this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2024
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THE POLICE PROBLEM

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    The police problem is that police are policed by the police. Cops are accountable only to other cops, which is no accountability at all.

    99.9999% of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct is never investigated, never punished, never makes the news, so it's not on this page.

    When cops are caught breaking the law, they're investigated by other cops. Details are kept quiet, the officers' names are withheld from public knowledge, and what info is eventually released is only what police choose to release — often nothing at all.

    When police are fired — which is all too rare — they leave with 'law enforcement experience' and can easily find work in another police department nearby. It's called "Wandering Cops."

    When police testify under oath, they lie so frequently that cops themselves have a joking term for it: "testilying." Yet it's almost unheard of for police to be punished or prosecuted for perjury.

    Cops can and do get away with lawlessness, because cops protect other cops. If they don't, they aren't cops for long.

    The legal doctrine of "qualified immunity" renders police officers invulnerable to lawsuits for almost anything they do. In practice, getting past 'qualified immunity' is so unlikely, it makes headlines when it happens.

    All this is a path to a police state.

    In a free society, police must always be under serious and skeptical public oversight, with non-cops and non-cronies in charge, issuing genuine punishment when warranted.

    Police who break the law must be prosecuted like anyone else, promptly fired if guilty, and barred from ever working in law-enforcement again.

    That's the solution.

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Our definition of ‘cops’ is broad, and includes prison guards, probation officers, shitty DAs and judges, etc — anyone who has the authority to fuck over people’s lives, with minimal or no oversight.

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RULES

Real-life decorum is expected. Please don't say things only a child or a jackass would say in person.

If you're here to support the police, you're trolling. Please exercise your right to remain silent.

Saying ~~cops~~ ANYONE should be killed lowers the IQ in any conversation. They're about killing people; we're not.

Please don't dox or post calls for harassment, vigilantism, tar & feather attacks, etc.

Please also abide by the instance rules.

It you've been banned but don't know why, check the moderator's log. If you feel you didn't deserve it, hey, I'm new at this and maybe you're right. Send a cordial PM, for a second chance.

♦ ♦ ♦

ALLIES

[email protected]

[email protected]

r/ACAB

r/BadCopNoDonut/

Randy Balko

The Civil Rights Lawyer

The Honest Courtesan

Identity Project

MirandaWarning.org

♦ ♦ ♦

INFO

A demonstrator's guide to understanding riot munitions

Adultification

Cops aren't supposed to be smart

Don't talk to the police.

Killings by law enforcement in Canada

Killings by law enforcement in the United Kingdom

Killings by law enforcement in the United States

Know your rights: Filming the police

Three words. 70 cases. The tragic history of 'I can’t breathe' (as of 2020)

Police aren't primarily about helping you or solving crimes.

Police lie under oath, a lot

Police spin: An object lesson in Copspeak

Police unions and arbitrators keep abusive cops on the street

Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States

So you wanna be a cop?

When the police knock on your door

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ORGANIZATIONS

Black Lives Matter

Campaign Zero

Innocence Project

The Marshall Project

Movement Law Lab

NAACP

National Police Accountability Project

Say Their Names

Vera: Ending Mass Incarceration

 

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I find that title to be wholly innaccurate.

There were also women on the force, so it was 376 boys and girls in blue sat around and let 19 kids and 2 teachers die.

Well, 375. There was that one asshole who shouted "Do you need our help?" to which a hiding child responded "Yes we need help!" and was subsequently shot by the gunman

That person actively caused a child to die.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Don't forget the one cop that wanted to help but was held back and prevented from entering (I think his wife was a teacher or something)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh, and that other cop who was going to try to open the unlocked classroom door but was then told to go patrol the rest of the school

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

The only reason they even started evacuating was because one of them opened a classroom and saw it was full

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Missing in the picture: a second track with no one tied on it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

That switch stops trolley

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (4 children)

What's the point of all that military gear they're wasting tax payer money on then? Fascist cosplay?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

It’s to use on protesters, not on actual crime.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

376 armed cowards keeping a bunch of parents from rescuing their kids... and what changed? nuthin.

so gross

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Nothing changed because Uvalde immediately re-elected the same republiQan slate that put them there. After that tragedy. There should be no more question that it’s a cult.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Uvalde immediately re-elected the same republiQan slate that put them there

Sadly, the kids weren't allowed to vote. Mature enough to get shot at. Not mature enough to select the police who stand idle while it happens.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I scoff every time a cop on a TV show is like "I joined the force to save lives and make a difference" because it's painfully obvious that this is pretty much never the case in reality.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

They joined the force because it has the best job security next to CEOs in the US.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Holy shit, I thought it was double digits. How did they get 376 to show up without any of them roid raging their way into doing something other than dicking around?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

How did they get 376 to show up without any of them roid raging their way into doing something other than dicking around?

Some of them tried and were actively prevented from doing it by other Officers. The whole situation is actually worse than most people realize.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There's no way that'd ever be justifiable, but what's their excuse?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Probably something about free school lunches or litter boxes.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

More like it’s yet more proof that you cannot rely on the police to protect you.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Yeah none of those guns were actually "in the school" because thin blue line means ~~cops~~ cowards above anyone else. They won't risk their lives for you.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I recall a conservative news segment where the "jounalist" and "expert" had discussed that the kids should have rushed the shooter and overwhelmed him. Doesn't matter they were 6-7 they should have stepped up and stopped it all.

Meanwhile, the actual people gained to do that wouldn't, despite overwhelming numbers

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

"Hey kid, it's up to you to stop another acute manifestation of the US' problem with guns"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Good thing cops are not legally required to help you in the US, even if you're about to be killed by a criminal.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Cops refuse to show up on my methhead neighbors - they have weapons. But when my (then) husband wanted to evict my little unarmed 5’3” butt from the house I’d lived in for the past seven years, after physically beating me to the point I wasn’t really cogent, they sent a whole riot squad to pick me up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (7 children)

Here in Denmark a crazed man attacked the Fields shopping center with a couple of hunting rifles. The first time something like this happened in a very long time.

Danish armed police had a quick response time. Loads of dudes with in full body armour and MP-5s guarding every main exit while other guys went inside to clear out the civilians and hunt the shooter down.

The sniper equipped helicopter circling the shopping center spotted the shooter coming out of a service door and he subsequently got caught.

I think in total only 5 people died, which was from the short period when the guy started shooting.

All the right wing gun addicts from America were chest thumping and table banging, shouting all over social media that this somehow was an example that gun laws don't work. However, considering this happened within a short period after the school shooting in America, all it truly did was make American police look like a bad joke.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (7 children)

As much as ACAB, I can admit that sometimes an armed response is necessary. It sounds like you danes have a well trained force, rather than some 6 week academy psychos with a hard-on for violence.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Cops aren't really bastards in Denmark. Oh sure, you'll find anti establishment types everywhere; there certainly is no love for the police in Christiania. However, the overall opinion of Danish citizens towards the police is positive. In Denmark people genuinely feel safer seeing a policeman on the street.

Police in Copenhagen are also friendly; unless they're in the middle of something, you can, as a citizen or a tourist, walk up to one and ask them questions.

Police do carry pistols in Denmark, but someone just starting their career in law enforcement isn't immediately given a gun until they've had a good job record and proper training for a few years. The amount of paperwork a cop has to go through for even suggesting they'll pull their gun is staggering.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

From all my internet lurking I discovered that America is a country almost beyond redemption, or at least some states.

I always wonder if it is really that bad or am I just hearing the usual ‘my country bad’ talk like anyone does but the news point to the first one basically every time. I can only assume it is mostly true and sympathise.

As someone who lives in middle eu capital city and has proverbial 4 houses it is all quite mind blowing. I feel like I live in completely different reality and I am grateful for it every day.

It’s however very painful to hear all you just plain suffering. Maybe that’s why my mind goes ‘it’s probably exaggerated’ it can’t be that bad can it be?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It’s a strange contrast living in the US sometimes. My personal life is pleasant and I work to keep it that way. I like where I work and I see multiple good doctors on a regular basis. But I’ve had plenty of my own troubles over the past 5 years too.

…but I also have eyes. I see the same crazy shit you do, and furthermore I have enough personal acquaintances to know that the crazies we both read about are fully serious and indoctrinated.

So, I wouldn’t say that the suffering is exaggerated, just that it isn’t ubiquitous. It’s a big place. Millions are doing OK while millions of others are getting beat down by life.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (5 children)

Too bad the shooter wasn't black. The cops weren't trained for this.

This is a cop problem, not a gun problem. All the guns were working, including the shooter's. The cops saw fit to take their lunch hour instead of working.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Cop's first priority is themselves. If it's convenient, they might help others.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

All this proves is that my children get a better education and better protection from their mother than government.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

Better protection for sure. Maybe you're really good at home schooling, but my aunt fucked my cousins up really bad lmao. But then again they didn't die in a shooting so maybe it's a win anyway.

Quick edit that I don't know your situation and your kids are probably totally fine. I was more bashing my aunt and shitty parents. Not the ones that do a good job. Sorry to seem so critical

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

2 of my half-sisters were homeschooled for religious reasons. Both ended up failing out of college because they didn't even have a rudimentary understanding of science, math, or history.

On the other hand, I know a guy who was homeschooled and, aside from us teasing him a bit about which sister he'd take to prom, he's perfectly normal and intelligent and had no problem making it as a radiology tech.

Everyone likes to poo-poo regulations as government overreach (and sometimes, yes, it is), but typically, they're just there to protect those who can't protect themselves (like kids who deserve a good education)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Yeah for sure. Like I wasn't trying to bash the individual I commented under. When it's working it's working. Only when it doesn't it's pretty bad. But then again that is a pretty irrelevant point for me to make since many kids make it through public school and are dumb as bricks. I guess it all just depends

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I didn't take it as you trying to bash, just expanding the convo a bit. I think the outcomes are very dependent on why the decision to homeschool was made and how prepared the parents are to actually educate their children. If you're doing it because you don't feel public schools are safe enough, I could get on board with that...my kids are in public school, and it's scary as shit sometimes. Our 7th grader had to deal with multiple lockdowns last year, and we live in a pretty safe area. If you're homeschooling because you don't want your kid's mind "poisoned" by basic science like geology or biology, or don't want them exposed to different races or religions, you're probably gonna end up with a young adult who isn't prepared to exist on their own in the world when the time comes and that transition into adulthood is going to even harder than it already is.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (5 children)

Final proof that more guns in our schools will not keep our kids safe.

What does the issue of the inaction of law enforcement have to do with the idea of "guns in our schools" (presumably this is inferring armed security or arming other school staff)? I am of the opinion that a lot of these issues could be solved adding armed security to schools. There are quite a number of sensitive locations like that which would benefit from that sort of security, imo.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Have you met a security guard? you do not want a guy who failed the extremely low bar to be a cop, and who likely can't handle the tiny bit of authority granted to them to be around kids.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

What if the security is competent?

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