Policing Today

 There is a saying in the legal profession. 

"Those that can't? Teach."

I know of no better synopsis for those who claim to understand the law? Than politicians who join in with them and utilize the same principles. 

They all engage in their placation and bean counter mentalities as the only authorities that exist. And the media are the worst of them. 

Everything that is happening in our nation today? Seems to boil down to racism. Systemic racism. Combined with the dog earred allegation of white privilege.

And white supremacy is the only real threat to this nation if you listen to media talking heads and those parroting these mindless assessments of racism, by the socialists and those who want to see this nation destroyed. 

The police have been cowed and vilified to the point over the last five years that most, if not all of those who use to know how to police? Have left the job or are leaving. Or they have immediate plans to leave. 

And there is no one coming up behind them with the knowledge requisite to teach the young ones. 

And even if there was? That is no longer allowed. 🤔

Everything has been reduced down to one and only one qualifier in today's policing.  And that one qualifier is?

"De-escalation"

The first question asked now? And always asked?  Did you attempt to de-escalate?  And if that cannot be established and proven by witnesses and body cam footage?

The officer is immediately wrong. 

I remember decades ago as a young officer, the commentary was that the public expected the police to be their baby sitters, their doctors, their psychologist, their social workers, their momma and daddy and their mind readers. 

A lot has changed since then and a lot hasn't.  The main change is that the public at large has been brain washed into believing the Hollywood versions of the job portrayed in movies and on TV, are the reality. 

They are not. 

Americans have been led to believe that a police officer is either some maniacal racist killer? Or they are some miracle worker that has an answer for everything. 

And they should never have to use force. 

The reality is that they are neither of those things and many times, force is the only option. Including deadly force. 

Police officers are like everyone else. There are saints and they are sinners. And thankfully, there are more saints than sinners. By far more. But even so, there is only so much the average person wearing a badge can bear or tolerate in today's world. 

I remember when they use to say: 

"You wouldn't do a police officer's job for a million dollars. Yet you expect them to do it for nothing."

And that was a true and accurate assessment. 

Recognizing the dilemma that they have created recently? The powers that be have increased the pay significantly beyond what it was in my day. 

They have added all the marvelous toys too. Fancy patrol cars with programable emergency lights that resemble cosmic meteor showers as an example. 

I remember the first patrol cars I ever drove. 

Straight taxi cab fleet cars. Radial tires, no suspension. Drum brakes and 318 engines with two barrel carburetors.  

Heat the brakes up? And you couldn't stop. Go into a curve too fast? And your ass would slide all the way over to the passenger side. Because those taxi cab nauga hide seats were so slick. 

Many of the full sized Furys? Were like trying to steer a river boat in the curves. 

We didn't even have spotlights. 

Which caused officers to have to buy their own plug in spotlights. And within two weeks of getting a new patrol car? It would have holes burned in the front seat where spotlights were thrown in the front seat when the officer bailed out to go after and chase burglars. 

The standard light system of my day? Was a faded blue, two beam "bubble gum machine." 

Sitting atop a "visibar" with a siren speaker next to it. And we had no alley or take down lights at all.  That was big city policing in the 70's. 

The best part of it? Many of those ancient two beam units were ao dim?  You had to strike a match to see if they were burning.  

So most officers bought Federal fireball dash lights to supplement the absence of lights on the roof. 

That was the world of policing I was introduced to. 

In my day? We had a six shot revolver? Loaded with Amron ammunition. Target ammo produced by Norma munitions. And on the box reading: "FOR TARGET USE ONLY."

Amron being Norma spelled backwards.  Numerous officers encountered misfires and even when they hit a suspect, there was little to no effect. 

So most officers either swapped out their bullets, or carried another weapon that would have an effect. 

When I was shit and almost killed in 1984? My backup officer killed the suspect. And his reward? A five day suspension. For carrying "unauthorized hollow point ammunition." 🤔

In my day? We were issued a wooden baton that would break if you used it and a plastic flashlight that was about as useful as our blue lights. Dim and unreliable. 

Ultimately came pepper spray and ASP batons and after I retired, tasers and shotguns and patrol rifles. 

And body cameras. 

Problem is? The protocols for using either, other than the body cameras, make them all but useless in today's world. And the bidy cameras are now used to find any misstep the officer may have made. Or they are used to try and portray something that looks like something other than the reality. As in the 13 year okd shot last month in Chicago by a police officer. 

In essence? They now issue several "non lethal" force options. However, they do not want an officer to use any force options period.  

Harsh words are also a taboo. Cursing or use of profane language?   Will earn you a "coutesy violation and a potential for suspension."

I sit and I watch and I shake my head in amazement daily. 

I remember a quote of General George Parton when once asked by the media why he used profanity while addressing his troops. 

His reply was: "When I want it to stick? I give it to them hard and dirty."  

And he was right. When dealing with criminals and thugs? The same primciples apply. 

Because if you fail to deal with them on a level they can understand? They have no respect for you. I know. From thirty years of dealing with them. Trust me, I know. 

Today's law enforcement has been neutered. Police are no longer allowed to do their job. And when they try to? They are immediately assessed to be wrong. 

I told several people a number of weeks ago? That the next item on the leftist agenda? Would be the call to disarm the police.  And that has already begun. As was seen in Brooklyn Center Minnesota last week. 

"Police officers should not be armed on traffic stops."  According to the mind brain mayor of that city, after the shooting death of Duante Wright. 

Police officers are not allowed to make mistakes. 

Yet ask any police officer what are the two most dangerous things a police officer can do?  And they will tell you. 

Traffic stops and domestic violence cases. 

As the majority of officers injured and killed each year, are killed on traffic stops or during domestic violence cases. 

Take one look at the FBI statistics? And those realities are proven.  Just as those same FBI statistics show? That far more white people are shot by police than black people. 

Just as those same FBI statistics will show? That 13% of the population is responsible for over half of all crime and ober half of all violent crime. 

As they are responsible for over half of all violent assaults on and deaths to American police officers. Black and white. 

The realities are simple. 

If you go fishing in a farm pond that only has bass, brim and catfish? And the majority of fish in that pond are bass? What do you think you are going to catch more often than not. 🤔

The same reality applies to crime

And law enforcement. You deal with those most frequently committing crimes, regardless of what color they are. 

Or at least that use to be the way it was.  But not now.  

I am glad that patrolling the mean streets is over and behind me now. Because if they were not, I would be leaving like all of the rest. 

There is no future in it.