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Normally I'm pro union and workers rights, but police unions are central to the corruption issue. Police become and stay corrupt because they know they are pro

Normally I'm pro union and workers rights, but police unions are central to the corruption issue. Police become and stay corrupt because they know they are protected. "Thin Blue Line" and "Blue Wall of Silence" type stuff. Police unions really perpetuate this type of behavior by discouraging actual scrutiny of charges brought against officers. Police unions take a "we'll get you out of this, here's what you say and do" attitude taken towards charges all charges. And if they can't get all the charges outright dropped, the punishment is usually a slap on the wrist. And don't get me started about "administrative paid leave".

brainfire 10y ago
You're describing a problem with the prosecutor's office, not the police union.
- 1024core 10y ago
  Problem is: the prosecutor's office depends on the cops to do its job. If it starts prosecuting cops, they will stop cooperating, making its job almost impossible. And cops will outright sabotage inquiries into their own conduct. Case in point: in the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore, the police had failed to serve search warrants for the officers’ personal cellphones.
  - rayiner 10y ago
    > Case in point: in the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore, the police had failed to serve search warrants for the officers’ personal cellphones. And if they had been Wal-Mart greeters instead of union employees, they would've been fired on the spot.
  - jahnu 10y ago
    They should have a separate prosecutor's office for the authorities. Why doesn't I.A. do it?
- John23832 10y ago
  I am describing a problem where police unions hinder prosecution. And they hinder prosecution in a way that essentially amounts to blackmail. They threaten that the police force will become less cooperative with the prosecutors office. An office that depends of the force to do it's job. A prosecutor should be able to look into charges against a police force without fear of retribution by said force. But they can't. And police unions are the spokespersons/ringleaders of the entire scheme.
  - brainfire 10y ago
    Wouldn't that still be a problem without a union?
SilasX 10y ago
>Police unions take a "we'll get you out of this, here's what you say and do" attitude taken towards charges AKA 6th Amendment right to counsel?
- John23832 10y ago
  Unions are not legal counsel, they are groups with common (often political) interests. So no, not your 6th amendment right.
  - SilasX 10y ago
    Not unions per se, but legal advice -- funded by the union -- very much coincides with "we'll get you out of this, here's what you say and do". I concur with the point about how there's a general problem with police not doing their part to stamp out corruption, but that criticism should never extend to, "they get advice on how to beat charges? Outrageous!" Edit: Also, IMHO, the general "right to counsel" extends to a defendant's general ability to educate themselves on the appropriate legal defense, even if it's not from their attorney.

brainfire 10y ago

You're describing a problem with the prosecutor's office, not the police union.

1024core 10y ago
Problem is: the prosecutor's office depends on the cops to do its job. If it starts prosecuting cops, they will stop cooperating, making its job almost impossible. And cops will outright sabotage inquiries into their own conduct. Case in point: in the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore, the police had failed to serve search warrants for the officers’ personal cellphones.
- rayiner 10y ago
  > Case in point: in the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore, the police had failed to serve search warrants for the officers’ personal cellphones. And if they had been Wal-Mart greeters instead of union employees, they would've been fired on the spot.
- jahnu 10y ago
  They should have a separate prosecutor's office for the authorities. Why doesn't I.A. do it?
John23832 10y ago
I am describing a problem where police unions hinder prosecution. And they hinder prosecution in a way that essentially amounts to blackmail. They threaten that the police force will become less cooperative with the prosecutors office. An office that depends of the force to do it's job. A prosecutor should be able to look into charges against a police force without fear of retribution by said force. But they can't. And police unions are the spokespersons/ringleaders of the entire scheme.
- brainfire 10y ago
  Wouldn't that still be a problem without a union?

SilasX 10y ago

>Police unions take a "we'll get you out of this, here's what you say and do" attitude taken towards charges AKA 6th Amendment right to counsel?

John23832 10y ago
Unions are not legal counsel, they are groups with common (often political) interests. So no, not your 6th amendment right.
- SilasX 10y ago
  Not unions per se, but legal advice -- funded by the union -- very much coincides with "we'll get you out of this, here's what you say and do". I concur with the point about how there's a general problem with police not doing their part to stamp out corruption, but that criticism should never extend to, "they get advice on how to beat charges? Outrageous!" Edit: Also, IMHO, the general "right to counsel" extends to a defendant's general ability to educate themselves on the appropriate legal defense, even if it's not from their attorney.