"What changes are needed to effectively prosecute police violence?"
This is a question I've pondered for some time now and I think there are some steps (some easy, some difficult) which will help.
I know my audience so I'm expecting a number of "nothing will change until the entire racist power structure is overthrown" responses, and I don't necessarily disagree, but ideally this post is more about evolutionary, not revolutionary changes.
There are a whole lot of (political, racial, etc.) reasons police don't get prosecuted effectively, but I think the most important one is that on a day to day basis police and prosecutors work pretty closely together.
Put differently, prosecutors are in complete reliance on police to make their cases and get their convictions. It's something of a symbiotic relationship.
That's why my #1 solution is an independent state office of police prosecution that a) relies on investigators that are completely distinct from day to day police operations and b) relies on prosecutors who ONLY prosecute police.
If we remove the relationship between prosecutors and police to the greatest extent possible, i think we remove a huge disincentive that prosecutors currently have in going after police.
That's my most positive contribution to a solution and I'm happy to hear criticisms of that idea and hopefully a number of other ideas that could potentially be put in place to curb this problem.
2. "I was thinking about this morning...I haven't worked this through mental..." In response to Reply # 0
yet but i think a system needs to be in place where Police are held directly accountable for civil suits that are in relation to their brutality. So instead of the city paying out...the officer is responsible. If the officer is unable to pay, the city will cover it but, he can no longer be employed by the dept.
Why would an officer take that kind of risk?
Well what if the officer's salary was greatly increased, however, they were responsible for having insurance to cover these lawsuits, similar to doctors(actually, i'm not sure how doctor insurance works so i could be wrong here lol)
ie Starting Salary for a cop is @ 45k in nyc lets say we increased that to 65k but the officer had to have insurance coverage. The more claims the officer has against him that are paid out, the harder it would be for him to be insured or the greater his premiums would be. The city would be able to afford this increase in salary because they wouldn't be paying on out on lawsuits.
Putting niggas on desk duty or taking 2 vacation days ain't getting it done.
-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.
legsdiamond Member since May 05th 2011 79545 posts
Wed Nov-25-15 11:24 AM
7. "insurance coverage is a great idea" In response to Reply # 2
also need to have an independent jury reviewing their work every 2 years.
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
9. "yeah i'm not sure about the practicality either and i haven't thought ab..." In response to Reply # 8
it long enough to work out and/or think of all the kinks.
But it boils down to make the individual officer responsible for their actions criminally and civilly.
-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.
14. "i like your thought pattern" In response to Reply # 2
One problem with raising officers salary by that big of a jump would probably require local purpose taxes to rise considerably, forcing local resident taxpayers to pay for services they feel the should already be getting.
That would be a tough sell to the community.
It would be easier for each officer to have to contribute to a fund that pays the premium for said insurance. That way each one is still held accountable. The police union would fight against that hard but atleast the community wouldn't have to pay more taxes than they already are.
Also i like the idea of a civilian review board of police shootings leading to deaths, made up of local resident tax payers, who ultimately pay their salaries anyway.
3. "Reduce the power of the police unions, but *this* is the real answer:" In response to Reply # 0
>"nothing will change until the entire racist power structure is overthrown"
Unfortunately. It's the cops, the police unions, the judges, prosecutors and state-appointed attorneys, the city, county and state government officials, and the people that support the current police climate because they aren't affected by it, and in some ways it benefits them (keeps certain people "in their place").
>>"nothing will change until the entire racist power structure >is overthrown" > >Unfortunately. It's the cops, the police unions, the judges, >prosecutors and state-appointed attorneys, the city, county >and state government officials, and the people that support >the current police climate because they aren't affected by it, >and in some ways it benefits them (keeps certain people "in >their place").
4. "White supremacy as a mindset has to disappear from the police" In response to Reply # 0
and from society.
Like with this kid in Chicago. They shoot first because WS leads them to believe that a kid high on PCP, 15 ft. from them and walking away from them with a blade is so much of a threat that they're clear to unload their gun.
Then general notion that broader society has that we're wild animals that require rough/inhumane treatment is at the core of this.
11. "To piggyback off #1, id also like to see HEAVY consequences for cops" In response to Reply # 0 Wed Nov-25-15 11:36 AM by BigReg
who help cover up.
Similar to laws that enable all the accomplices for a murder charge even if its one person's actions; if an erroneous report is filled out by other cops on the scene and charges are brought against one of them, they all should face SOME kind of legal consequence that goes beyond a stern talking to.
13. "no doubt. the blue wall has to go." In response to Reply # 11
you never hear about the officers who help with the cover up receiving severe discipline or prosecution, even when the worst actor is ultimately charged.
18. "Easier said than done, because of the nature of the job almost all..." In response to Reply # 13
cops have colored outside the lines at some point and they almost all have dirt on each other. You start snitching on somebody else you risk have your own stuff dug up even if it was years ago. That's how they keep each other in line. A lot of the shit in The Wire was true. And even if you don't have any dirt on you they'll make something up or make your life hell until you quit or snap. That's what happened with Chris Dorner. LAPD fucked him over because he was trying to shine a light on some of the dirt they were doing.
10-POINT JUSTICE PLAN: National Urban League Police Reform and Accountability Recommendations
1. Widespread Use of Body Cameras and Dashboard Cameras 2. Broken Windows Reform and Implementation of 21st Century Community Policing Model 3. Review and Revision of Police Use of Deadly Force Policies 4. Comprehensive Retraining of All Police Officers 5. Comprehensive Review and Strengthening of Police Hiring Standards 6. Appointment of Special Prosecutors to Investigate Police Misconduct 7. Mandatory, Uniform FBI Reporting and Audit of Lethal Force Incidents Involving All Law Enforcement 8. Creation and Audit of National Database of Citizen Complaints against Police 9. Revision of National Police Accreditation System for Mandatory Use by Law Enforcement To Be Eligible for Federal Funds 10. National Comprehensive Anti-Racial Profiling Law
16. "Police murders should be federal, not state crime. " In response to Reply # 0
any unarmed individual who dies in custody should automatically be investigated by the fed and officers found in the wrong should be prosecuted by the fed. No local involvement at all. Police departments should have a brutality rating accessed every year and published in local newspapers. Individual cops should also have brutality ratings accessed yearly. Also officers should have to carry professional insurance just like doctors. They fuck up, they pay. ___________________________________________________________
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