New York City’s longest-serving police commissioner, Ray Kelly, “routinely rejected” recommendations for disciplinary action against police officers who carried out banned chokeholds on civilians, and offered no explanation for dismissing the findings of the city’s independent police watchdog, a stinging report has found.A prohibition with no teeth is not really a prohibition. It's kind of like gambling at a Casablanca saloon.
The worm may be starting to turn, though*.
Prosecutors in New Mexico filed murder charges on Monday against two Albuquerque police officers in the 2014 shooting death of a knife-wielding homeless man, a killing that sparked protests in the city over concerns about excessive use of force.I have heard cops say "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six." The bitter truth is that cops being judged by twelve is exceedingly rare. Most shootings are found to be justified. It pretty much takes putting a guy on his knees or on the ground an then shooting him in the back for charges to be brought. Even forming an impromptu firing squad has been found to be a righteous killing.
Normally, they just get a pat on the back, no matter how bad the shooting is. In small departments, they may be later encouraged to find work with another department. In large departments, there is the "rubber gun squad" or working the motor pool.
Update: In Chicago, they're trying a cop for shooting a 95-year-old man to death with a beanbag gun.
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* On the other hand, what might be going on in Albuquerque is a little game of "if you're going to fuck with me, I'll fuck with you."
2 comments:
I feel so "protected" now that I just don't what to do with myself anymore.
w3ski
Someone somewhere else noted that "to protect and to serve" has been largely replaced by "obey us or die" as the operating motto for the police.
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