Quote Originally Posted by sniperpitbull View Post
The state reps are looking for publicity and job number one- getting rre-elected. But the Police need to take a no nonsense "Broken Windows" approach. Enforce the little things, jaywalking, code violations, or as our Captains used to say at Roll Call "make life unconfortable for them." If you run the kids off the corner at 8pm, you dont have to go back there at midnight after they've been drinking or drugging and have to deal with a shooting or stabbing. You dont have to be cruel, just enforce the law. You hit them with the little things and you avoid the big things. When they disregrd the summonses, you get default warrants and when you execute an arrest warrant when he is in a car or on the street, one never knows what you will find.

Plus Police commanders need to be held accountable. Are their men and women producing? Introduce Comstat and hold Superiors accountable. I can tell you both as a police officer and FBI Agent, supervisors were never held accountable, it was the officer's fault or the agent's fault but never the supervisors.

Police have to be constantly reminded that as Police officers, whenever ther is a confrontation resulting an court action, you never loose. The worst that can happen to you is a tie. Think about it. He has to interrupt his routine to be in court, for a police officer it's a payday and in some cases involving overtime, a lucrative payday. He has to hire a lawyer, you don't. So you hurt him with a loss of time and money.
"It's the little things in life that trip you up." as my old Sergeant used to say.
We have had a version of Compstat for years. We also have courts that consider enforcement of broken windows theory arrests to be Police harassment. Chicago Officers have been in Federal Court facing civil charges of violating civil rights. In my experiences the truth means nothing in Federal Court.

Our State's Attorney's office has to approve felony charges except in the cases of drug offenses. Felony charges are usually not approved. Even in cases of battery on a police officer unless there are serious injuries sustained by the officer felony charges will not be approved. Offenses committed outside of Cook County will often result in felony convictions that would not even go to felony court in Cook County.

An arrest situation can result in the death of an officer, time spent in Federal Court answering civil rights charges, injury, or prison for the officer. If you want to feel betrayed by your country be a cop in Federal Court.

The vast majority of shootings I have encountered involved players who would still be in prison if they served their full sentences after conviction.

We do not lack the physical and moral courage to do our jobs. The entire system is dysfunctional.