Jul 26, 2008

NYPD Salary - WTF?

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Hello everyone and sorry for the long absence.  Crazy few months for me.

I was recently on a subway in New York City and was pleased to see professional, sharp-looking recruitment posters for the NYPD.  They looked exciting enough; speeding police cars with the lights blazing, horseback cops, motorcycle cops, K9 cops, helicopter cops…

Then I saw one that said this:

“NYPD starting salary recently raised to $35,881.00!”

Yippie!  RAISED to $35K!! Are you freakin kidding me?  I can think of a few rural areas where a family might survive on that.  New York City is not one of them.  And the hidden tragedy here is that NYPD training is quite excellent.  So that means all of those $35K cops are going to soak the city for the good training, and then leave and go work elsewhere. 

I guess all I can say is “god bless you” for the women and men who work at THAT job for THAT salary.  Be safe - the city doesn’t own your health or your life, and especially not at those numbers.

 

Jun 21, 2008

Black Community “Leader” Covers Up The Truth

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I spent a good part of my career working in a tough urban ghetto.  I only mention this here to explain why the otherwise shocking story from Los Angeles does not surprise me one bit.  Apparently Earl Hutchinson is more concerned with the police department’s reputation than a child’s welfare.

If you have been following the Starkeisha Brown issue, you know that she severely beat, burned, abused, and generally tortured her 5-year-old son.  The latest update from the newspaper of record in L.A. brings to light a more sinister sub-plot:  Everyone involved in Brown’s life suspected the abuse and did nothing!

Read carefully this piece from the L.A. Times and I hope you get as sick as I did for years when I heard the same sorry excuses.  “We don’t trust the police,” or “The man will just make this worse.”  Pathetic. 

The truth is that the mostly African American residents of south central Los Angeles “don’t snitch” no matter what. 

Observe the quote by Ms. Daniels:  “In South-Central, we don’t do that. I’m just telling you how it is.”
Even when a child is dying.  The truth is that the so-called community leaders like Hutchinson continue to refuse to call this what it is:  Cultural conspiracy.  Every one of those people is responsible, in a direct and absolute way, for burns and cuts and bruises on this victim’s body.  Yet his only explanation is:

” Hutchinson and others said suspicion and fear of authorities runs deep in parts of South L.A. “

Oh, it’s the police department and social services agencies’ fault.  I have a suggested quote for Mr. Hutchinson to substitute:

” Residents of our poorest neighborhoods need to set aside their self-victimization mentality and call the police if a child is in trouble.”

I guess now they will call me a racist.  I thought that child abuse would be serious enough for leaders to finally step up and challenge the Black community to break their silence.  The truth is I was wrong.

 

Jun 2, 2008

Obama Campaign Mistake “Craps” on Portland Police

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Now, to be sure, I don’t think Obama himself knew about this:

http://www.policelink.com/news/26729-obama-uses-police-memorial-for-porta-potties

On the other hand, the Portland Police have asked for an apology, and as of yet have not received one.  I don’t particularly like any of the candidates this year, but one thing I have noticed is that Obama seems to get a “pass” from the mainstream media. 

Can you imagine if Hillary or McCain had done this?

I suspect that I do know why he gets a pass, and I think it is pretty sad.  What do you think?

 

May 7, 2008

Hillary Is Done; Obama Wins

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OK, OK, I know that I said Hillary was the next president (although I sheepishly declined to state how I felt about that).

Well, I was wrong.  Obama will win the nomination, as Hillary will most likely bow out after the next round of primaries.  Check that out.  A Clinton goes down (no funny jokes) in an election.

So it is McCain vs. Obama in 2008.  Believe me, the PC will have plenty of opinions on how the candidates affect police officers.  They both have records to look at and they both mean different things for America’s cops.  That is what we will talk about here. 

Your thoughts?

 

Apr 25, 2008

Officers Acquitted In Sean Bell Shooting - This Is No OJ Simpson Case

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The wait is finally over.  This MSNBC article confirms that the officers who shot Sean Bell are not guilty.  Phew.  As I look at the angry mob at the court house, I can’t help but think:  This case was not even half  as cut and dry as the OJ murders.  Where was Al Sharpton and company then?

I don’t know if there will be a “civil disturbance” over this, although I am sure Al Sharpton would like nothing less.  I do know the system worked here.  Here are a few reasons why:

1. If you try and run over a peace officer (or any one else for that matter) then it seems fair for the officer to defend themselves.  Especially when you do it a couple of times, and your friends are there to help.

2. Assume for a minute — which I do not — that this is a bad shooting.  That doesn’t make it a crime.  I have warned many a time that if we start prosecuting, as opposed to disciplining, officers for uses of force that are out of policy, we will lose our cops by the dozens.

3. The court apparently heard “conflicting” testimony on what happened that night.  We are all innocent until proven guilty, and beyond a reasonable doubt is a tough, tough standard.  Even the witnesses for the prosecution couldn’t nail this thing down consistently.  Given that ambiguity, the verdict appears just.

Finally, and let’s not forget the good Dr. Sharpton (where is that PhD from?) and his antics here, the judge must have been swayed by the negative publicity here.  I have long believed that Sharpton, Jackson, and the others are all just hurting themselves when they rile up the populous around these events.  No doubt the judge heard them loud and clear  -  which probably made him think even harder on whether he was being swallowed up by the publicity machine.  Good work, Al.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.  I wonder, by the way:  Do those angry folks in NYC think the OJ verdict was a rip off, too?

 

Apr 2, 2008

My Challenge To The Web: Honor Our Officers Killed In The Line Of Duty

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My couple of weeks covering the deaths of officers in the U.S. has taught me a few things.  One of the most important has been that most people don’t pay much attention to these tragic losses.  But then I had a thought — maybe they don’t know about them?

The good folks at www.odmp.org have helped solve that problem.  And I am officially calling all of you out.  If you have a web site or a blog, or participate in one on a regular basis, why don’t you head over and download one of the free tools at the odmp page. 

They have an RSS feed, or will supply a small banner or button on your site that flashes the names of officers killed recently.  Or maybe just place a link on your site.  I don’t care if you site is a shopping center, a myspace page, or a sports car dealership.  These cops protect us all.  Let’s put their names out there when they make the ultimate sacrifice.  I think it is the least we can do.

 

Apr 2, 2008

Agent Jarod Dittman and Officer James Fazette Killed

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As the end to this rather macabre experiment is upon me, I have some final thoughts.  First let me say that two law enforcement officers were lost this week, each with only one year of service behind them.  And both Agent Dittman and Officer Fazette leave behind a child and a wife.  They, too have made the ultimate sacrifice, and I thank them as I think about them tonight.

Also of note in this tragic story is that both officers were killed in traffic accidents.  Driving is far and away the most dangerous thing cops do.  It isn’t even close to getting shot, stabbed, or beat in a fight.  It is our cars that kill us. 

I set out to really “pay attention” for a fixed period of time to the officers killed on duty in the U.S.  I am glad I did, and offer a few observations:

1.  I became weirdly “anxious” to log on each night and see if another officer had died.  I feared they had, and also felt increasing calm as each night without a death passed.  Yet each time I learned of a new line of duty death, I seemed to experience the other recent ones all over again.

2. As if I wasn’t bad enough already, my rage at how little people care about these officers has increased tenfold.  It is pathetic that a “Google” search for many of them left no real mention, save that of a local paper or obituary item.  I feel the same for our armed forces members who die on duty. 

Try a “Google” search on the name of a suspect that the police shoot.  That will return hundreds of hits every time.  It is this balance that is long overdue to be reset in the good guys’ favor.

3. Hundreds of people read about these officers at www.odmp.org or here at the Philosophical Cop.  That is a start.  Thanks for sharing their stories with me.

 

Mar 23, 2008

Officer Matthew Morelli Killed

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flag-mourning.jpg

As my attempt to focus on officers killed began, it seemed I had some sort of “good luck” effect on the nation’s cops.  Apparently this has run out.  Officer Matthew Morelli was shot and killed as he exited his police cruiser on March 21, 2008.  Compounding the loss to his family and his community, Matthew was also a U.S. Marine alumnus. 

Rest in peace; and Semper Fi!!

 

Mar 18, 2008

Officer Mike Kralicek: An Inspiration

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I received a comment asking me to spread the word on officer Mike Kralicek.  He was shot in the line of duty, declared a “lost cause” by doctors and nurses, and only his wife held out hope.  When he survived, they said he would be a quadriplegic.  Wrong again.  He now walks and talks…and has become a motivational speaker.  I have copied the comment below.  Stop by the link and tell me what you feel  -  it brought tears to my eyes.

I was hoping to spread the word about the incredibly inspirational story of Mike Kralicek. He was shot LOD, became a paraplegic, and is now a motivational speaker. I was hoping to share his story with as many brothers in blue as possible.
Here’s the video:

http://www.policeone.com/policeonetv/clip/1670391/

 

Mar 12, 2008

Ferraro Speaks The Truth On Obama - This Is Ridiculous

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I happen to like Senator Obama.  I think he is articulate and quite good with the public.  But anyone who thinks that his candidacy would be the powerhouse that it is if he were White is nuts.  His resume would never fly for a presidential contender.  Never.

Now Geraldine Ferraro is off the campaign staff simply because she dared to speak the truth.  Come on now, people.  I have no issue whatsoever with a Black president.  Great stuff and it’s about time.  But I cannot handle 4 or 8 years of political correctness and “tippy toe” politics because he is Black. 

What do you think?

 

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