The American media and law enforcement.

[Mutant Monster RAEG-HAPYP]

Here is a topic that came up in my mind recently once more. We know we have an issue with corrupt/trigger happy cops running around, and that's dangerous for everyone, even the honest cops. I'd also imagine policy issues are a thing as well. Those are very real issues and policing in the United States needs reform ASAP.

 

For this topic, I want to discuss the constant negative media coverage police officers get in the United States. We know we have a problem, however, I see another issue with constantly broadcasting "police officer beats someone" or "police officer shoots someone" on the news.

 

We know people love to say "funk the police", call them pigs, and even cheer when a cop is injured or killed. (Keep in mind that when those two NYPD officers were murdered back in December 2014, the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two families who have lost loved ones due to police, condemned the crime). This hatred, this negativity is also fueled by the constant media coverage that police get these days imo. This is dangerous, because if police officers who are actually doing their job feel hated, despised, and that any move they make will be heavily criticized or viewed negatively, they may not be willing to do their job properly, which can prove dangerous, especially in a live or death situation. I'm not saying don't report it at all, but when that's all that is reported, it's gonna have an effect. Of course, the shock factor probably plays a part in this as well.

 

I've said what I had to say. Now, it's your turn. Do you feel the American media tends to be anti-police and do you feel that the negative media attention fuels anti-police sentiment? Keep it civil, and go ahead and post your thoughts. Also, for those outside the United States, I'd like to hear how police in your country tend to be portrayed and/or viewed.

 

I sent this video to Winter, but I'm going to leave it here as well, as it is relevant:

 

[Aerion Brightflame]

The media probably does spin a worse narrative than they should do because that's just what the media does. But Cops still have more rights and protections than they should do. For starters civil forfeiture. Civil Forfeiture in the absence of a formal charge with some kind of supporting evidence to support it should not exist. It is essentially legalised theft that only applies to members of the police. It's wrong, and it is far to liable to abuse. 

 

Additionally, there needs to be an open set of procedures that gives acceptable punishments for officers who f*** up. Because even if they did it with all the good intentions in the world, an officer that overly uses excessive force or kills somebody in line of duty who was not a threat (Even if they believed so in the time frame) should recieve the punishments that any individual would receive. The guy in the video talks about how we can't really know high stress situations, and that they are undertrained and such - But at the very least they should go in knowing that there actions have consequences. 

 

Then there are just behavioural issues - Namely the idea that Cops have this super dangerous job. I can't remember where I read it, but I think there was a survey of the most dangerous jobs in the US and being a Cop wasn't even top 5 or top 10. But if they go out thinking there job is the most dangerous around, they are going to be more jumpy than they should be and that causes accidents. The attitude that they should ensure they get home safely before anything else is one I also disagree with - I would rather see police officers resolve situations where they receive minor injuries than with ones of the perps being killed.

 

Oh and I'd blame half this s*** on the War on Drugs. It's the root of a lot of the race issues, and definately the behavoiral stuff I mentioned earlier. There's a videolink, admittedly from The Wire but it makes a wonderful point about it:

 

 

Essentially, there just needs to be a greater sense that Officers are protecting and serving the people, not themselves and other cops. That's the big issue 

[Mutant Monster RAEG-HAPYP]

The media probably does spin a worse narrative than they should do because that's just what the media does. But Cops still have more rights and protections than they should do. For starters civil forfeiture. Civil Forfeiture in the absence of a formal charge with some kind of supporting evidence to support it should not exist. It is essentially legalised theft that only applies to members of the police. It's wrong, and it is far to liable to abuse.

 

Additionally, there needs to be an open set of procedures that gives acceptable punishments for officers who f*** up. Because even if they did it with all the good intentions in the world, an officer that overly uses excessive force or kills somebody in line of duty who was not a threat (Even if they believed so in the time frame) should recieve the punishments that any individual would receive. The guy in the video talks about how we can't really know high stress situations, and that they are undertrained and such - But at the very least they should go in knowing that there actions have consequences.

 

Then there are just behavioural issues - Namely the idea that Cops have this super dangerous job. I can't remember where I read it, but I think there was a survey of the most dangerous jobs in the US and being a Cop wasn't even top 5 or top 10. But if they go out thinking there job is the most dangerous around, they are going to be more jumpy than they should be and that causes accidents. The attitude that they should ensure they get home safely before anything else is one I also disagree with - I would rather see police officers resolve situations where they receive minor injuries than with ones of the perps being killed.

 

Oh and I'd blame half this s*** on the War on Drugs. It's the root of a lot of the race issues, and definately the behavoiral stuff I mentioned earlier. There's a videolink, admittedly from The Wire but it makes a wonderful point about it:

 

 

Essentially, there just needs to be a greater sense that Officers are protecting and serving the people, not themselves and other cops. That's the big issue

This I agree with. It does feel like police have higher protections, and honestly, I would say the problem extends to the police unions. Not only do they defend cops, no matter the case, but I've also read about police unions getting bad cops who were fired their job back.

 

Police officers do need to be subject to disciplinary action if they mess up. It's really 50/50 on this, and it's less when criminal charges are brought.

 

One of the biggest thing that police can do, though, is call out their corrupt counterparts. However, I actually think that they don't out of fear. There was once incident in Oregon where a cop reported the department's chief for racism and/or racist comments, and the cop found his tires slashed. Hell, there was once a case in Georgia(I think) years ago where a corrupt sheriff had the new sheriff murdered because he was going to investigate the corruption or something. I'd imagine it's quite rare, but who knows.

 

I do believe officers who truly do care about people exist, however, if someone's first reaction is to shoot(Tamir Rice case), then they shouldn't be cops in the first place. Deadly force guidelines have to be revised, and if they aren't followed, fire their ass.

[vla1ne]

i don't think cops should be subject to the exact same rules. they operate under far more stressful conditions than the average citizen. that's no excuse for abuse of power, and i do believe they have too few consequences as things are now though. many of them have had multiple offenses in the past and continue to get little more than a slap on the wrist. i support a system in which cops have something akin to a strike system, excessive behavior under normal conditions earns either two strikes or one strike depending upon severity, three strikes earns a suspension. continuation of such behavior post suspension gets you fired, and possibly arrested depending upon the action.