{"id":44975,"date":"2020-07-17T16:25:18","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T20:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=44975"},"modified":"2020-07-17T16:27:27","modified_gmt":"2020-07-17T20:27:27","slug":"good-ideas-for-new-police-policies-from-a-long-time-cop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=44975","title":{"rendered":"Good ideas for new police policies, from a long-time cop"},"content":{"rendered":"

In today’s Times, I read this opinion piece, “Don\u2019t Defund the Police. Re-Fund Them, Smarter:<\/a> I am a Black police officer. We need to change what it means to serve our communities,” by David Hughes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s the startling first paragraph:<\/p>\n

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. \u2014 When I entered the police force in Virginia in 1987, I was one of the few Black officers in my department. On my first day on patrol, I was paired with an experienced white officer. As we prepared to hit the streets, he went over what he expected from me as a rookie. Then he pulled away from the curb and added, offhandedly: \u201cOh, if I call someone a nigger tonight, don\u2019t get upset. It\u2019s not directed at you, it\u2019s directed at them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Throughout his career, he heard it and more:<\/p>\n

I have personally heard some of my white colleagues mock Black people, make crude jokes or ridicule the way they speak. White officers crudely disparage high-ranking Black officers behind their backs. A sergeant once asked me if I could read or write. He also told me he didn\u2019t think Blacks should be policemen \u2014 he said it was like \u201cletting a fox guard the hen house.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As always, sickening. What’s more, it’s what I have always suspected about police departments — especially, but hardly exclusively, in the South. The recent article and videos the Times published detailing NYPD violence against protesters\u00a0 are<\/a> a thousand exclamation points to my suspicions.<\/p>\n

Major Hughes has persuasive ideas to re-invent, in effect, policing. Here are excerpts:<\/p>\n

The first part of that change starts with hiring. The majority of police officers do not have four-year college degrees. They don\u2019t start their career with a foundational education that will broaden their worldview, make them empathetic to other cultures or understand human psychology.<\/em><\/p>\n

He wants them to have that kind of broad, liberal education. And to be trained differently. I especially love what follows, because he confirms my seriously limited anecdotal observation about police attitudes:<\/a><\/p>\n

Police are taught that the enemy is \u201cout there.\u201d When they arrive at work with that mind-set, they don\u2019t know who wants them in the community, and who wants to kill them. It\u2019s no different than troops in Afghanistan or Iraq. We are patrolling the streets of our own cities as an occupying force.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our training also focuses on worst-case scenarios: how to arrest someone, how to fight, how to use a weapon. Instead, it should emphasize<\/em> preventing escalation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Raise their salaries to be commensurate with their education and expectations:<\/p>\n

Police salaries are low…when you make the job attractive to people who have a college degree and aspire for something more \u2014 to create social change, to understand human psychology, to make a difference in people\u2019s lives for the better \u2014 you get the kind of police force any community would welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n

Train them longer and review them more carefully:<\/p>\n

The probationary period for police officers should also be increased to a minimum of three years…<\/em>Performance evaluations must focus on more than the number of arrests made or traffic tickets written.<\/em><\/p>\n

How to deal with racism:<\/p>\n

We must also address the racism of police departments from the inside…we should hire officers who reflect the communities they serve, by race and gender.<\/em><\/p>\n

Localities should also have the right to enact police residency requirements and give people a say in who polices their community.<\/em><\/p>\n

Love all of this.<\/p>\n

Now, if somebody besides me could suggest limiting weaponry to officers who are going out into dangerous situations…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In today’s Times, I read this opinion piece, “Don\u2019t Defund the Police. Re-Fund Them, Smarter: I am a Black police officer. We need to change what it means to serve our communities,” by David Hughes. Here’s the startling first paragraph: … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5800,1175],"tags":[5907,5905,5910,1123,5909,5906,5908],"class_list":["post-44975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-racism","category-the-facts-of-life","tag-changing-police-departments","tag-david-hughes","tag-defunding-police","tag-new-york-times","tag-nypd-violence","tag-police-defunding","tag-police-racism"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t