Jan 9, 2010
I don’t often update my blogroll (part lazy / part frustrated with the quality of content out there).
But I ran into this other blog when I started contributing to the Crime Report. Check out his informative stuff. Especially those who live in the biggest country in the United States. I think you will agree, he is quite good…
PC
Dec 25, 2009
Every holiday as I pack up to go to work, or enjoy the rare one at home, I remember those who are out serving our communities instead of enjoying time with their families. There is no more appropriate time to say thank you. So if you are out there making Christmas safe for your town, city, or state, please be safe and know that people appreciate your service – especially today.
Happy Holidays!
Dec 21, 2009
As I indicated in my last post, I have started to contribute to a site called The Crime Report. I was reading their interview with International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Michael Carroll and fell off my chair.
According to Carroll, 60 percent of police chiefs do not require their officers to wear bullet resistant vests. If this is accurate, then all of them should be fired. Today. There is no excuse.
I have heard all the arguments:
“Its not comfortable”
“Its too hot”
“I can’t move in it, so in fact it is less safe.”
“They are so expensive”
Please, cut me a freakin break. Thousands of lives have been saved by vests. Officers in the Arizona desert wear them, and countless officers have been involved in hand-to-hand encounters wearing them and survived. There is no excuse.
Now, the money thing is interesting. A good vest costs close to $1000.00. So I can see a small town struggling with that budget reality. The fact is there are grant programs to buy them, and if your department has even one car, one radio, and one jail cell, then you can make cuts to get a vest for your one cop. There is no excuse.
If any of you are working right now and do not have a vest on, please go get it. If you are not provided one, please make some noise. And please write back and let me know what your department / chief thinks of wearing a vest…
Dec 7, 2009
Good day! Today is an exciting day in the development of our blog. I have started contributing to The Crime Report, an outstanding media / police site whose work is much like ours. They have many outstanding writers and thinkers on police and the media.
As you know, my mission has always been open, honest conversation. Humbly, I do get invitations to write for other sites once in a while. I have previously turned them all down, because they seemed biased in one way or the other (to include too “pro police”)
The Crime Report allows me (and many others) to have unfiltered and honest conversations about policing. It really was that simple a decision for me. Of course I will remain here as well!
If you get a moment, check out their content and let me know what you think…
Nov 29, 2009
If you have not already, please read this short story in the Tacoma paper. Absolutely unreal, and quite timely given recent debate here at the Philosophical Cop. I have always wondered what separates the suspect that “runs” and wants to escape capture (which at least as a mammal, I can understand), and the “attacking” suspect on the other.
Here are four cops who are not interacting with the suspect in any way. They simply wanted a cup of joe. It is a different kind of animal that hunts and assassinates. That behavior cannot be reconciled with my moral insides.
The other thing this makes me recall is the many conversations I have had with loved ones about such attacks. Generally someone asks me, “what if some guy just decides to kill you tonight in a cold-hearted ambush.” The answer, I am afraid, is that if someone like the Tacoma killer decides tonight is my night, then I have little hope of surviving. Period.
Rest in peace.
Sep 26, 2009
I have been reading quite a bit lately about cops getting laid off, furloughed, having pay and benefits cut, and the like. I am hoping our readers out there who are officers right now, or who are familiar with their local department’s situation, to comment here and let us all know what they have experienced.
I have written before on what a foolhardy proposition it is to lay off cops to save money. Cash saved right now, perhaps. But in the long run, the price will not be worth the increase in crime, reduction in public trust, and hard cash that will be spent later to battle the problems caused today.
Let us all know what the state of affairs is in your local jurisdiction…
Aug 3, 2009
Wow! You go on vacation for a few weeks and look what happens. I am so sorry to have missed this lively debate, however I am proud of all of you for covering it well in comments. Your conversation gives me hope that we truly are building a dialogue here at the PC.
I am just starting to research what happened wiht the professor and the Sergeant. I will write on it when I am fully educated. Thank you all for starting the conversation yourselves. Next vacation I’ll have to find WIFI!
