What Law Enforcement Needs to Understand about Ferguson

[damnedifIknow]

The images from Ferguson, Missouri are disturbing and disappointing to those who recognize their role in law enforcement as servants of the public as opposed to strict enforcers of the law, maintainers of order or members of a paramilitary organization. While enforcing the law is a primary function and order maintenance is a part of that job, they are but components of the larger public servant role. Additionally, while police agencies are paramilitary in nature, law enforcement leaders now, more than ever, need to guard against the increase of militarization currently underway.

I’m disheartened that police unions and associations across the country are concerned about citizens photographing police while in public and have no qualms about speaking out against it. This adds to the concern of the public that we are moving more towards a police state and slowly eroding the freedoms we should cherish in this great nation."

*We are only beginning to consider the implications of the flood of former military personnel joining the ranks of civilian policing. I submit that more study into this phenomenon is needed. The issue of militarization of American policing is not just the acquisition of military equipment; it is the infusion of so many former soldiers into the ranks of the civilian police.

For American police, retention of the “servant” mindset is more critical than that of the “warrior” mindset."

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Max Geron is a senior executive in a major urban police department"

http://www.hlswatch.com/2014/08/19/what-law-enforcement-needs-to-understand-about-ferguson/

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, damnedifIknow.

[joeglow3]

2. So someone who served our country should be black balled

Solely because they served our country?

Amazing

[raven mad]

4. joeglow3, my brother is an ex-Army MP.

He's now a cop.

He chooses PROTECT AND SERVE daily. He fully understands the difference between walking the streets here in the U.S. and the ones he walked in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He likes the difference. However, he has a number of his ex-MP teammates he swears should never be a cop. If you have to depend on equipment used in war zones to intimidate, YOU ARE NOT A COP.

[joeglow3]

5. That is different from a wholesale blackball

Under what the poster advocted, your brother would automatically have been labeled as unfit simply because he served our country.

I cannot accept that.

[damnedifIknow]

6. I don't know if that's what he is saying

I think he is looking for answers on how we got to this point like so many others are.

[BlueCaliDem]

3. Kicked and recommended!

The issue of militarization of American policing is not just the acquisition of military equipment; it is the infusion of so many former soldiers into the ranks of the civilian police.

For American police, retention of the “servant” mindset is more critical than that of the “warrior” mindset."

Spot-freaking-ON! Otherwise, change the "to protect and serve" to "to bully and domineer". Because that's exactly what's been happening to Americans, perpetrated by the very police force their tax-dollars are funding.

But isn't it curious that there isn't a single anti-government, pro-unfettered-gun-rights, and AR-15 toting militia coming down to Ferguson to protest the blatant police-State tactics happening there? I wonder why that is. No. I really don't wonder. Again they prove, by their actions - or lack of actions - that they believe they should be above all laws while PoC must be subjugated and are only good for serving the White masters.