Discussion for article #243210
I have known several city cops over my 65 years on the planet. Many have no complaints filed against them in 20 years of service, indeed, some of them receive commendations or other awards, advance up the ranks, supervise well, teach others to be good cops. It is a terribly tough job to do, and cops make mistakes in judgement once in a while, but not 18 mistakes in judgement in just a few years.
Once a cop has amassed more than 3 complaints against him or her, put them on desk duty or perhaps as high as emergency phone operators, (very critical role in America, where those on the phones know what cops could face, but seldom a deadly job), never let them return to being cops the street.
I disagree with keeping them gainfully employed (after three verified complaints) within the department. That merely gives tacit approval of their behavior and encourages a “just don’t get caught” culture, which, by the way, is a major part of the problem to begin with.
There are more good cops than bad cops. Housecleaning is always good.
Just a thought: Funny, isn’t it, that you never hear of same cultural dysfunction in fire departments? Well, except for that nepotism thing that keeps popping up.
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This is decidedly OT but
How to Freak Out the Chief of Police
I once received a speeding ticket in a small town in Kansas while driving a big truck. It wasn’t a speed trap situation or anything, I simply couldn’t pick out the speed limit sign — and I was looking for it — among the visual clusterfuck of other signs. Indeed, I only knew the speed limit changed because of an alert from my trusty Garmin®.
I pleaded with the cop to not give me a ticket but he did anyway. As I signed the ticket he told me steps I could take to get it mitigated. Why? Because I was as respectful to him as he was to me.
I was so impressed by the officer’s professionalism and humanity that I called the Chief of Police and told him about my encounter, and how proud he should be to have an officer of that caliber under his command.
After the Chief got over the shock — he was so stunned that I wasn’t calling to complain that you’d swear I’d just thrown a flash-bang into his office over the phone — that a guy that just got a speeding ticket was calling to compliment the issuer of same, we had a nice chat and he asked if he could share omg comments with the officer. “Sure,” I said. “Please do.”
I had a point here but now I have no idea what it was. I guess it’s this:
Have a great Thanksgiving Officer Mike Carpenter and everyone else, wherever you are. And be safe!
Prolog: I got the ticket mitigated from 35 in a 25 to improper parking. Still cost a couple hundred dollars but it didn’t add any points. Thanks, Mike.
And now it’s time for …
