Police

More on the Mexican drug war

Despite obvious failure, the Mexican president has vowed to “stay the course” of drug prohibition. As if he were standing in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner, President Calderón says the murder of Police Commissioner Millán, is a sign of government success against the drug cartel. He’s full of shit. James McKinley Jr. writes the story in the New York…

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Police

Is foot patrol right for you?

Foot patrol may not be right for everyone. How do you know if foot patrol is right for you and your neighborhood? Ask your mailman. If your mail is delivered in a cart pushed by a walking mailman or woman, police should be on foot. If your mail is delivered by truck, foot patrol may not be right for you.…

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Police

Policing Green

Cops want more money. Citizens want more foot patrol. We can have both. I call it “Policing Green.” Give cops the gas money for their shift if they agree to patrol without a car for that shift. The environmental link is mostly just a clever title to sell the idea, but it really would be green and save gas. At…

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Police

Overdose deaths

In 2007, 235 Baltimore residents overdosed. The story in the Sunis here. Interestingly (and surprisingly), 74 of those were from methadone. I don’t quite understand the point of methadone. If it’s addictive and you can die from it, why not just give junkies heroin?

Police

Tasers

Here’s more evidence that Tasers are bad. Or at least overused. The story is in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Police

156 Die Drinking Tainted Liquor

You don’t see headlines like this much in America anymore. But we used to (google “Jake Leg” if you’re interested in a tragic little footnote in American history). Fewer people die when drugs are legal and regulated. Prohibitionists in India wanted to protect poor people from themselves. So, in an entirely predictable bit of failed prohibitionist logic, they made liquor…

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Police

NYPD pay raise

It’s still all too low, but finally, just a few years too late, starting NYPD officers are getting a raise from a criminally low $25,100 to the embarrassingly low salary of $35,881. The top base pay is $65,382. The Daily Newshas this story.