One of the biggest issues facing local government in Seattle is reforming the police department. After numerous reports of egregious violations of the rights and dignity of citizens became public, a great deal of community pressure was focused on the SPD. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice identified a range of systematic problems in SPD practices that failed to adequately prevent or punish these sorts of violations. It is often said that trust in the police is an essential element to an effective system of law and order, but I think that in most cases that is simply rhetoric. It seems rare to find police departments that take a systematic approach to truly building support in the community. Of course there are many individual officers who do a fantastic job of serving the public interest and trying to restore the image of the police. Unfortunately, it is also the case that police departments as a whole often drag their feet and allow bad apples to ruin the bunch. In today's longread, author David Noriega describes his experience as an investigator for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board and uses this example to illustrate the challenges in creating a truly accountable police force in our current climate.
"The Thin Blue Lie" by David Noriega
Published in the New Inquiry, August 29, 2012
http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/the-thin-blue-lie/
Eric
Wow. I don't really have words after reading this. I am just so glad that someone from the inside was able to so gracefully articulate the ways the system is stacked against its citizens. Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteCops really have unlimited power it seems, Chicago has struggled with corruption on many levels but especially the police force. They act with virtual impunity. It seems that the mission of "protect and serve" got lost somewhere down the line. I think this is an example of how any institution, government or individual when given power will almost certainly abuse it.
ReplyDeleteScary. The part that stands out to me the most is when the author writes about the differences in testimonies given by civilians and cops. The metaphor of language as a weapon -- and cops having firepower in the form of lawyers and specific words -- brings up a lot of issues about how the justice system is more interested in sound bites than in the actual story.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I've always thought is interesting is the double standard about "snitching." Police bemoan the "stop snitching" code that stops people from cooperating with them, but at the same time, most police follow the exact same code when it comes to holding other officers accountable for their actions.
Eric