Police

2015 homicide increase

I’d like to double down on the 2015 homicide increase. I’ve made a habit of offering a $100 bet to anybody says “we don’t know if homicides are up.” What’s odd is that nobody has taken my bet. Some insist that crime can’t really be up till the data is formally compiled and tell us it is. That’s an odd…

Continue Reading

Police

How many strikes do you get?

I’m not for “three strikes and you’re out.” I am, however, supportive of 32 strikes and you’re out (I’d even go down to 20). Kari Bazemore, who has a history of random violence, slashed a woman walking down 23rd St at 6AM. There’s something particularly chilling about the pointless randomness of it. No argument. No robbery. No conflict. Just cut…

Continue Reading

Police

I didn’t see this coming

As usual, they don’t get you for what you did. They get you for what you write. While morally suspect, Officer Encinia didn’t do anything legally wrong legally when he stopped and arrested Sandra Bland in Texas. But what he wrote seemed a bit different from what he was seen doing on video. And now, as is too often the…

Continue Reading

Police

You gotta break some eggs… to make a mess

According toMaryland Governor Hogan, C.O.R.E. stands for Creating Opportunities for Renewal and Enterprise. “We should be able to make tremendous progress over the next for year,” said the mayor. What’s the cause for celebration? Demolition. Forgive me if I hold my applause till something is built. Now don’t get me wrong, tearing these buildings down is necessary. These buildings are…

Continue Reading

Police

Black lives matter to homicide detectives

The homicide board downtown. I have to admit, when I first walked by it, I had to do a double take, thinking, “it really does exist!” That’s a lot of red. From Justin Fenton’s five part series on a homicide investigation.

Police

Me talking about Tasers

On NPR Weekend Edition. From my basement. I was wearing a snazzy three-piece suit, in case you were wondering. It’s radio, right?

Police

God save the Queen

So much going on this pic of New Year in Manchester by the Evening News. Like a beautiful painting. pic.twitter.com/szKKRM4U4i — Roland Hughes (@hughesroland) January 1, 2016 It’s like a classic Jan Steen.

Police

Happy New Year

Group reading names of Balto homicide victims. 344 in 2015. Group ask " why aren't more people here?" pic.twitter.com/wOt5U0Hfvj — Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) January 1, 2016

Police

“Stop question and frisk” is dead

Welcome the NYPD’s “PD 382-152” (06-15), née UF-250, AKA Stop Report, just FYI: This new “UF-250” replaces the old “UF-250” from 2002 that made an unconstitutional mockery of reasonable suspicion as laid out in Terry v. Ohio. (Also FYI, the original form actually called a UF-250 is long dead; long live the UF-250!) If the goal is fewer stops, add…

Continue Reading

Police

There is absolutely NO NEED TO PANIC!

The latest Brennan Center report projects the 30 largest cities will see a 14.6 percent increase in homicide this year. You know the last time the nation saw a 15 percent annual increase in the homicide rate? Never. Remain Calm. All is well. But don’t worry, they say in their best “you are getting sleepy” voice. There’s no reason to…

Continue Reading