Posted on 12/04/2014 12:06:23 PM PST by Citizen Zed
In recent years, Cleveland police officers have punched a 13-year-old boy who was in handcuffs for shoplifting and shot at an unarmed kidnapping victim who was wearing only his underwear, according to disturbing allegations released Thursday by the Justice Department. The agency's investigation found that officers in Cleveland routinely use unjustifiable force against not only criminals and suspects, but also innocent victims of crimes.
The so-called “pattern or practice” report from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division was released Thursday afternoon as DOJ and the city announced plans to develop a court-enforceable agreement that would impose an independent monitor on the Cleveland Division of Police.
"Accountability and legitimacy are essential for communities to trust their police departments, and for there to be genuine collaboration between police and the citizens they serve,” said Attorney General Eric Holder in a press conference on Thursday.
Holder announced the measure during his trip to Cleveland, where police officers fatally shot an unarmed black child last month. In Cleveland, Holder has attended a series of meetings about rebuilding community trust between law enforcement and the public, even as protests erupted nationwide over the non-indictment of police officers who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in New York City. Following his visit to Cleveland, Holder intends to visit Chicago and Philadelphia, as well as Memphis, Tennessee and Oakland, California, for additional roundtable meetings.
In his remarks Thursday, Holder said that he and President Barack Obama believe there is more to be done on the issue of use of lethal force by police departments.
(Excerpt) Read more at huffingtonpost.com ...
No kidding. Pot calls kettle black.
“They will cooperate with the Feds, of course, and it will be a sort of dry-run for the future Federalization of local policing.”
I’m no fan of the idea, but a lot of the blame is on those local PDs. They want to act like they are unaccountable, and far too often they aren’t.
Not that the feds are any better.
“In a typical gang infested urban environment being so
dressed is a good way to get yourself shot.
Of course, this might have led the local PD to being
paranoid, and consequently the cops have adopted a shoot
first attitude. IMO”
That concept only works if they were actually getting shot that often. The numbers for LE killed by violence isn’t that high.
No, the paranoia is based on thrill seeking and lack of accountability. Tell someone they get the complete benefit of the doubt by investigators, and watch them smile as they draw their gun, taser, and bad attitudes.
“To me this screams “Morale Problems”.”
I would hazard that it has a lot more to do with a lack of critical accountability, and selection processes that actively recruit thugs.
http://www.theagitator.com/2012/07/05/two-videos-two-cities-two-attitudes/
What type of person will be drawn to the ‘other’ PD? It was intense enough to get Navy SEALs hard. Morale problems do exist, but so does moral problems, where cops get a tin god attitude and their boss shares it.
Huffpo BS should be banned from FR.
It wasn’t wasted—collectivists don’t want to talk about police militarization. They want distractions.
All better to grow the power of The State.
It’s up to conservatives to keep bringing up abuses and to press for reform.
Good points. Thank you.
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