[jdulej]

Originally Posted by Pat#79Luv

I personally knew Officer Potter. I was a dispatcher for the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office for 23 years of my 36 year career as a dispatcher. We dispatched for the city that Officer Potter worked for. She was a fine upstanding officer. She made a fatal error that day. Police officers are humans, not robots. Just like a doctor is a human and not a machine. If the doctor accidentally kills someone, she/he is not charged for manslaughter, but simply goes on living their life. If Mr. Wright would have complied, he would be here today living his life.

Obviously this was not an easy decision for the jury, but I do believe other incidents that have been happening influenced their verdict. I believe they were afraid of what would happen to the twin cities and the country if they did not find her guilty.

This was a very sad day for Law Enforcement. No one will want the job of a police officer again. It is a hard job and if you have no backing who will choose to work in that field. We will end up being policed by the military. Won’t that be interesting for career criminals.

Like I said earlier, I was a dispatcher for 36 years. Years ago for every police officer position that was open 100’s of candidates would apply. Six years ago, when I retired, they were lucky if they could get a handful of men and women to apply for the job and to try to find a good one from a handful was not always easy. When something like this happens to one of the good ones, why would anyone choose this profession. I would bet you would steer your son/daughter, grandson/granddaughter into another profession these days. Just ponder what our country will be like down the road when no one goes into the law enforcement field. I, for one, hope I am no longer alive when it comes to that.

Maybe it's time to rethink the role of the police and what type of person would make a good police officer. I know BLM and Defund The Police are triggers that get many here riled up, but my understanding of their goal was just that (for the majority, there are fringes that go too far)
If you cannot find qualified people to hire, possibly you are the problem. If you can't keep the peace even with a patrol car on every corner (Chicago?) perhaps it's time to try another approach?
The so-called War on Drugs was a good example of what not to do. Billions upon billions wasted with zero results - anyone think our drug problems have gotten better? We have jails full of low level dealers costing 50-60K/year to house, and they are immediately replaced on the street with no impact at all.
IMO, the first step is to admit that the current approach is not working, and new solutions are needed - not just throw more money at it.

[Two Bills]

I have no idea what is the solution to what seems a lack of respect that modern society has for any figure of authority.
Where I grew up in UK as a kid, police officers were on foot, knew the people on their beat, and most of all, they knew all the local villains and tearaways.
HQ. then decided to reduce numbers, put the coppers in cars, and from that day, policing went downhill.
Put the local cops back on foot, so they can interact with their communities once again.
Keep the cars for the rural areas, and getting extra support in emergecies.
That would be my solution.

[PugMom]

correct again!

[jimbomaybe]

Originally Posted by jdulej

Maybe it's time to rethink the role of the police and what type of person would make a good police officer. I know BLM and Defund The Police are triggers that get many here riled up, but my understanding of their goal was just that (for the majority, there are fringes that go too far)
If you cannot find qualified people to hire, possibly you are the problem. If you can't keep the peace even with a patrol car on every corner (Chicago?) perhaps it's time to try another approach?
The so-called War on Drugs was a good example of what not to do. Billions upon billions wasted with zero results - anyone think our drug problems have gotten better? We have jails full of low level dealers costing 50-60K/year to house, and they are immediately replaced on the street with no impact at all.
IMO, the first step is to admit that the current approach is not working, and new solutions are needed - not just throw more money at it.

Every day it seems we see new headlines ,videos of just how well the new progressive programs and ideas are working, defunding the police in areas devastated by crime, a no brainer , why have we never thought of this before, Restorative Justice, no bond . low bond back out on the street, their not criminals just misunderstood and haven't talked to their therapist yet a few more thefts, assaults, a felony it not the point, keeping them locked up isn't good for them

[spd2918]

This incident was the result of a combative suspect and an officer that made a mistake. It's as simple as that. There are 1,000s of police contacts every day that end with injuries to no one. Police shootings / deaths of suspects are still very rare.

The problem is a culture that teaches the police are all racists that seek to murder people. It's completely insane. Such teachings lead to more resistance and more injuries and deaths. Don't want the police to use force? Don't resist.

Consider the motivations of the BLM leaders. Consider their clearly stated political goals. I cant post them here, but you can look them up.

[44Apple]

Next time I am pulled over for speeding, I'm going to tell the cop I made a mistake, please don't give me a ticket. It wasn't my fault, I thought I was doing 35, not 70.

[jdulej]

Originally Posted by jimbomaybe

Every day it seems we see new headlines ,videos of just how well the new progressive programs and ideas are working, defunding the police in areas devastated by crime, a no brainer , why have we never thought of this before, Restorative Justice, no bond . low bond back out on the street, their not criminals just misunderstood and haven't talked to their therapist yet a few more thefts, assaults, a felony it not the point, keeping them locked up isn't good for them

As is true with all really difficult problems, the early, not well though out solutions don't work very well and tend to end up being ridiculed. By their nature, the embedded infrastructures are against change, as they see it as a threat. So law enforcement pushes back, the legal system pushes back, even the criminals push back. They are all depending on the current state of things for their livelihoods - why change a good thing.

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by jdulej

As is true with all really difficult problems, the early, not well though out solutions don't work very well and tend to end up being ridiculed. By their nature, the embedded infrastructures are against change, as they see it as a threat. So law enforcement pushes back, the legal system pushes back, even the criminals push back. They are all depending on the current state of things for their livelihoods - why change a good thing.

Is this a good thing?

Woman armed with a PICKAXE seen casually shoplifting at a Rite Aid in crime-ridden Los Angeles | Daily Mail Online

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by jdulej

Maybe it's time to rethink the role of the police and what type of person would make a good police officer. I know BLM and Defund The Police are triggers that get many here riled up, but my understanding of their goal was just that (for the majority, there are fringes that go too far)
If you cannot find qualified people to hire, possibly you are the problem. If you can't keep the peace even with a patrol car on every corner (Chicago?) perhaps it's time to try another approach?
The so-called War on Drugs was a good example of what not to do. Billions upon billions wasted with zero results - anyone think our drug problems have gotten better? We have jails full of low level dealers costing 50-60K/year to house, and they are immediately replaced on the street with no impact at all.
IMO, the first step is to admit that the current approach is not working, and new solutions are needed - not just throw more money at it.

Maybe, just maybe, what we need is a society based on a strong nuclear family with an enforced moral code (church upbringing and adherence to legislated laws), and a society unified with what is "right" and what is "wrong."

Maybe.

But what do I know? I was a grunt that pushed a hoop in a major city for 30 years, so probably nothing.

[Cyndee@twc.com]

[she had an accident . Lets see who would get in a car with a crazed man and try to stop him from driving away and running over other officers. She was in he heat of battle and tried to stop him

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I could not have voted to convict. She was doing her job, and made a mistake. Surgeons make mistakes that result in death, but they never go to jail.

Agreed, at least with the more serious charge, but I was not in the jury box.

This has a bad smell about it, of vigilante politics, and likely will be found to be a miscarriage of justice.

Hopefully in sentencing the judge will put an end to this racist lynching-in-reverse.

It also calls into question why a traffic cop has to carry lethal force weapons. In almost thirty years on the job she never had cause to use the pistol issued to her. Upon learning of the outstanding warrant it might have been better to have had backup available to better secure the arrest environment. It also calls into question why a felony warrant had not been acted upon with more diligence and speed by the county sheriff whose duty is to enforce such a warrant. Asking a traffic copper to deal with felony warrant enforcement is a bit much.

[jdulej]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Is this a good thing?

Woman armed with a PICKAXE seen casually shoplifting at a Rite Aid in crime-ridden Los Angeles | Daily Mail Online

Like I said in my post, early attempts to solve a really huge problem usually don't work very well. Should you just stop trying? Have the cops confront this person and either kill them or suck them into the existing criminal justice system, costing taxpayers thousands or hundreds of thousands with no chance of any sort of rehabilitation.
Crime is still crime and should be dealt with in a way the matches the punishment to the severity of the crime. Personally, I think a family that creates and pushes a drug that enslaves millions deserves a stiffer penalty than some kid on a corner selling crack to his friends, but that does not fit with the current model of "justice".

[Ksfirefighter]

Originally Posted by Shbullet

You sound like a cross eyed lawyer!

One appears to be smug!

[YeOldeCurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Some? So in your expert opinion is it greater than 5%?

Having worked in the newspaper business covering the police beat -- at least in my day -- the bad apples are in the overwhelming minority. But this was in upstate NY 30 years ago. I hazard to guess what it would be like today or in the redneck South.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by 44Apple

Next time I am pulled over for speeding, I'm going to tell the cop I made a mistake, please don't give me a ticket. It wasn't my fault, I thought I was doing 35, not 70.

In your scenario, you place yourself in the position of the criminal. If you don't become combative or try to flee you may get off with a warning to be more careful. But if you do become combative or try to flee and become a threat to others, bad things can happen and (in my opinion) it all will be your fault for not obeying the officer.
If, however, you are attempting to portray the officer who made the mistake, then imho your scenario is invalid.