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Since everyone is going around complaining about cops or rioters (and rightfully so) I thought I'd take an opportunity to offer actual solutions. These are the solutions I would impose to solve the problem.
Most of the solution centers around just one important problem that is the root of the whole issue. Police are above the law. They tend to get leniency for crimes due to be officer, especially when it is the result of carrying out their "duty" and even when there is an attempt to hold them accountable they cover up each others mistakes in various ways that get them out of it. This is where all the solutions lie.. so here they are:
1) eliminate all police unions, I'd say any government job that makes or enforces policy of any kind should not be allowed to unionize. Unions generally use theie collective bargaining power to wipe police officers with bad records clean and thus allow them to avoid getting in trouble.
2) Ensure the law has just as strict a consequence for an officer as it does a citizen and that them being an officer doesnt give them any greater latitude in that regard. If anything their consequences when on duty should be stricter. If they shoot someone because of a mistake because they thought they had a gun when they didnt, murder, no exceptions, no different than a citizen.
3) any officer on the scene when #2 happens and a officer breaks the law is expected to immediately stop the incident if they can and at a minimum arrest the officer immediately. If any officer fails to arrest another officer they will be consider an accomplice and equally as guilty as if they carried out the offense themselves
4) retroactively apply the #2 and #3 to all officers currently on the force to serve as an example. Give a 2 week grace period so any officers who would fall under the category of #3 have a chance to arrest their fellow officers who have in the past commited a crime under #2. After two weeks any officers guilty of #2 or #3 will be arrested with no forgiveness. Resigning from their position will not grant them immunity.
5) Require body cams, ensure the body cams can not be turned off
6) Any officer intentionally hiding their body cam during an incident will immediately loose their job and be fined one year back pay. If there is evidence of wrong doing they will be tried and this action held against them as evidence.
7) officers are always required to be in pairs or more.
8) Reverse broken-glass policying policies from the top down. Have officers focus on real crime as a priority and deprioritize non-violent crimes.
#GeorgeFloyd #Protests #protest #riots #PoliceBrutality #UsPol
@freemo I agree with most of your post here - I think eliminating the unions won't eliminate the brotherhood and protection setup, and is probably infeasible politically. Bringing accountability is necessary though.
@finity I agree eliminating unions is the hardest part. but it isnt intended to remove the "I got your back" aspect, that is done with the other points.
The issue with eliminating the unions comes from direct observation. Each year unions renegotiate contracts. When they do so they use their collective bargaining power to ensure that if they dont want the whole of the police force to go on strike the precinct must wipe prior records of abuse from cops records. Ultimately allowing cops to go unpunished.
While eliminating unions wont prevent them from sticking up for eachother (strict legal repercussions will), it will prevent this renegotiating that takes place and is a huge problem in all this.
@finity I'd support police records and activities being more open for sure.
The key is protecting the identity of the victims in doing so.
@freemo interesting! Perhaps the law should require these types of records to become public and open, and/or require a judge's order to expunge them. That could make that type of negotiation impossible.