This article is interesting, but doesnt quite get there. Ive been thinking about this quite a bit. My feeling is that, more than policing the police, we really need a cultural shift. Im loathe to say that cops are racist - that is a complete offense to the good ones, of which there are many. Rather, its the tendency to marginalize the value of black people thats the issue, which I think is a cultural norm among police. Now, police are not trusted and by more than just the black population. It happens frequently where it feels like the laws are in place to protect the law makers or law keepers instead of the constituency. This is something that can only be changed by a cultural shift within police departments. They are supposed to be the peacekeepers. So why is there so much conflict? Attitudes, thats what. Im wondering if disarming beat cops might make a difference in attitudes. If we bring the shift of power more into balance, require police to use communication more than a gun to resolve conflict, wouldnt that ultimately change attitudes? Curious what my insanely intelligent friends/family think. Stay nice. Remember, its all about attitudes. mobile.nytimes/2014/12/08/us/police-face-a-long-and-complex-task-to-mend-distrust-deepened-by-killings.html?referrer=&_r=0
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:17:28 +0000