Thought for the day:
A great discussion and I appreciate all who responded. This a subject near and dear to my heart, since, I have been responsible for training LEO’s and military for almost all my adult life. I bleed a little every time I read about a fellow brother killed in the line of duty, especially yesterday, when a 24 year old Navy veteran, engaged to be married, just graduated from the Arizona State Police academy on May 5th, died by his own gun. Tragic.
As I have said before, it is safer working in a war zone, than the streets of USA.
There are no easy answers for the problems everyone discussed, but, there are some major changes that , (IMHO), need to take place before there will ever be any standard changes in the USA.
1. Although the USA will never go to a “Ministry of Interior” type of law enforcement, where the police are an arm of the military, having worked in numerous countries, this organizational method has some massive advantages, especially in budgets, where the money is part of the defense budget. (France, for example, has no issues with the cost of training and equipment)
I would like to suggest that the USA reduce its police force to only 50 police departments and eliminate the local politician that will do anything to control the department. There are over 17 thousand police departments in the USA and that is just plain stupid.
Each state would have a state police force, headed by a police commissioner and the Governor. Training would be standardized, small department officers,( who suffer most from tight budgets), would be eliminated. Training standards, methods, weapons, tactics, and equipment would all be the same for every officer in the state. The police budget could be controlled in one locale, the state house, and eliminate the local mayor, who decided to build a bird sanctuary instead of a training program for the locals.
2. I once spent 2 months with the Tokyo police department. I was impressed with their organizational standards. If it is still the same, an officer actually went to the Tokyo police academy for 4 years. When they graduated, it was with a “degree” and solid training. I would like to see this method in the states, go to Police College for 4 years, graduate, be fully trained and have a college education. This would certainly eliminate those who were either unfit for the job or lacked the dedication to see it through. The rigorous physical standards for SF is not to “get you in shape” it’s to weed out the ones who don’t want it bad enough.
3. Being a “Defensive tactic instructor” I can say from experience, that most officers could not fight their way out of a birthing center. And you know what? The brass doesn’t care. “They got a gun, make sure they learn how to shoot, so they don’t hit some civilian and get us sued”. Every officer needs a least a year of “controlling tactics” and “verbal judo” before ever working the streets, because, you cannot lose a fight, if one never starts. Learn to talk a situation down. This will never, ever happen and you will need dedicated officers like Batman 730, who trains on his own. Believe me, nothing is harder than trying to teach “in service training” to experienced officers and they don’t want to be there. The “it will not happen to me” syndrome is alive and well. Why don’t I have this problem with tactical troops or SWAT? Because they have been shot at, simple.
4. Salary. The biggest problem. Police are professionals, but paid like paupers. Why? Well, everyone will say “taxes” but, I believe it’s a way for local governments to keep the boot on the throat, same with public school teachers, our local leaders really hate the authority figure. We have to have you, but, fuck paying you anything. Create 50 departments, require a “4 year academy” pay a decent salary obtain dedicated professionals.
5. Police officers are dying about every two days now. I blame social media. It “ok” now to kill a cop, it’s expected of you. Hey, shoot a cop, become an instant hero. Law enforcement in the USA in under attack, and that is a fine thing with most of the populace. How many will be shot and killed over the weekend?