BIG NEWS: #TyreNichols’ murder reminds us that #police traffic stops can turn deadly. 400 unarmed drivers killed in 5 years.
I'm introducing the "Safer Traffic Stops Act". It would pay local governments to transfer traffic enforcement from armed police officers to cameras or civilians.
@alpha1beta But why would armed drug dealers kill anyone over a traffic ticket?
The reason traffic stops turn deadly is because we use them as a pretext for cops to catch more serious criminals. But if it was just a ticket and not a warrant check, roadside search, and other investigations; nobody would care.
As usual, the solutions we’ve been doing cause the biggest problems we face; including how The War on Drugs makes every problem associated with drugs far worse.
@biobrain Because folks who are armed and dangerous and they're forced to ID themselves.
For anyone with anything illegal it'll set off fight/flight.
And to any decent cop, you're going to look much closer if they have a record.
These folks are criminal masterminds, they're drugs are typically in plain sight. The second they see flashing lights they know they're going to ail, and they have seconds to decide what to do
@alpha1beta Everything you're describing is caused by the current system and the scenario you gave would get an armed cop killed the same as a civilian since guns can't stop bullets.
Imagine if criminals knew that cops wouldn't check their record or arrest them even if drugs were in plain site? Why would they risk life in prison or execution over a $100 speeding ticket or expired tags?
Again, our solutions are causing the biggest problems; including the War on Drugs itself.
@biobrain And alternative is let drug dealers, murders etc roam the streets knowing they will never be caught by accident.
That's a stupid ass idea.
Even if you changed it today, you'd have dumb criminals for years who'd shoot the unarmed civilian traffic "cops" because they don't know about it - and that assumes it was universal and not one city at a time. Like oh shit, I got pulled over...am I within the city limits is gonna be how you decide fight/flight?
@alpha1beta Again, in your scenario an armed cop is MORE likely to get killed than an unarmed traffic cop because they're a bigger threat. Guns can't stop bullets.
And yes, criminals shouldn't be caught by harassing random citizens hoping to find them by accident. And I want to legalize all drugs because the War on Drugs makes everything worse, including them needing to kill cops to escape.
And this is a federal law, so it can be universal. This is how they do things in other countries too.
@biobrain and Legalization doesn't stop drug dealers. CO has threatened to make it illegal due to a rise in related crimes, after an initial fall the first year or two. CA has has many issues with legal dispensaries having illegal black markets and the harms of pot are only beginning to be studied in earnest.
Mark my words, in 100 years we're going to look back on this time period (legalizing stuff, especially pot), like we look at cigarettes today. I've gonna get that written on my tombstone.
@alpha1beta If all drugs were legal nationally and priced properly there couldn't be a black market. Again, the problems you're describing are caused by our current solutions.
Just so you know, I've put a lot of thought into this and debated it with many people. Try telling me something I haven't heard before that wasn't debunked with my statement: Our solutions are causing the problems.
And I look at drug prohibition the same as alcohol prohibition: It caused bigger problems.
Rep. Ritchie Torres
Michael
Doctor Biobrain