Comments on: New York cops stop harassing citizens in protest

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 05:57:44 +0000

In reply to Jwing.

I am sure you realize that the last thing I want is for cops “to be assasinated for doing their job.” The lies that have been told about police work in the last year have been disgusting, and very clearly sparked the rioting and the murders of those two innocent New York police officers.

Nonetheless, the police have helped sew the seeds of this battle with their rising effort nationwide to militarize their work. I’ve posted enough stories illustrating this abuse, including illegal SWAT team home invasions — some of which ended in the terrible deaths of innocent citizens — as well as numerous abusive police arrests and traffic stops.

It is very important for the good cops to stand up to the bad cops. The good cops have to demand that this militarization stop. They have to demand that abusive cops be disciplined, or fired.

If they don’t, then these terrible abuses will only get worse, and the cops will only be seen as an enemy by more citizens, both black and white. And this is something neither of us want.

By: Jwing

Jwing — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:49:07 +0000

In reply to Jwing. Errata: Mayor Rudy Giuliani instituted COPS in the 90's.

By: D K Rögnvald Williams

D K Rögnvald Williams — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:49:53 +0000

Incidents of police being attacked are being reported anecdotally all over the nation. I assume there are data on such attacks being kept somewhere.

By: Jwing

Jwing — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 06:55:15 +0000

COPS (Community Oriented Policing) works and so does the “Broken Window Theory” of going after the petty offenses that allow thugs to control and intimidate entire neighborhoods. It’s no different than dealing with bullies in the schoolyard.
It’s easy to go after the police, but please remember that the average patrol officer is not setting public policy. This Mayor has openly sided with the anti-police protestors, Sharpton, Holder and Obama.
I grew up in New York City in the 70’s and remember how Giuliani instituted the COPS and anti-pan handling policy in the 1980’s. They worked.
Is New York City corrupt……..Yes!
Is the average NYPD officer corrupt….Hell No!
The typical copper is not looking to fill quotas and coffers. How do I know this? I have family members serving currently in the NYPD in Brooklyn in the Counter Terrorism Division, and my brothers don’ t deserve to be assasinated for doing their job of maintaining civility and the law in the Big Apple.

By: Cotour

Cotour — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:28:27 +0000

In reply to Robert Zimmerman. All more or less true, but New York City is still thee center of the universe. Go figure.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 22:28:39 +0000

In reply to Garry. "I can only hope that this is the beginning of the end of harassment." Don't bet on it. The cops haven't stopped because they want to help you, the citizen. They've gone on strike against the mayor. When things cool down they will gladly resume abusing and harassing you, because that's what life is like in a fascist state. The mayor has been given more power than he deserves and he thus uses the police to wield it. The police have more power than they deserve and thus use it for their own benefit. The worst part of all this is that the citizens of New York have heartily voted for this abuse. These are just a few of the many reasons I left New York as soon as I could.

By: Garry

Garry — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 20:14:36 +0000

When the recession started, enforcement of traffic and parking violations skyrocketed, to bring in more revenues to the City. In March 2009 they towed my car was for being parked too close to a hydrant; I was sure I was parked far enough away, but had no way to prove it. I was so ripped about it that, instead of taking a cab to the impound lot, I walked 3 miles in the cold through sketchy neighborhoods so I could let off some steam before I got there, lest my violations multiply.

It cost me about $700 to get my car back. The whole time I was at the impound lot, a new car was towed in about every 30 seconds. My fellow “criminals” told me that for years similar violations were typically handled with written warnings, but the recession required new sources of revenue, and none of them had ever seen the impound lot so full and active.

I can only hope that this is the beginning of the end of harassment.