Posted on 10/24/2013 11:32:32 AM PDT by Q-ManRN
Before I go any further, let me start by saying this: the problem is not that all police are bad. The problem, is that increasing numbers of police officers are badly trained, illiterate when it comes to the Constitution, especially the Fourth Amendment, and, in some cases, willfully ignorant about the fact that they are supposed to be peacekeepers working for us, the taxpayer.
Unfortunately, with every passing week, we are hearing more and more horror stories in which homeowners are injured or killed simply because they mistook a SWAT team raid by police for a home invasion by criminals. Never mind that the unsuspecting homeowner, woken from sleep by the sounds of a violent entry, has no way of distinguishing between a home invasion by a criminal as opposed to a government agent. Too often, the destruction of life and property wrought by the police is no less horrifying than that carried out by criminal invaders.
Actually, we may be worse off today than our colonial ancestors when one considers the extent to which courts have sanctioned the use of no-knock raids by police SWAT teams (occurring at a rate of 70,000 to 80,000 a year and growing); the arsenal of lethal weapons available to local police agencies; the ease with which courts now dispense search warrants based often on little more than a suspicion of wrongdoing; and the inability of police to distinguish between reasonable suspicion and the higher standard of probable cause, the latter of which is required by the Constitution before any government official can search an individual or his property.
(Excerpt) Read more at thetimesweekly.com ...
I saw a cop blow about 5 laws and cause a massive pileup all in order to get behind a 55 y.o. Hispanic lady who was doing about 64 in a 60 so he could give her a ticket.
You’re welcome (not an accident...)
Not only that, the current mail”person” tends to carry dog treats, owns two dogs of his own and literally and figuratively has the ‘hood dogs eating out of his hand.
Time to arm yourself with a Dash Surveillance/Security Cam.
Garbage. The blame is first and foremost on the cops who commit these acts. No excuses or blame-shifting.
I watch Andy Griffith show quite often. It takes me away to a much better time, and I can temporarily forget today’s craziness.
Me.
You are lucky! That sounds like Mayberry.
Thugs. Officially sanctioned and wearing a badge, but, thugs....
That is the spirit!
When the ATF and FBI massacred the Branch Davidians and then a Republican Congress gave them cover, this is what caused be to begin reassessing my support for law enforcement and politicians. Everything that has happened since then has confirmed my mistrust of government and all of its servants.
Lol! That’s the idea.
I’ve been to McCook (you can look it up if U are tipped as to where to look). The peeps I ran into were upright and salt of the Earth.
The federal government strongly encouraged police departments across the US to abandon the “Old West” style of policing and adopt SWAT training and tactics, starting in the 1970s, in the wake of several publicized police assassinations by leftist terrorist groups.
It was one of several major mistakes that were made in policy that only now it is obvious were fatally flawed and needed to be reversed. In particular, gun control, starting in 1968; the Supreme Court ending capital punishment from 1972-1976; and the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.
However, it is long past time for the states to recognize that adopting SWAT training and tactics was a mistake, and one that resulted in *more* police *and* civilians being wounded and killed.
This begins with a state law that, “no matter that the federal government says is legal”, police are *required* to obtain written warrants from authorized state judges before they may execute a search. That is, by state law restricting the use of warrantless searches, and strictly limiting how police can perform “exigency” searches (a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger or the imminent destruction of evidence) that requires immediate action.)
Next, the state mandates reforms to state police academy training, to train them to *not* be abusive; to *not* brandish their weapon unless they intend to shoot to kill; along with anti-aggression, anti-steroids, and violence avoidance techniques.
Likewise, the academy should give them some common sense rules, especially when dealing with young children, the infirm or incapacitated, the mentally ill and the elderly. For example, if called to a school to arrest a student who pointed his finger while going “bang bang”, the officer should instead offer to cite the principal for wasting police time with frivolous calls.
Anybody who kicks my door in with no announcement or warning will be treated equally.......
Don’t think I was shifting blame, lots of people in general suck, some of them become police officers or elected officials.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.