Mastodawn

Deviant Ollam Jan 29, 2023

This would be nice if it were true, except it's not. Police literally do view the people with whom they are interacting as the enemy.

We are suffering from a history of decades and decades at this point of "warrior cop" training that has poisoned the police force mindset from top to bottom all across this country.

https://mastodon.world/@steveschmidtses/109766977817800434

Steve Schmidt (@[email protected])

“Police aren’t soldiers. Their job is policing. Their charge is to protect and serve. The American citizen is not an enemy, and if any soldier beat an enemy to death like Tyre Nichols was killed, the soldier would be charged as a war criminal under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).” https://open.substack.com/pub/steveschmidt/p/murder-in-memphis?r=2ibrr&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

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Deviant Ollam Jan 29, 2023

While I appreciate some of the things said there, it absolutely pains me and galls me that even in the middle of an article ostensibly dedicated to discussing our society's problems with policing — even THEN — this author can't stop himself from saying we need to give police departments even more money.

What. In. The. Actually. Hell.

Want officer pay to be higher? Here's a solution: downsize 50% of the force, and give the remaining folk a 75% pay raise.

You'll still come out ahead.

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Deviant Ollam Jan 29, 2023

"But, Deviant!" folk arguing in bad faith will cry, "Aren't the police stretched thin already? How will the remaining ones do their job?"

Answer: society doesn't want or need police departments to do a huge swath of things they're currently tasked with doing.

Downsize or disband divisions related to traffic enforcement, vice, and response to medical/mental crisis incidents. Remove police from schools. We could start there.

Maybe focus on bank robbers or rapists for a while.

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HiFi

@deviantollam eh, I would argue human/sex trafficking should fall under their purview in conjunction with trained therapists and rehabilitative programs for the victims. I think we both agree drugs need legalized, supply chains secured, distribution regulated, and usage monitored for physical and mental health issues and appropriate care rendered.

But I do agree the scope of policing is far too wide and needs narrowed.