Posted on 10/04/2007 6:10:38 AM PDT by SmoothTalker
"Sheriff's deputies have been competing in organized contests to see who could make the most arrests, who could impound the most cars and who could question the most gang members."
"The contests were meant to boost morale and motivate deputies, but some observers are crying foul, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday."
"One of the competitions, outlined in an internal Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department e-mail, was "Operation Any Booking." The object of the contest was to see who could arrest the most people in a 24-hour period."
"It's just a friendly competition to have a little fun out here," said Lt. James Tatreau, who helped organize the events. "It's a morale booster.""
"Los Angeles County Public Defender Michael P. Judge, wondered if the games could prompt deputies to make illegitimate arrests to boost numbers."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
That would be easy to determine, and a study should be done.
My hunch is that the results will show no, or very few, improper arrests.
I also believe it will show a significant increase in the number of criminals brought to the halls of justice. In which case, these contests should become more public to encourage the police to make even more arrests.
I see it as a major waste of time, an abuse of power, and a serious infringement of human rights.
Laws, and police, are meant to protect citizens from those that are doing harm, not to enforce all laws, harrass the regualr citizens or ensure that everyone is following all laws to the letter.
THey're supposed to be going after the major drug dealers, gang members and criminals. That's how they protect the public. Issuing a multitude of tickets for minor infractions serves no one.
Life imitates art.
bttt
LA has a police chief who publicly says his department will not help to enforce immigration laws. “If you don’t like it, leave the state”, the “honorable” Chief William Bratton told the people of Los Angeles several years ago on a local radio station.
Let me restate that and see what you object to:
The point is this kind of behavior encourages police to make arrests they should have been making, becasue that's what they were hired to do but weren't when they wouldn’t otherwise or to impound vehicles when they wouldn’t otherwise Even though they swore an oath to uphold the law, and the discharge of that oath obligated them to impound those vehicles.
Well dumb a** james do you hold a similar contest to see who collects the most graft, and a contest to see who bangs the most hookers and a contest to see who can get the most women to trade sex for tickets. James you are a sick pervert!
“Let me restate that and see what you object to:”
I’m sure lazy LEOs who would prefer to be eating donuts is an issue for every department. Just as it is for private companies and other public agencies. If they aren’t doing their jobs they should be disciplined.
Having a contest on who can make the most arrests is irresponsible. It may encourage some to actually do their job. It may also encourage others to make arrests they wouldn’t normally make. It also trivializes the impact that arrests have on people.
Growing up I had a very good friend whose dad was a cop. He was a great guy and I had tremendous respect for cops. Since then I’ve come across too many who are on ego trips and think they are better than anyone else. In city after city the police departments are becoming more militaristic and setting themselves apart from the community. Examples like this are just one more item in a long list of abuses perpetrated by government officials.
Some LEO’s do enough to get by and other manage their time so they can be ready to respond to more urgent calls less the population screams, “where are you when we need you”, as they do all the time anyway or “why aren’t you arresting murders instead of hassling me”.
If you arrest someone you are off the road for at least 1-2 hours booking them and then there is paper work after that which needs to be done by arraignment and grand jury time.
In any major city there are 100 time more misdemeanors and low-end felonies being committed every minute than violent/major felonies so you can either have them sit around and wait until you need them or a felony is committed or they van be asked to do their job and arrest all they can. Choose wisely.
Former LEO so I speak from experience.
What other business can arrest you and deprive you of your rights?
I’m curious. Does the black uniform and the swastika armband itch? Is it hard to pull on the jackboots in the morning? Wouldn’t it be easier to get a gross of baby bunnies and three feet of piano wire, if you need amusement?
I’m curious. Does the black uniform and the swastika armband itch? Is it hard to pull on the jackboots in the morning? Wouldn’t it be easier to get a gross of baby bunnies and three feet of piano wire, if you need amusement?
In Los Angeles? I'm guessing roughly zero.
Talk about your target-rich environment...
My problem with this is that the police are changing from "Protect and Serve" to "Track and Process" or "Tag and Release".
By starting out with "bring in more ...whatevers" you establish that there are many criminals out there to harvest.
So having a record number of arrests doesn't in my mind translate into "good policing". It sounds like bad policy, bad managment, no prevention.
It's like being in quality control departments (equal skills and processes) in two companies making the same product. QC A finds 150 product defects and has reports and graphs displaying the info. QC B finds 3. What is the big picture, where is the problem?
Wrong.
Ignoring the small stuff encourages major crimes.
NYC went from 2400 homicides annually to 1100 homicides in four years through a concerted program of aggressive enforcement on infractions and petty crimes.
Not only is resorting to a Nazi comparison after one post indicative of a weak mind, it is highly ironic since the Nazis and law enforcement are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
American police officers enforce laws that are publicly made by representative assemblies of the people.
LOL!
Some posts tell far more about the poster than anyone wants to know!
“It’s just a friendly competition to have a little fun out here,” said Lt. James Tatreau, who helped organize the events. “It’s a morale booster.”
Famous last words spoken RIGHT bfore the other famous last words; “DON’T TAZE ME BRO!”
I'm a LEO with very strong morals, a college degree, and military service. I don't have the power to destroy you with the stroke of a pen.
Try painting with a smaller brush next time.
When was the last time you voted on a speed limit? Wipe your nose and wake up, you are drooling on the pillow. What cave have you been living in for the last 20 years? How many fat jack-booted thug Special-Forces-wannabe LEOs, wandering around loose in combat overalls and bloused boots, packing 4 15 round mags in 9mm, based on the "spray and pray" style have you seen lately? Would you care to cite the "representative assembly" that authorizes leos to beware of pocket constitutions, slaughter little old ladies, beat up waitresses, shoot little boys, kill teenage drivers, electrocute old drunks, just to cite the most recent, and walk away?
The Dragnet, Cops TV world you live in is dead and gone. Anyone who believes and supports the power of the State, represented by the out-of-control authority of thugs in black Ninja suits with hidden faces who only like to attack unarmed sleeping people at 4:00AM is a Fascist.
Like I give a ___k if you don't like the term.
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