The Reese Witherspoon arrest on video. You know what I like? Reese: “I have to obey your order?!” Officer: “Yes, you do. Well done, officer. Well handled. Grace under pressure. Witherspoon: “Do you know my name… You’re about to find out who am I.” Officer: “That’s fine. I’m not really worried about you, Ma’am.” … Witherspoon: “I’m an American citizen,…
Tag: police culture
Why You Never Chase
Three years ago I wrote this piecefor a local New York City paper. If you replace New Yorker Karen Schmeer with Baltimorean Matthew Hersl, nothing has changed. Karen Schmeer was the friend of a friend. Matthew Hersl was the brother of a guy I worked with and knew from the police academy. I bought my car from his nephew, I…
Police officers’ opinions on gun violence and gun control
A summary of the results of a survey of 15,000 police officers by Police One.
Cops Wearing Cameras
Better for police than most police think. From the New York Times.
Why did Robert Ethan Saylor die?
My colleague at John Jay College, James Mulvaney, had a good op-ed in the Washington Post last month about a tragic and unnecessary death in Central Maryland. As both a former police officer and a former movie theater usher, I can’t help but think Prof. Mulvaney get’s it right. You can read it here: Where is the public outrage over…
“A system that is dishonest and fundamentally flawed”
I often (and sincerely) defend Vice Magazine as (on a good day, mind you) the best source of journalism in our fine republic. Last night a friend sent me this link called, “Testilying: Cops Are Liars Who Get Away with Perjury.” OK… so I’m not expecting this to be pro-police. But before I read it, I wrote back saying: “I…
Jackpot!
Alan Suderman of the Washington City Paper has a good article about police department discipline and some recent happenings in DC. Here’s the main story. And an extra. I don’t know why, but I always get a kick about being quoted using naughty words. In truth, I don’t actually think Iswear that much. And yet the blue just seem to…
David Durk thought I was crazy…
…at least at first. David Durk died last month. And I didn’t even know it. That really would have pissed him off. (My excuse for missing the obits was that I was en-route to a conference in Chicago. Here’s one. And another. And a third.) Let me take you back a bit. In October, 2009, there was this strange voice…
Cop Does Good, paper reports
An all too rare reporting of a cop doing a good deed. Of course the cynic in me worries that he will get in trouble for 1) being off post, 2) shopping while on duty, and 3) accepting a police discount. That’s they way cops think because that’s the way the departments can f*ck you, when they want to. Only…
In Memory of Crystal Sheffield
Who died in the line of duty, ten years ago.