Why Do Local Cops Need Camoflauge?

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 10:22 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote:
Pruitt wrote:
bfj wrote:
DSafetyGuy wrote:
Pruitt wrote:Between this and the upcoming elections - this is going to be a brutal summer. Stay out of Cleveland folks.
What about Philadelphia? I'm, uh, asking for a friend.
What about Houston?
What about Detroit?
What about Pittsburgh, PA?

You ought to know not to stand by the window

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 10:26 pm

sancarlos wrote:
DaveInSeattle wrote:
Pruitt wrote:
bfj wrote:
DSafetyGuy wrote:
Pruitt wrote:Between this and the upcoming elections - this is going to be a brutal summer. Stay out of Cleveland folks.
What about Philadelphia? I'm, uh, asking for a friend.
What about Houston?
What about Detroit?
What about Pittsburgh, PA?
You ought to know not to stand by the window

Somebody's seen you up there!

howard · Post by **howard** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:09 am

This ain't no foolin' around

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:38 am

TWILTS

howard · Post by **howard** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:39 am

Man who Posted Alton Sterling Shooting Video Arrested 24 Hours Later on Fabricated Charges

I bet he loses his job. The finishing touches on our nascent police state.

Here's another one. (I'm not even looking for these, just my normal morning scan of the news.)

Collingswood police questioned schoolkids about brownies, name-calling, a zombie drawing

Post by **brian** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:38 am

We discussed this a year or two ago in the wake of either Michael Brown or Tamir Rice or one of the other tragedies of the last two years, but I didn't realize the exact statistic, but despite being by any objective measure one of the toughest places in the U.S. to be a cop, in 2015 Detroit cops were involved in ZERO fatal shootings. And that's despite being one of the largest police departments in the country still (in the top 20-ish or so at least).

But in Detroit, the demographics of the police force mirror the community. I don't know if that's the difference, but it's gotta help.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:20 am

Not sure that means as much as it might seem. DeKalb County GA cops are some of the worst around and in general the officers largely reflect the demographics of the county.

Post by **brian** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:27 am

Until reading this week about policing I really didn't know how little I know about policing. One of the interesting things I read is that one of the strategies forward-thinking police departments like Dallas are employing is to spend less time policing traffic violations. Given how a lot of these tragedies start (some hero warrior white cop pulling over some random black guy because of a busted taillight), it makes sense. And apparently in the case of Dallas they went from something like 450,000 to 210,000 traffic violations without an increase in traffic fatalities.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:51 am

Wish they had a directive to ignore jaywalking in April 2003. The DPD jail was not fun!

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:21 pm

brian wrote:Until reading this week about policing I really didn't know how little I know about policing. One of the interesting things I read is that one of the strategies forward-thinking police departments like Dallas are employing is to spend less time policing traffic violations. Given how a lot of these tragedies start (some hero warrior white cop pulling over some random black guy because of a busted taillight), it makes sense. And apparently in the case of Dallas they went from something like 450,000 to 210,000 traffic violations without an increase in traffic fatalities.

Sort of the opposite of the Giuliani cleaning up Times Square narrative. Although, Disneyfied Times Square is a soulless place.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:27 pm

govmentchedda wrote:
brian wrote:Until reading this week about policing I really didn't know how little I know about policing. One of the interesting things I read is that one of the strategies forward-thinking police departments like Dallas are employing is to spend less time policing traffic violations. Given how a lot of these tragedies start (some hero warrior white cop pulling over some random black guy because of a busted taillight), it makes sense. And apparently in the case of Dallas they went from something like 450,000 to 210,000 traffic violations without an increase in traffic fatalities.
Sort of the opposite of the Giuliani cleaning up Times Square narrative. Although, Disneyfied Times Square is a soulless place.

I feel dirty defending an ass like Giuliani, but I'm old enough to remember NYC in the 80s. I'll take soulless over dirty, smelly, and dangerous.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:51 pm

brian wrote:Until reading this week about policing I really didn't know how little I know about policing. One of the interesting things I read is that one of the strategies forward-thinking police departments like Dallas are employing is to spend less time policing traffic violations. Given how a lot of these tragedies start (some hero warrior white cop pulling over some random black guy because of a busted taillight), it makes sense. And apparently in the case of Dallas they went from something like 450,000 to 210,000 traffic violations without an increase in traffic fatalities.

I'm not sure where the money goes from a traffic ticket in Dallas, but I suspect they installed highway cameras for toll areas and decided that that was a better way to take public money. (Texas residents, correct me if I'm wrong.)

I got an $8.75 charge of a toll in Dallas on my credit card when I rented a car for literally the time it takes to drive from Wichita Falls airport to Dallas Love Airport. When I called the toll company (based in New Jersey for the rental agency, I guess) they refunded me without issue.

There was a helluva lot of construction on Dallas highways, so I'm guessing I entered some zone that banked on my ignorance.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:03 pm

sancarlos wrote:
govmentchedda wrote:
brian wrote:Until reading this week about policing I really didn't know how little I know about policing. One of the interesting things I read is that one of the strategies forward-thinking police departments like Dallas are employing is to spend less time policing traffic violations. Given how a lot of these tragedies start (some hero warrior white cop pulling over some random black guy because of a busted taillight), it makes sense. And apparently in the case of Dallas they went from something like 450,000 to 210,000 traffic violations without an increase in traffic fatalities.
Sort of the opposite of the Giuliani cleaning up Times Square narrative. Although, Disneyfied Times Square is a soulless place.
I feel dirty defending an ass like Giuliani, but I'm old enough to remember NYC in the 80s. I'll take soulless over dirty, smelly, and dangerous.

I'm with you on this one. Besides, it is possible to say that a person did something good, even if they're an idiot.

We used to go down to New York in the 80s and huge parts of it were a dump.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:25 pm

I worked there in the 80s and thought NYC was fine. But it may just be personal criteria at play. For me, at that time: liberty >>>>> street hassle.

Perhaps I'd be a bit less amused by the junkies burning the derelict building to the rear of the apartment if I was there with my daughters today instead of my bold (/foolish) self in 1985.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 6:16 am

DC47 wrote:I worked there in the 80s and thought NYC was fine. But it may just be personal criteria at play. For me, at that time: liberty >>>>> street hassle.

Perhaps I'd be a bit less amused by the junkies burning the derelict building to the rear of the apartment if I was there with my daughters today instead of my bold (/foolish) self in 1985.

The Lou Reed reference is very fitting. We loved visiting New York when we were in our early twenties precisely because it was seedy and a cheap drunk.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 8:48 pm

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 12:51 pm

mister d wrote:If it's precedent, it's bad. As a one-off, it's pretty cool.

Clickhole so gets me: The Fact That An Explosive Robot Was Used To Kill The Dallas Shooter Raises Disturbing Concerns About The Fucking Rad Militarization Of The Police

howard · Post by **howard** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:26 pm

ffs.

After Dallas Shootings, Police Arrest People for Criticizing Cops on Facebook and Twitter

FOUR MEN IN DETROIT were arrested over the past week for posts on social media that the police chief called threatening. One tweet that led to an arrest said that Micah Johnson, the man who shot police officers in Dallas last week, was a hero. None of the men have been named, nor have they been charged.

“I know this is a new issue, but I want these people charged with crimes,” said Detroit Police Chief James Craig. “I’ve directed my officers to prepare warrants for these four individuals, and we’ll see which venue is the best to pursue charges,” he said.

Five police officers were killed in the Dallas shootings, constituting the highest number of police casualties in an attack since September 11. And as a result, law enforcement officials everywhere are suddenly much more sensitive to threats against their lives.

But one result has been that several police departments across the country have arrested individuals for posts on social media accounts, often from citizen tips — raising concerns among free speech advocates.

“Arresting people for speech is something we should be very careful about,” Bruce Schneier, security technologist at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, told The Intercept.

Last weekend in Connecticut, police arrested Kurt Vanzuuk after a tip for posts on Facebook that identified Johnson as a hero and called for police to be killed. He was charged with inciting injury to persons or property.

An Illinois woman, Jenesis Reynolds, was arrested for writing in a Facebook post that she would shoot an officer who would pull her over. “I have no problem shooting a cop for simple traffic stop cuz they’d have no problem doing it to me,” she wrote, according to the police investigation. She was charged with disorderly conduct.

There is plenty more.

I wish I was even mildly surprised at this fucking bullshit. Not surprised, but plenty pissed off. This is what a police state looks like. And I'm not pissed at the cops for doing this; as usual, I'm pissed that the people will tolerate this, and that plenty of people will cheer this.

Of course free speech is not absolute. But this is way past the line that has been in place for decades. And I expect it to become the norm, probably pretty soon.

Oh, I am saddened by the deaths, on both 'sides', of the last week. But, fuck the fucking police.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:35 pm

Let's imagine what would have happened if people started getting arrested for anti-Obama posts. Boy oh boy ...

howard · Post by **howard** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:40 pm

Don't say that too loud, might give Hillary ideas.

howard · Post by **howard** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 6:19 pm

Another tragic cop shooting:

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:43 pm

mister d wrote:Let's imagine what would have happened if people started getting arrested for anti-Obama posts. Boy oh boy ...

Worse, they don't get arrested, they get sent to FEMA camps without Due Process. This is seriously fucked up. There is no way the police felt threatened by these asshole's FB posts. This shit has to stop.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:26 am

The Sybian wrote:
mister d wrote:Let's imagine what would have happened if people started getting arrested for anti-Obama posts. Boy oh boy ...
Worse, they don't get arrested, they get sent to FEMA camps without Due Process. This is seriously fucked up. There is no way the police felt threatened by these asshole's FB posts. This shit has to stop.

PoliceFrog.net needs a "Ridiculous Things You Read on Facebook" thread.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:03 pm

mister d wrote:I'll admit to thinking them just blowing the fucker up is pretty cool.

Watch out for that slippery slope, dude.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:05 pm

Yeah, but the toddler posted some bad shit on Facebook. Was asking for it.

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:12 pm

It is not like the degree of freedom of speech we have enjoyed in recent years has always been thus.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:06 am

My mother-in-law emailed my wife this morning, warning her not to go near the local community college, because there will be a Black Lives Matter protest there and "it is going to turn deadly."

My wife emailed her back to thank her for letting me know about the rally so I can stop by and show my support.

I think Keith Law hit it on the head in his Klawchat yesterday:

All lives matter, but not all lives are in equal danger. No one says White Lives Matter because, duh, when has the opposite ever been true in our nation's history.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:09 am

He nailed it on that sentence, but I think he got it wrong with the "only racists say otherwise". He's a really smart dude who I think occasionally conflates true stupidity with malice, probably in part because of all the shit he has to put up with in his line of work. I think there's a flowery version of "All Lives Matter", its just said by people too fucking stupid to understand why its the wrong phrase at the wrong time.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:10 am

And I remain partial to the "Try saying "No, 'Support Everyone'" to someone who says 'Support Our Troops'" analogy, whoever made it up.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:14 am

mister d wrote:Let's imagine what would have happened if people started getting arrested for anti-Obama posts. Boy oh boy ...

Was just going to say....go arrest Joe Walsh and see what happens.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:19 am

Most of these All Lives Matter people are the same people who also think that the real racism is how white Christians they can't say the same things on sports talk radio as black dudes and you can shoot the government agents, but only if you think they might raise your taxes.

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:21 am

mister d wrote:He nailed it on that sentence, but I think he got it wrong with the "only racists say otherwise". He's a really smart dude who I think occasionally conflates true stupidity with malice, probably in part because of all the shit he has to put up with in his line of work. I think there's a flowery version of "All Lives Matter", its just said by people too fucking stupid to understand why its the wrong phrase at the wrong time.

Beyond the lives being in danger point there's the separate issue about there being a huge disparity in society's willingness to impose consequences for taking a life. "Blue Lives Matter" is an asinine slogan because there is no surer way to face the full wrath of the justice system than killing a police officer. Does anyone doubt that if the Dallas shooter were captured alive he'd have been ultimately given the death penalty? In contrast, police officers almost never face any criminal consequences for shooting unarmed (or lawfully armed) black citizens.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:27 am

mister d wrote:He nailed it on that sentence, but I think he got it wrong with the "only racists say otherwise". He's a really smart dude who I think occasionally conflates true stupidity with malice, probably in part because of all the shit he has to put up with in his line of work.

I agree.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:27 am

Yup. Its a horrible, dangerous as fuck job in a lot of places, which is why its respected when done well. You aren't allowed to kill black people out of fear and/or racism AND get credit for assuming a horrible, dangerous as fuck job, at that point you're just a criminal with legal indemnity. The latter is predicated on doing it right.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:29 am

mister d wrote:And I remain partial to the "Try saying "No, 'Support Everyone'" to someone who says 'Support Our Troops'" analogy, whoever made it up.

I like that. I supposed "No, God Bless All Countries" would also work. Maybe write up a sign and hold it up during a Forced Patriotism Exercise in the seventh inning?

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:59 am

Steve of phpBB wrote:
All lives matter, but not all lives are in equal danger. No one says White Lives Matter because, duh, when has the opposite ever been true in our nation's history.

April 5, 1968? Other than that day, I got nuthin.

If not actual danger, it must've felt that way.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 12:21 pm

12-03-79.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 12:42 pm

I had to look that one up. Clever.

[+] spoiler: 11 killed in crowd stampede at Who concert in Cincinnatti.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... t-19800124
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/who-cinc ... -die-1979/

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:00 am

Two cops shot dead, five others wounded in Baton Rouge this morning. Back to golf.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:49 am

Quick note. In Baton Rouge, in Dallas, in San Bernadino, á Nice, inside the Batalacan club. Each of these mass murders, for at least several hours if not a day or two, police and authorities were searching for a second gunman. (In San Berdoo, a third gunman, since there actually were two.) Usually, they even make arrests, all spurious.

Some folks suggest there is never a second gunman. I wouldn't say never, but almost always they say there is a second gunman, and there is not. File that fact away.