Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Police & Prosecutorial Misconduct: Do You Have a Personal Tolerance Limit?

Ustwo · 12-28-2007, 02:09 PM

Police corruption has been a problem since the first guy with a club was given some sort of guard duty.

While over all I think the problem is relatively small in the grand scheme of things in the US, the corruption in the system has never been unknown in the US by anyone who has paid attention.

In my city of Chicago alone police were notoriously corrupt in the days of prohibition, it was an open secret that you could bribe your way out of minor offenses in Chicago until the Greylord investigations, and recently police offers have been video taped in two beatings of citizens, one was a particularly heinous assault on a female bartender. When my uncle was a police offer for Lombard Il in the early 80's the police chief was paid off by the mob, who kept the police from a few establishments with illegal gambling. Worse corruption has been in other suburbs including murder.

Likewise other cities have their own stories, some even worse (such as New Orleans).

The real question is 'so what?'

As long as a system has people with power, there will be occasional abuses. This of course has nothing to do with 9/11, in fact everything I talked about in Chicago was prior to 9/11 except for the beatings, so I won't go down hosts magic rabbit hole there. What it does require is a way to guard the guards, and in that we have made great strides, but perhaps not fast enough.

Most of the abuses of power that get proper attention are those caught on video tape. Its one thing to claim abuse, its another to show it. We currently have the technology to pretty much wire every police officer for full sound and video along with a GPS. Every interaction they have, at least in an official capacity could be recorded and retrieved should a complaint arise.

Now there are some pitfalls to this. It would force police to always enforce the law to the letter, no more warnings, no more 'keep your nose clean kid'. It would also put more stress on the officers, imagine if everything you did for the day was recorded in full detail (minus your bathroom breaks). No place to take a personal call, no relaxing a moment on tfp, the little things to keep you sane at work.

Still, it would perhaps be worth it.

Edit: I voted no for the poll, I think its a problem, one worth fixing, but its less 'serious' then many problems the country faces.

12-28-2007, 02:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes	Police corruption has been a problem since the first guy with a club was given some sort of guard duty. While over all I think the problem is relatively small in the grand scheme of things in the US, the corruption in the system has never been unknown in the US by anyone who has paid attention. In my city of Chicago alone police were notoriously corrupt in the days of prohibition, it was an open secret that you could bribe your way out of minor offenses in Chicago until the Greylord investigations, and recently police offers have been video taped in two beatings of citizens, one was a particularly heinous assault on a female bartender. When my uncle was a police offer for Lombard Il in the early 80's the police chief was paid off by the mob, who kept the police from a few establishments with illegal gambling. Worse corruption has been in other suburbs including murder. Likewise other cities have their own stories, some even worse (such as New Orleans). The real question is 'so what?' As long as a system has people with power, there will be occasional abuses. This of course has nothing to do with 9/11, in fact everything I talked about in Chicago was prior to 9/11 except for the beatings, so I won't go down hosts magic rabbit hole there. What it does require is a way to guard the guards, and in that we have made great strides, but perhaps not fast enough. Most of the abuses of power that get proper attention are those caught on video tape. Its one thing to claim abuse, its another to show it. We currently have the technology to pretty much wire every police officer for full sound and video along with a GPS. Every interaction they have, at least in an official capacity could be recorded and retrieved should a complaint arise. Now there are some pitfalls to this. It would force police to always enforce the law to the letter, no more warnings, no more 'keep your nose clean kid'. It would also put more stress on the officers, imagine if everything you did for the day was recorded in full detail (minus your bathroom breaks). No place to take a personal call, no relaxing a moment on tfp, the little things to keep you sane at work. Still, it would perhaps be worth it. Edit: I voted no for the poll, I think its a problem, one worth fixing, but its less 'serious' then many problems the country faces. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps. Last edited by Ustwo; 12-28-2007 at 02:11 PM..