Police and a Nine Year Old... The latest BS

 Police, Policing & Police Unions...... Part of the Problem ?!

A week ago Officers in Rochester, NY pepper sprayed a handcuffed nine year old. 

I support our police officers but I also support major reforms in the culture and accountability. When the police union tries to defend an indefensible act.... Like Oh, pepper spraying a handcuffed nine year old they become part of the problem.

The Police Union now feeds into the public narrative that says the police always 'close ranks' when dealing with external criticism of officers actions and that the unions will cover officers asses no mater what. THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Now certainly it is the union's job to support and defend officers, but if the police want more public support they have to be willing to 'hang out to dry' officers who make bad choices. If you pepper spray a nine year old you have made a bad choice and ignored much of what you have been taught.

YES the officers in question have been suspended and the police chief has said it was wrong, but what happens next ?

We put a lot of trust and power in the hands of the police and we expect a high standard of conduct in exercising of that responsibility. The fact that we provide far less training in this country (10-36 weeks) compared to European officers (1.5 to 4 years of training depending on country) certainly bears out our current situation.

The militarization of our law enforcement has not helped. The organized criminal groups do not help. The fact that the bad guys can easily obtain high power weapons does not help. NO I'm not an advocate of taking our guns away, but I am in favor of tightening up the laws to get rid of loopholes on sales (Gun Shows) and requiring gun owners to have safety training.

We need to train our officers better and longer and drill into them that professionalism is expected and demanded. That if they screw up they can be dismissed and barred from ever being an officer anywhere again. That in serious cases they can go to jail just like anyone else who breaks the law.

In short we need to support them with exceptional training, mental health services and the best equipment. We need to not treat the police as the 'jack of all trades' social cleanup crew and understand that not every situation requires a police officer to respond when someone needs help (many 'domestic' disturbances can be handled by people who specialize in conflict descalation and resolution).

In short we need to fundamentally change policing in this county so that officers can feel supported and proud and we the citizens can feel safe and assured of equal treatment by professionals who know their responsibilities

IMHO anyway