options available for hunters, sports, etc. US citizens have shown for over a century now tha they can’t handle guns responsibly. “But but I do” sure. But the other 99.99% don’t. All that violence and regular mass shooting stuff is a unique US thing.
Next up is the racism and poverty divides, they gotta go. Tax the shit out of the rich, use the money to lift everyone up.
That will fix your issues, that will fix your police and make them a friend in the street
Currently it’s used as a tool for vengeance more than it’s a tool of rehabilitation.
Prisons being run by private companies might have an influence on the number of inmates…
Let’s hope they tase some more rich white guys so we can get them on board finally.
I’m so in love with the idea of a world with no police. A place where murder is acceptable and any crime you want to commit is never investigated.
You think the police is the line that makes crime not acceptable? Holy shit hahaha. Police officers investigating crime, like on TV? Haha
Hey everyone! A coward ⬆️
Yep I’m a coward, the guy who was arrested by the police for confronting my crack had neighbour for threatening my wife.
I’m the coward because even though I got in trouble I still support having the police around.
You know why?
Because I don’t come from the cesspool that is America
Sorry. ACAB
Murder is already acceptable if you’re a cop.
Its like they arrive at the scene without any information at all.
They arrived their first, medical assistance still on the way. They should be to busy coordinating to make sure those can do their job efficiently when they arrive. Maybe performing first aid. They shouldn’t be looking for crimes even if they are present.
Theres just no reason for a cop to show up when 911 is called for a medical emergency.
Yep, basically the whole argument to the “defund the police” movement. Take some of that fucking cop money to hire social workers. Better for society, but the fascists don’t like things that are good for society.
Even without information, if your first reaction to the unknown is overwhelming violence, you belong in a mental institution
While the Marin County District Attorney’s office eventually refused to formally file charges against Frankel, he has still suffered lasting harm from his treatment by police. In addition to the physical injuries he sustained from Sinnott’s use of force, Frankel spent over $10,000 fighting the police’s attempts to have him prosecuted.
“Man who was not formally charged with a crime forced to spend $10 000 defending himself”
Officers “submitted the false reports or caused them to be submitted in an effort to smear [Frankel’s] reputation, preoccupy him with a criminal case, intimidate him, and prevent him from pursuing claims against them for improper and excessive use of force,” the complaint states, adding that police “acted willfully with the wrongful intention of injuring [Frankel] and for an improper and evil motive amounting to malice.”
So they collasally fucked up, then fucked up more trying to cover up the initial fuck up. Don’t suppose there were any actual consequences for the police officers blatantly lying to incriminate an innocent man?
All police officers involved in this, and thwir direct superiors should all be fired, be put on a national “no hire” list, and face prison time for their crimes
Edit: fixed typos
and face prison time for their crimes
Police falsifying reports should be a criminal offense. I feel like I shouldn’t have to say this.
My father has grand Mal seizures, these cops did not think that man was intoxicated. Anyone who’s seen someone have a grand Mal would immediately know something was up with their brain
The first time my dad ever had one I was awoken at 1am to my mom screeching and my dad spasming on his bed spewing blood from his mouth (bit his tongue) and even I knew immediately it was a fucking seizure (I was 15 at the time and entirely untrained), these cops wanted to hurt someone
As a parent of a teenager who has tonic-clonic seizures (aka grand mal), this story made me nauseous. A patient recovering from a seizure has absolutely no ability to respond or understand what’s going on. Police should be helping and making sure he’s on his side, not tasing him. Whoever these cops are should be fired immediately. I hope Mr Frankel bankrupts the department.
We need to fire all cops and have more paramedics and social workers instead.
Until a crime impacts you
We’d have less crime if there were less poverty.
Solid answer, good job.
I read an article like this years ago, I’d fine the link if search didn’t suck everywhere.
A guy had a heart attack and his wife called emergency services. Police were the first to arrive and did what police do.
This guy was in his underwear leaning against the wall and because he didn’t respond immediately to the police shouting at him they threw him to the ground and broke his back.
Why were the police even there? Is it common in the US for them to also come to medical emergencies?
I think they came because the wife sounded really upset on the phone. Police do just like to turn up to things though.
Here in Australia I called emergency services one time because a woman locked her kid and her keys in her car and the police were the first to turn up. They couldn’t do anything so they just stood around until the fire brigade arrived who were the ones that could actually pick the lock to the car. It just makes you wonder why the police bothered at all.
Wild guess: the 911 operator hears the wife, assumes her race from her speech, and transmits the assumption of her race to the cops, who choose violence as if they ever choose anything else
Fuck cops