With all the news about Police shootings and such.....(rest in details)

I would argue that the best training would be seeing that they can actually be punished for their actions. When they are planting evidence they clearly know their actions are wrong. They just need to be held accountable. They haven’t been so far.

It all stems from the proliferation of guns and the militarization of the police. Control guns and disarm police.

@zenvelo The police have a very hard job to do, and lots of police officers do a fine job, I don’t think disarming them is the answer,I think more training and more accountability might work better.

If someone knows they can get away with something, they’ll push the boundaries plain and simple.

We are simply not selecting the best individuals for the job and not treating the responsibility like we do other things of great importance. IMO we don’t want this to be the blue collar job that it is. It needs to be up there with doctors and engineers in terms of training, pay and licensure. There is really nothing more to be said here.

@zenvelo :: Raises a good point. When you give them military grade weapons they will start to use these weapons as the military does.

So the criminals with military grade weapons will have free reign then…great. Also, FYI the police don’t have anything approaching “military grade” Nobody wants to admit that there is also a problem within inner city culture that is causing the tension we see either.

@ARE_you_kidding_me Why do the criminals have military grade weapons? Because gun fetishists say they can.

@SQUEEKY2 You asked for my thoughts. Police in many countries don’t carry weapons while on routine patrol, and they don’t have a problem.

@zenvelo No, because they are criminals and do whatever the hell they want without regard.

More black cops would be a good start.

In all my years I have been pulled over by police about a dozen times – maybe more. I never once jumped out of my car and ran. I never resisted. I never put my car in gear and let it drive away on its own as a distraction. I just stopped and handed my license over – and showed up in court later.
Why do people expect there to be no consequences for gettingout of the car and running away?
If you were a police officer and and were dispatched to a cirty street what would you do if one or two people started throwing rocks at you again, and again, and again, and again, and again. What would you do? When would you arrest them?

My rule is to not criticize unless I can offer a plausible solution. What would you do?

Hold police accountable. Bad police act as they do because they know they’re pretty much untouchable. What’s happened in Baltimore now is a good start.

@LuckyGuy :: How many years have you lived with police that are itching to kill or arrest you? You haven’t, you are a affluent white male.

And why the murder? Chase them and tackle. If you don’t think you can win find a new job. Why shoot a dude in the back 8 times that poses no threat to the public?

Cowards

I suspect my answer will be one of my usual non-answers. I apologize in advance.

Police are given a tremendous amount of power. Because of this, it makes sense that they should have far less rights (including privacy) and we should face greater punishment for wrongdoing than the general public. Police should have no expectation of privacy. I’d even be comfortable with extending this to non-work hours as well. And the most minor of infractions should result in immediate removal from the police force and disqualification from any police force. You may think this is crazy and will eliminate good people from wanting to be police. But I suspect it will do the opposite. We’ll get the very best people with altruistic intentions. And we will pay them for their service.

I’m a white male and was threatened by a cop in the past. They told me that they could “take care of me” in the back of their police car (as he got up 1 inch in front of my face). It was terrifying. It doesn’t take that much imagination to see what it must be like to not be pale-skinned suburban kid. Who wouldn’t run when they see the cops in that context?

The police now have a ‘us versus them’ mentality.

I live near a rural Midwestern town and the local cops routinely wear flak vests. WTF? I don’t remember a time when a cop was assaulted or shot, much less killed. Consider the psychological effect of a 20-something cop suiting up for war in the patrol room and the psychological effect of a seemingly ‘invincible’ cop approaching a vehicle on the driver pulled over.

There’s no answer here, that I see.

Cops should wear cameras.

Not just to watch them…

It would keep everyone in line that they come across too.

I agree DWW camera equipment on cops 24/7.

Cops are out of control these days killing and harassing people for no good reason.