How would you fix American policing?

It is clear that policing is a big problem in America.....how do you fix it?

Increase their salaries. :)

Hold them accountable for wrongdoings.

Civilian oversight, reduce/eliminate military gear, better training to include working with the community, nation-wide database for those who were removed for excessive force etc.

Body cameras, extended training especially in de-eschalation, less dehumanization of criminals, demilitarization, end the drug war.

That would be a good start. Give them more expansive training, deemphasize firearm training and put more time into de-escalation. It would also be good to start demilitarizing our forces and completely eliminate civil forfeiture. Police don't need armored vehicles or military grade weapons, nor should they be able to legally take any and all cash on you for no reason. It's theft plain and simple.

I'd also like to see mandatory routine audits done by external bodies. Police have shown themselves to be incapable of policing themselves. Not to mention it is a conflict of interest.

Fire them all, especially stevo, and let chaos reign.

Are we talking about the militarization of police forces? That's really just a biproduct of bad Republican gun policy - the fact that literally any idiot, even felons, have easy access to guns. Knowing this, I would act the same way toward the general public. Anyone is a deadly threat because of lax gun law and uneven and lax enforcement. I don't blame the police.

Better training and better support especially for officers with complaints against them. Police forces with make ups similar to the communities they police.

Gonna say my usual disclaimer of a.) just brainstorming here so take it all with a grain of salt, I don't pretend to have all the answers; and b.) I don't hate individual police officers. With that said, I think "organized law enforcement", much like organized religion, is much too powerful and influential as a whole.

My thoughts on the subject are:

• Better training in other areas, with an emphasis on diplomacy and de-escalation.
  • Police are trained to view the American public as hostile and the enemy in many ways. I'd like to see training stop this mentality, and instead train cops to be protective of the American public.
• Weaken the power of their unions; if you read a history of police unions, they have an INSANE amount of power to the point they can often get away with murder, to put it bluntly. I am pro-union, don't get me wrong, I just don't think the union should be so strong it harms or allows people to harm society.
• No military arms surplus, no more of this gestapo shit. You don't need your police suited up in military olive-drab body armor with assault rifles. I mean how and when did it get to this? JK I know why; too many gunnnnnnnsssssss!
• Establish extra services with diverted funding to deal with certain issues that don't require a guy with a gun showing up.
  • For example, if you're dealing with a homeless issue you don't need a guy with a gun showing up.
  • If a neighbor calls in because some parents are yelling too much at their teenage son, don't send a guy with a gun there. Send some official social worker.
• Remove their political influence. Police chiefs can't endorse political candidates, unions can't endorse political candidates, etc. etc.
• And finally, all cops must serve in the area they live in.
  • Part of the problem recently in the US is that cops commute to areas they don't live in, aren't invested in. If you had cops policing areas they live in where they know the people and they know the town, they would not be so mercenary and would maybe be a bit more caring and careful.
  • If they apply for the job in another town, provide a relocation bonus to the cop and help them find a home. Don't give them any excuse to not police their own town.

I know you're being cheeky, but starting salary in my hometown (East SF Bay Area) almost six figures. I think trainees started at close to 60k. I literally looked this up a week ago.

I think they're fine.

All good ideas to the point you have to wonder why it's not going on already.

Like the database idea, a lot of cops that do wrong generally are not first-time offenders.

What you mean to say... we need judges...

=P

@Stevo_the_gamer said:

@Vaasman said:

Fire them all, especially stevo, and let chaos reign.

What you mean to say... we need judges...

=P

That would be really cool for like...a week.

But what a week it would be!

psychological testing.

there are folks out there who just shouldn't be cops and the screening ought to be more robust.

it's a difficult job and many are not cut out for it.

Privatize and/or de-unionize, rigorous physical and mental testing.

Would at least weed out some of the shittier cops.

also allow military police records to be shared nation wide to...

@Vaasman: no. Stevo is Robocop after all. :]. Lol. That would be wrong.

@Stevo_the_gamer said:

@Vaasman said:

Fire them all, especially stevo, and let chaos reign.

What you mean to say... we need judges...

=P

We certainly need some that'll stop sentencing people to slaps on the wrist who should be doing actual time. The number of times I see someone who has been arrested and charged for crimes like armed robbery just get off on probation, only to get arrested doing something more serious later is beyond me.

Not to mention the number of people in media and politics that have defended and called for violence and riots, only for corrupt DAs and judges to release offenders when caught doesn't help either. It seems to me like the judicial side of things is doing it's hardest to nullify any kind of dent police do make in crime.

US doesn't do this?

They do in my city.

Fixed that for you.

No legal repercussions for anything they do to Antifa.

Replace sirens with Benny Hill theme.

This guy has it.

I would change nothing except give them more praise and promotions.

Some countries have 3 years training to become a police officer, plus screening before even allowed to start the training.

Some states in the US have that as well. But that doesn't take away from the fact that policing is a big problem worldwide, with or without 3 years of training. It's not just the US.

We need to start training the people to be better citizens.

well its simple. In black areas, hire mainly black officers. In hispanic, hire hispanic officers. In white areas hire white officers. It feels like people will be more comfortable around officers if they are of the same background as them.

You're intimidated by other races?

The length and depth of training needs to be addressed. Out these parts the certification for a local police officer is a few months (7-8). Move up to the state level and it is similar in terms of time/months. Nothing against the local folks but it reminds me of the academy in the movie franchise Police Academy at least in terms of those accepted and those graduating.

Seem to think they are living in an ISIS, Nazi, Taliban like fascist society.

Next time they larp around Portland destroying shit and screaming in a brave officers face, we should give them that reality.

im not, but it seems like many in my community are intimidated by white officers. I personally would feel a bit more comfortable around black officers and minority officers myself, so it is what it is.

@uninspiredcup said:

@sheevpalpamemes said:

@uninspiredcup said:

No legal repercussions for anything they do to Antifa.

Replace sirens with Benny Hill theme.

This guy has it.

I would change nothing except give them more praise and promotions.

Seem to think they are living in an ISIS, Nazi, Taliban like fascist society.

Next time they larp around Portland destroying shit and screaming in a brave officers face, we should give them that reality.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Black officers are tougher on minorities than white officers.

i'll still take that black officer every single day, twice on sundays over a white officer on a power trip, trying to "lay down the law" on the minority. Sadly, theres a lot of these cops out there, and im not saying the person getting pulled over isn't at fault, because many times they are. But im sure having to interact with someone whos of the same background as you in tense situations can make both sides more comfortable.