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Where are those stories available?
Thanks for your service, Lt. Thomas. I get the feeling you would not fit in with today’s “breed” of LEO’s who are nothing more than an organized crime gang working for a government entity.
Another reason for decriminalizing drugs.
This article explains it better than I could.
100%!!! 
We currently live in a county with a terrific sheriff who supports constitutional carry. He recognizes that the citizens are responsible for defending themselves. It seems that the LEOs who want to disarm us are very fearful. It’s sad to know that Serpico-type situations are still going on.
I’ve repeated this anecdote several times on Free Republic, and it is always met with skepticism. I am merely relaying the claim of a person I believe to reliable and trustworthy, told to me in a manner that leads me to believe that it is true.
My cousin, who served as a member of the NYPD for twenty years, including stints in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, retiring as a Detective Lieutenant on the Manhattan DA’s homicide squad, claims that in 20 years on the force, he never drew his weapon once.
In police-public relations, it is important to look at both sides of the coin. But this is usually done with the police on one side, and people who hate the police on the other side.
However, the vast majority of people *don’t* hate the police, and are often more than willing to help the police, sometimes directly, and sometimes indirectly. And the more that police realize this, the more they might be inclined to take advantage of this help to achieve some rather important goals for society.
In particular, I am thinking of the many situations where the police are constrained, but the public is not.
I first learned of this in a situation that was *almost* corrupt, but whose overall ends were worth at least some consideration.
A city had a newly elected liberal government, that was pretty much anti-police, making their ROE impossibly strict, and in the face of a particularly nasty and violent criminal element, risking the lives of the police and the public. However, someone in the PD came up with an effective end-around to the problem.
The city also had an “outlaw” motorcycle gang of some size. And while they involved themselves with some crime and violence, it was never too obnoxious, mostly in-house, and it was never really offensive to the public or the police. They even “arrested well”, when the police were ordered to suppress them some, which they were at intervals.
In any event, the police reached an “entent” with the MC gang, so if they were in a position of conflict with a “protected person”, the cop would “call a biker”, to “resolve” the evil liver, after the cop left.
The technique proved effective at keeping the violent criminal element under control, at the price of the police being less inclined to hassle the bikers over mostly minor things.
I use this as an extreme example, but also to illustrate how the police may get some cooperation from the public.
It is an often used plot device in police dramas, that a particularly nasty, threatening and murderous criminal offender is held at police gunpoint, which is usually resolved by the policeman arresting them, “letting the courts handle it”, instead of the emotionally gratifying execution of “someone who needs killing.”
However, in many cases, the public is not held to this standard. If they feel “at imminent risk” from a vicious criminal, in most states they can act as “judge, jury and executioner”, putting down said criminal without having to carefully follow all the rules set forth by the police.
Now, this being said, the police are often aware of many honest people, who are well armed and willing and likely to defend themselves, their family and property, from violent criminals.
So when the police are constrained from righteously killing some evil fiend, there is nothing preventing them from subtly steering the villain into trespass against an armed and prepared honest citizen willing to dispatch them.
Of course there is no copyright on this idea, and it has likely been done by police for many years, solving many of the worst villains in society.
In front of my building there was a row of cops with big plexiglass shields and batons. It seems the Administration was taking precautions against a student riot because of a new government regulation on universities. Fortunately we didn't have a riot.
What was unheard of less than 15 years ago is unfortunately now commonplace here at home.
Don’t forget to say “oops” when you find out your in the wrong house. The real criminal heard everything and has been busy at the toilet.
Under penalty of perjury all warrants should be sworn statements that a witnessed offense has occurred. A Paid Snitch should not be considered a reliable source. Multiple methods should be required to determine & confirm the correct address and current occupants of address. No exceptions.
All military attire, equipment, vehicles, aircraft, and weapons except a secured armory with a limited number of fully automatic rifles let's say 5% vs number on force should taken away. A cop should be allowed a service sidearm and even a back up sidearm, a shotgun, and a semi automatic rifle kept in patrol car. ALL Vehicles engaging in traffic stops and responding to calls at residence should be marked patrol cars with light bar and uniformed officer. With the newer low profile lightbars the day of the unmarked car should be over except for stake outs etc.
Most federal agencies such as the EPA, FDA, Dept of AG, Dept of Interior except for park rangers, BLM, and many others should not be allowed to have their own police force except in cases of actual bonified national security. Others such as TVA where power plants are being guarded should be armed and have full jurisdiction limited to the facility and property itself unless in actual active persuit. The IRS does not need a police force either. Most agencies do not need to be in law enforcement.
All officers should upon being hired be required or the agency hiring be required to post a minimal $500,000 bond for liability purposes with the agency matching that bond. Under no circumstances except where life inside a residence is at risk should a raid occur at night after 8:00PM.
Under criminal penalty any LEO conducting a raid on a wrong place of residence as in wrong address or person moved many weeks ago should personally be held fiscally liable for damages and any mental anguish etc suffered and dismissed with a five year ban on working as a LEO. Employment after that should required a complete re-certification including academy.
Any officers conducting a raid on a wrong address or wrong persons residence resulting in physical injury or death of innocent persons inside should be held criminally responsible up too and including murder charges and should be banned from LEO for life.
All property forfeitures should only be allowed after criminal conviction and all proceeds from sale given to non profit non law enforcement and non judical connected community services and victim compensation with victim compensation being priority. Property seizures and forfeitures should not be a source of acquiring revenue, equipment, etc by law enforcement agencies or governments. If Officer Friday pulls over Joe Public and Joe Public has let's say $50,000 cash even if a dog hits on Joe's cash {which most money is tainted} Officer Fridays should not be allowed to take that cash unless other very overwhelming evidence is present and warrant is sworn and served.
Law enforcement agencies on all levels have damaged their own professional integrity and as a result ahve lost public trust. As such they need to be the ones to show the public corrections in their policies. I can take $10 to a Flea Market and buy a black Tee shirt with police agency logo. So can a criminal. Patrol uniforms with agency ID and badge are a lot harder to come by.
I know there are some good dedicated cops out there who go about their job in a professional manner and when approaching the public use The Golden Rule. This post was not directed at such as they.
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