6 ms·

Part of the original problem was too many of the wrong kind of people becoming -- or remaining -- police in the first place. For example, we go through great l

Part of the original problem was too many of the wrong kind of people becoming -- or remaining -- police in the first place. For example, we go through great lengths to ensure that doctors are suited to their job. Why? Because they have the power to kill people with their mistakes or poor judgement. It's reasonable to apply that same high bar to police, who have much greater latitude in exercising that power, up to and including the power to kill their fellow citizens, than doctors do. I don't think any young person who likes the idea of being able to walk around with a gun on their hip, being a police officer, anymore than I think any young person who likes cutting people open should become a surgeon.

legitster 2y ago
The solution needs to be some sort of "Teach for America" equivalent for police where non-traditional, college-bound candidates receive funding to be placed in under-served communities.
gmd63 2y ago
The original problem is that news consumers and police spend the majority of their time scrutinizing the smallest and most radically terrible segments of each other's populations
- insane_dreamer 2y ago
  I disagree that this is the "original" problem. Police misuse of power has been a problem long before the current era of mass/social media. I do however agree that it's a problem (it's just an orthogonal one).
  - specialist 2y ago
    Culture is hard to change. The police in my western town began as a protection racket. Businesses wanted someone(s) to do something about drunks and brawling. So they deputized some bouncers. But they couldn't (wouldn't) pay much. So these newly minted cops got entrepreneurial. Then they branched out into prostitution. /1 Sheriffs in the South started as militia and slave catchers. Texas Rangers started as body guards and quickly transmuted into a paramilitary unit to hunt and kill Comanche people. Thru the North East and Rust Belt, the robber barons paid cops to violently suppress labor. Etc. Old habits die hard. -- 1/ Seattle Justice: The Rise and Fall of the Police Payoff System in Seattle https://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Justice-Police-Payoff-System/dp/1632170299/ https://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Justice-Police-Payoff-System/...
wakawaka28 2y ago
>Part of the original problem was too many of the wrong kind of people becoming -- or remaining -- police in the first place. There are always going to be some bad actors in any profession. Being violent to an appropriate extent is part of being a cop. When billionaires fund social media psyops to convince people that their friendly neighborhood cops are out to get them, and they'd be better off without police protection, that distorts public perception of police performance. Perceived problems with police need to be investigated carefully. Stirring the public into a frenzy every time some cop looks bad on video is harmful to everyone. >It's reasonable to apply that same high bar to police, who have much greater latitude in exercising that power, up to and including the power to kill their fellow citizens, than doctors do. No, it's not reasonable to expect police to go through a similar amount of rigor as a doctor. The job just isn't that complex, and there is nothing inherent about possibly killing people that requires a comparable amount of training. If being a cop did require such rigors, we couldn't afford to have police at all. >I don't think any young person who likes the idea of being able to walk around with a gun on their hip, being a police officer, anymore than I think any young person who likes cutting people open should become a surgeon. There's nothing wrong with walking around with a gun on your hip, whether you're a cop or not. I get what you're trying to say but there's only so much anyone can do to discern anyone's internal motivations for picking a career. As long as those motivations aren't evil or likely to interfere with their job performance, I don't care.
- cr125rider 2y ago
  Have we outsourced parenting and discipline to police and teachers? We’re just burning them out instead of trying to properly raise a family?
  - chung8123 2y ago
    It certainly feels that way with teachers but how do we get the data to know?
- gruez 2y ago
  >When billionaires fund social media psyops to convince people that their friendly neighborhood cops are out to get them, and they'd be better off without police protection, that distorts public perception of police performance. source?

legitster 2y ago

The solution needs to be some sort of "Teach for America" equivalent for police where non-traditional, college-bound candidates receive funding to be placed in under-served communities.

gmd63 2y ago

The original problem is that news consumers and police spend the majority of their time scrutinizing the smallest and most radically terrible segments of each other's populations

insane_dreamer 2y ago
I disagree that this is the "original" problem. Police misuse of power has been a problem long before the current era of mass/social media. I do however agree that it's a problem (it's just an orthogonal one).
- specialist 2y ago
  Culture is hard to change. The police in my western town began as a protection racket. Businesses wanted someone(s) to do something about drunks and brawling. So they deputized some bouncers. But they couldn't (wouldn't) pay much. So these newly minted cops got entrepreneurial. Then they branched out into prostitution. /1 Sheriffs in the South started as militia and slave catchers. Texas Rangers started as body guards and quickly transmuted into a paramilitary unit to hunt and kill Comanche people. Thru the North East and Rust Belt, the robber barons paid cops to violently suppress labor. Etc. Old habits die hard. -- 1/ Seattle Justice: The Rise and Fall of the Police Payoff System in Seattle https://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Justice-Police-Payoff-System/dp/1632170299/ https://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Justice-Police-Payoff-System/...

wakawaka28 2y ago

>Part of the original problem was too many of the wrong kind of people becoming -- or remaining -- police in the first place. There are always going to be some bad actors in any profession. Being violent to an appropriate extent is part of being a cop. When billionaires fund social media psyops to convince people that their friendly neighborhood cops are out to get them, and they'd be better off without police protection, that distorts public perception of police performance. Perceived problems with police need to be investigated carefully. Stirring the public into a frenzy every time some cop looks bad on video is harmful to everyone. >It's reasonable to apply that same high bar to police, who have much greater latitude in exercising that power, up to and including the power to kill their fellow citizens, than doctors do. No, it's not reasonable to expect police to go through a similar amount of rigor as a doctor. The job just isn't that complex, and there is nothing inherent about possibly killing people that requires a comparable amount of training. If being a cop did require such rigors, we couldn't afford to have police at all. >I don't think any young person who likes the idea of being able to walk around with a gun on their hip, being a police officer, anymore than I think any young person who likes cutting people open should become a surgeon. There's nothing wrong with walking around with a gun on your hip, whether you're a cop or not. I get what you're trying to say but there's only so much anyone can do to discern anyone's internal motivations for picking a career. As long as those motivations aren't evil or likely to interfere with their job performance, I don't care.

cr125rider 2y ago
Have we outsourced parenting and discipline to police and teachers? We’re just burning them out instead of trying to properly raise a family?
- chung8123 2y ago
  It certainly feels that way with teachers but how do we get the data to know?
gruez 2y ago
>When billionaires fund social media psyops to convince people that their friendly neighborhood cops are out to get them, and they'd be better off without police protection, that distorts public perception of police performance. source?