Interesting commentary about the loyalty of the police during the upcoming unpleasantness.
Hint: it won't be to you or to the constitution.
Posted on 05/30/2011 6:17:26 PM PDT by Travis McGee
Anyone who has ever worked with cops understands not only their tribal nature, but where they actually fall in the hierarchy of government power.
It isn’t where you think.
Government power, contrary to popular and media belief, lies not with the badges, but with the elected and appointed suits to whom law enforcement officers report and from whom their agencies receive budgetary allocations.
Even in those relatively rare situations (e.g., county sheriffs) where there is direct election of the chief law enforcement officer in a jurisdiction, that agency still receives its funding via other organs of state power (e.g., the state legislature, the county legislature, Federal law enforcement and highway safety grants, etc.).
So as you review recent events and feel justifiable outrage at the conduct of uniformed officers, never forget the following:
Police officers always act in precisely and exactly the manner that they are permitted to act by the suits, be they in the management of their agency, its chain of command leading to the highest elected executive branch official in that jurisdiction, in the legislative branches that fund that agency, or any combination thereof.
I say again:
Police officers always act in precisely and exactly the manner that they are permitted to act by the suits, be they in the management of their agency, its chain of command leading to the highest elected executive branch official in that jurisdiction, in the legislative branches that fund that agency, or any combination thereof.
To use an example, how long do you think Officer Gilhooley will stay in his current traffic patrol assignment after he writes a sheaf of tickets against the local mayor’s wife, especially after she identifies herself as such?
If you guessed “not very effing long”, you advance to the next round.
So as you root through David’s “Only Ones” files or Balko’s paramilitary police raids, just remember that in every case, the badges are doing exactly what the legislative and executive suits permit and fund.
Once more, for emphasis:
The badges are doing exactly what the legislative and executive suits permit and fund.
The beatdowns, tazings, and grotesque murders happen because the suits want them to happen.
Understand that.
And the suits know that even if someone in the unwashed classes decides to push back, they’ll be stupid enough to push back against the guys with the guns, the body armor, and the nightsticks – in other words, the team that is actually trained and equipped to dispense deadly force.
Won’t they?
Interesting commentary about the loyalty of the police during the upcoming unpleasantness.
Hint: it won't be to you or to the constitution.
With exceptions.....bttt !
I think you are right but just because they do what they are supposed to do, doesn’t necessarily mean that is what they want to do.
I remember many years ago, a police supply magazine conducted a survey of ordinary cops and deputies etc. They stated that these “beat cops” were opposed to gun control by about 90% to 10%. Police chiefs were about the opposite.
I do think rural deputies will be much more independent than big city cops. Probably rural sheriffs will be too.
Suckers bet...
The short version of this excellent article is “He who pays the piper, calls the tune.”
I will need two hours notice to change my tag line.
When I was a rookie agent, working on my own cases out in the rural west, managers pretty much left me alone. I had 30, 45, and 90 days reporting dates to comply with, but I had tremendous authority.
After 18 years of field work, I came to DC.
Suddenly every document I wrote went out over my Boss's name. My whole unit worked under his authority. We could hardly move without checking with him.
Then I took a detail to one of the 3-letter federal groups. Then I learned that our real customer was the congress-critter who approved our funding.
We didn't work because of the laws of the land. We did not work because it was the right thing. All of our priorities were so the Director could report to congress and justify his budget. In essence, Congress was our customer.
The real shame was when ear-marks would come down that pretty much told us we had to do our job a certain way eg. Work with a certain University or a certain study, give them x months of support and data, because some congressman said we would, oh and by the way. Thanks for the great job!
I sure enjoyed my time in the field when the mission was clear cut. A lot got done.
I worked with some old-school die-hards, who when the suits demanded an update, would come back in their own hard and crusty ways, "it will all be in the report, when the investigation is finished." Then they would head back out in the field. This was before pagers and cell phones. They knew how to get lost.
Once you start passing tidbits on to the suits, they think their job is to manage the results.
So just my 2¢!
Luckily I live in a county where the County Sheriff is an old school Constitutionalist.
Anyone who wants more info freepmail me!
>>>>I worked with some old-school die-hards, who when the suits demanded an update, would come back in their own hard and crusty ways, “it will all be in the report, when the investigation is finished.” Then they would head back out in the field. This was before pagers and cell phones. They knew how to get lost.>>>>
And this is the difference between working for the government and having to deal with the real, unrelenting forces of profit and loss.
There are exceptions. Some cops think their badge is a membership card to an exclusive club that isn’t required to follow the rules everyone else is.
The team that is actually trained and equipped to dispense deadly force - ex-military and hunters, the guys with well-used guns that go through body armor from several hundred yards - have not yet begun to organize and push back.
Won’t they?
Br'er Rabbit, he grip his rifle an' lay low, and he doan say *nuffin*.
Suits first.
>>Police officers always act in precisely and exactly the manner that they are permitted to act by the suits, be they in the management of their agency, its chain of command leading to the highest elected executive branch official in that jurisdiction, in the legislative branches that fund that agency, or any combination thereof.<<
That is why I wrote this.
Now is as good as time as any to bring the subject of SWAT team tactics up with your mayors and town councilors. Grab a friend, make an appointment and go do it.
IMO, it should be common knowledge where our city, state and federal officials live. Yes, the county bureaucrats, the local, state and federal police officers, every single one of them. Let’s remove the cloak of anonymity from these public officials! They work for us, remember?
It is not difficult to make someone live in fear for their lives as many of you already know. Making our elected local, county, state or federal officials acutely aware of that feeling is not a popular idea but I assure you after once having that taste in your mouth, it is not one quickly forgotten. Why should we be the ones who fear them if we are not criminals? Don’t go after them in their protected offices when their homes and families are as vulnerable as ours are.
If our LEO’s or military troops under the orders of our elected officials ever administer violence to US citizens then I believe it should be returned in equal force to their superiors families.
I promise you that a single bullet through the kitchen window of the Mayors house will make for an excited dinner conversation with his wife that evening. The Mayor will then understand exactly what he did when he ordered violence against his townspeople.
The Chief of Police’s wife wouldn’t hesitate to explain in detail to her husband what a wonderful job he’s doing if her home were to receive a copper jacketed message through the front door.
No doubt. I have never seen anyone quit a job based on questionable orders. The suits know this. “Officer, assault that house and take those domestic terrorists into custody.” As though an officer would respond,”Gosh, sir, I don’t really think those are domestic terrorists. I can’t do that, even if you fire me.”
Once you guys are done with him, send him to Douglas County, Colorado. Our guy is a phony conservative.
“Congress was our customer.”
You might enjoy my newest novel, a sordid tale of corruption and blackmail in the emerging USSA.
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