Episode 45 - The Hidden Burdens Police Endure Everyday - Greenfield Police Intimidate Annoying Libertarians [Discussion]

[marilee]

Penn explains the daily annoyances that law enforcers face and how, in spite of those nuisances, they're held to a higher standard.

Watch or download this episode now! (http://revision3.com/pennpoint/greenfieldpolice)

[scottbieser]

I know about a half dozen children of LEOs and they all are having difficulty dealing with what seems to be a generational shift going on in police and sheriff's departments. Prior to about 30 years ago, the vast majority of cops were like Penn's dad -- Officer Friendly types who really cared about protecting their communities from the 1 percent who were dangerous sociopaths.

But in the last quarter-century there seems to have been a shift in cop culture -- from community service to a militarized mind-set which seems to see EVERYONE they encounter as a potential enemy, and which sees nothing wrong with stomping on people who annoy them especially if they're from lower-income classes.

And, even if only a few percent of cops are getting out of line, a problem arises when the rest of the law enforcement apparatus circles the wagons to protect them from any meaningful accountability for their actions. Even (or maybe especially) when they kill young black people for the "crime" of running away when commanded to stop, or for being found unconscious in a car with a gun in her lap (Riverside, CA 2004).

Penn, consider this: if your dad had been one of the cops providing security for the Democrat National Convention in 2008, which had several incidents of police brutality against protesters, would he have later bought the t-shirt that was popular with area cops afterward which displayed a graphic reading, "DENVER 2008 -- SHOW UP EARLY AND BEAT THE CROWDS" ?

[sumyunguy]

I listen to a great podcast done by two jailers. It is called http://www.2guys1brain.com

They share stories from their normal lives, but always have plenty of interesting and usually hilarious stories from their daily interaction with inmates in the jail. They are nearing their 500th episode. Go check them out. You can find the shows on itunes as well.

[normstansfield]

the "crime" of running away when commanded to stop

That is a crime. So why the quotation marks?

[gdwgdw]

You know, I rarely do this, but I disagree with Penn here.
I do not think that cops should be held to a higher standard. I think we should all be held to the same standard, which is exactly why it is wrong for cops to be doing what the are doing.

Just because a lot of people WOULD blow up, does not mean that they should, nor does it mean we can hold the to a different standard. By "blow up" I don't just mean yelling, and such, but the abuse of power, etc, that follows.

[randommadness]

earlier this month my dear friends were terrorized by the police for over an hour - they had the misfortune of purchasing something on ebay that the seller had stolen, and they became the focus of a botched police investigation (they were under surveillance for months) The police invaded their home, pointed guns at their children, all over this one stupid, rather cheap computer.

The police didn't announce themselves, nor did they present a search warrant until 45 minutes AFTER a dozen officers swarmed the house, weapons drawn, and threatened everyone, including a 4 year old.

No one in the family had a criminal record, and they were later cleared and listed as victims on the police report. Of course, I think they thought they were uncovering this 'huge' theft ring, when all they had were a normal family in the suburbs.

The kids are in therapy right now because they continue to be traumatized over the attack. The police never apologized for their mistake.