“Check it out, esse…. shit’s going dowwwn.” (That’s an Albuqueque accent, just FYI, as dictated to me by my Albuquerquean wife). There are some anti-police protests in the Duke City. A police-involved shooting of James Boyd, caught on police video, sparked the protests. If you’re right wing, watch this version: If you’re left wing, watch this version (if you’re in…
Month: March 2014
Like David Hasselhoff, but in Australia. And with a whip.
Not too long ago I was kindly very politely by a woman at the Australian Police Journal to restate my argument in defense of flogging. This goes back to my Festival of Dangerous Ideas talk last November. I am generally happy to oblige anything with “police” in the name, even if they don’t pay. So I dusted something off and…
It just don’t make sense…
Angel Rojas came to the US four years ago from the Dominican Republic with his wife, Maria Lopez and their two kids, now 12 and 8. Rojas was on a break between two jobs, riding the bus home to, (from the New York Times): …hug his children and grab a quick bite. When three young adults stepped aboard the bus,…
Reducing 911 calls
A reduction in 911 calls in unheard of. The number of people calling for police goes up and up (because the system would have one believe there is an unlimited supply of cops). Right now about half your police department is dedicated to being ready to answer your call for service. And being ready (“in service”) too often means sitting…
“Never again”
This is truly amazing. I cannot believe this is not an Onion video. WKRN, Nashville News, Nashville Weather and Sports “As the buses left, the only way to get those students back to school was to walk.” It too nearly 15 minutes. One student noted with disdain: “It was sunny and windy. It was not fun.” (This walk of 0.7…
This is (not) only a test
I’m going to present a scenario. I want you decide who if anybody is right. And who if anybody should be criminally charged. But you have make a decision before you hear about the race of the people involved. Just imagine that everybody is white. A guy lives in northwest Albuquerque. He may may not have been wondering around his…
“Ambassadors of the NYPD”
“OK, academy class, pay attention. Today we are going to learn the ‘seven steps to positive community interactions.’ OK? And, um, even though Number Seven says ‘end on a positive note’ — stop snickering in the back — you should not say ‘have a nice day’ after cuffing somebody.”
Officer Down
Yesterday an Eastern District sergeant, Keith McNeill, was shot and very seriously wounded. My thoughts go out to him, his family, and all those who know and work with him.
“The true lives of low-level drug dealers”
Erin Rose wrote a great piece in Salon about your average run-of-the drug dealer. It’s not like Breaking Bad (though it is in Albuquerque). It’s not like Baltimore’s Eastern District. Most drug dealers are not violent. Most drug dealers are not black. Some highlights (but it’s worth reading in its entirety): Rico works a full-time job and only deals as…
Prison is worse than flogging? You don’t say…
In the TimesDavid Brooks makes a crazy point that prison may actually be worse than flogging. Craaaaaazy… I only wish I had thought of this idea…