F.B.I. Chief Links Scrutiny of Police With Rise in Violent Crime

[Independent voter]

The gist of it is in some areas, because of smartphone videos, police are now afraid to do police work. This has led to a big spike in crime.

I think there is some truth to it. I'm sure that cops don't appreciate the new scrutiny while at work, who would?

fbi-chief-links-scrutiny-of-police-with-rise-in-violent-crime.html

Mr. Comey said that he had been told by many police leaders that officers who would normally stop to question suspicious people are opting to stay in their patrol cars for fear of having their encounters become worldwide video sensations. That hesitancy has led to missed opportunities to apprehend suspects, he said, and has decreased the police presence on the streets of the country’s most violent cities.

“I’ve been told by a senior police leader who urged his force to remember that their political leadership has no tolerance for a viral video,” Mr. Comey said, adding that many leaders and officers whom he had spoken to said they were afraid to address the issue publicly.

“Lives are saved when those potential killers are confronted by a police officer, a strong police presence and actual, honest-to-goodness, up-close ‘What are you guys doing on this corner at 1 o’clock in the morning’ policing,” Mr. Comey said. “We need to be careful it doesn’t drift away from us in the age of viral videos, or there will be profound consequences.”

[NoiseTank13]

Are police afraid of doing police work?

Or are they afraid they can't pull off bullshit without getting called on it and relying on their union and the blue wall of silence to protect them?

[Malachi256]

It is completely logical that increased scrutiny would cut down not only on police misbehavior, but also police effectiveness.

[I Push Buttons]

Solution: Proper police training and evaluation.

People in West-Europe have cellphones too... It doesn't cause any issues here.

You don't have 300,000,000 firearms and poverty to the same extent which we have here. Comparing the two is disingenuous.

[gamingmuscle]

Are police afraid of doing police work?

Or are they afraid they can't pull off bullshit without getting called on it and relying on their union and the blue wall of silence to protect them?

It is easy to remove context of an action, so even valid actions can be portrayed in a negative light.

[satimy]

Solution: Proper police training and evaluation.

People in West-Europe have cellphones too... It doesn't cause any issues here.

We didn't sail across the ocean because we liked your views on government

[GennGreymane]

Are police afraid of doing police work?

Or are they afraid they can't pull off bullshit without getting called on it and relying on their union and the blue wall of silence to protect them?

Its this. Its pretty much this.

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You don't have 300,000,000 firearms and poverty to the same extent which we have here. Comparing the two is disingenuous.

Sounds like a problem that needs to be worked on.

[PosPosPos]

The gist of it is in some areas, because of smartphone videos, police are now afraid to do police work. This has led to a big spike in crime.

I think there is some truth to it. I'm sure that cops don't appreciate the new scrutiny while at work, who would?

fbi-chief-links-scrutiny-of-police-with-rise-in-violent-crime.html

Mr. Comey said that he had been told by many police leaders that officers who would normally stop to question suspicious people are opting to stay in their patrol cars for fear of having their encounters become worldwide video sensations. That hesitancy has led to missed opportunities to apprehend suspects, he said, and has decreased the police presence on the streets of the country’s most violent cities.

“I’ve been told by a senior police leader who urged his force to remember that their political leadership has no tolerance for a viral video,” Mr. Comey said, adding that many leaders and officers whom he had spoken to said they were afraid to address the issue publicly.

“Lives are saved when those potential killers are confronted by a police officer, a strong police presence and actual, honest-to-goodness, up-close ‘What are you guys doing on this corner at 1 o’clock in the morning’ policing,” Mr. Comey said. “We need to be careful it doesn’t drift away from us in the age of viral videos, or there will be profound consequences.”

So? I thought the conservative rhetoric was that if people had nothing to hide they shouldn't be afraid of a bit of a loss in privacy.

Oh right, that's only until it affects themselves. Play with fire and you get burnt - your side played and got beat at their own game.

[Taeldorian]

Well, I personally would hate to be video taped doing my job if I were a cop and I were in the middle of apprehending/questioning a suspicious person. I don't know why I'd hate it but I would. I don't think this should stop police from doing their jobs though since they joined the police force to stop crime, video taping shouldn't stop them from doing that job. For me, I'm interning at a psychology program freshman year of college, and if someone video taped me with a client I wouldn't like it and they most likely wouldn't either, but it wouldn't stop me from doing my job and helping my client.I just wouldn't like being taped.

[GennGreymane]

Very few cases are this. Most things I have read are completely following protocol. If you have an issue with police brutality, then someone needs to change police procedure. Until that day comes, you can't say they are acting poorly.

Your sentence does not make sense.

[dr2022]

If you do your job right, no matter how much the public bitch and moan about it, it won't effect you.

[Sky High]

if the cop is acting apporpriately, what does he have to fear? hmmm?

[GennGreymane]

If it doesn't make sense then you should do some philosophical readings.

I think you should attempt to type in English and not a made up "philosophical" language. I also accept any other real language besides English so long as it exists so I can translate.

If you have an issue with police brutality, then someone needs to change police procedure. Until that day comes, you can't say they are acting poorly.

Your sentence says, if you have an issue with police brutality.... and then ends with you cant say they are acting poorly. This implies you think I cannot be critical, but you also say I must be critical to get a change.... so which is it?

[I Push Buttons]

if the cop is acting apporpriately, what does he have to fear? hmmm?

Why not ask all of the cops who have been cleared of wrongdoing, but had their lives turned upside down anyway?

[Korlok]

I don't understand why police forces aren't adopting body cams yet.
Keeps police accountable, and cannot be used as an excuse to 'not do your job'.
It's a win/win for everyone (except the very few bad cops, because they do exist).

[Annoying]

It is easy to remove context of an action, so even valid actions can be portrayed in a negative light.

The solution is body cameras on police officers.

[Malachi256]

Well, I personally would hate to be video taped doing my job if I were a cop and I were in the middle of apprehending/questioning a suspicious person. I don't know why I'd hate it but I would. I don't think this should stop police from doing their jobs though since they joined the police force to stop crime, video taping shouldn't stop them from doing that job. For me, I'm interning at a psychology program freshman year of college, and if someone video taped me with a client I wouldn't like it and they most likely wouldn't either, but it wouldn't stop me from doing my job and helping my client.I just wouldn't like being taped.

I'd bet good money that not only would you and most other people not like it, but it would also mess with productivity. I'm sure certain kinds of productivity might go up (depending on job/industry), but other kinds of productivity would go down.

Ultimately there's no happy solution. Rampant crime is bad, but so is a police state. It all gets down to the quality of the individuals in your populace. If your population is full of bad people, no laws or regulations or scrutiny can fix things.

[GennGreymane]

Luls. It means that your morality equates proper procedure with police brutality, such that police brutality doesn't actually equate to use of excessive force but the use of force determined by said protocol.

you started your statement with Lul

Maybe you should be more clear next time. It pays to make sense while trying to have a discussion. No need to hide around being "philosophical" when you are not actually being such.

[Sky High]

Well, currently people call for the heads of the police before knowing whether or not the cop had followed protocol. And even if he followed protocol, they ruin and threaten his life until he is forced to undergo relocation. So there is that.

how many times does this occur? regularly? every so often?

[Malachi256]

how many times does this occur? regularly? every so often?

Frequency of occurrence goes up with prevalence of crime in an area, I'd imagine.