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Baltimore police stopped noticing crime after Freddie Gray's death. A wave of killings followed.

Renae

Renae

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BALTIMORE – Just before a wave of violence turned Baltimore into the nation’s deadliest big city, a curious thing happened to its police force: officers suddenly seemed to stop noticing crime.Police officers reported seeing fewer drug dealers on street corners. They encountered fewer people who had open arrest warrants.
Police questioned fewer people on the street. They stopped fewer cars.
In the space of just a few days in spring 2015 – as Baltimore faced a wave of rioting after Freddie Gray, a black man, died from injuries he suffered in the back of a police van – officers in nearly every part of the city appeared to turn a blind eye to everyday violations. They still answered calls for help. But the number of potential violations they reported seeing themselves dropped by nearly half. It has largely stayed that way ever since.
“What officers are doing is they’re just driving looking forward. They’ve got horse blinders on,” says Kevin Forrester, a retired Baltimore detective.
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...reddie-gray-wave-killings-followed/744741002/

Gee who would have thought this could happen? I don't blame the officers frankly. Sad, but true.
 
JANFU said:
So you are fine with people working for Govts not do their jobs.
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Yeah, that's what I said, I'm so for Government workers not doing their jobs, you got me. I'd roll my eyes harder but I don't think it is physically possible.
 
Fortunately my opinion was expressed in the article by another, “If it’s true, if that’s what officers are doing, they should be fired.”
 
I have zero sympathy for public servants who refuse to do the job we pay them to do just because they can’t make up their own rules. Yes, it is a complicated job. If you can’t do what is required of the job then go into a different line of work.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
I have zero sympathy for public servants who refuse to do the job we pay them to do just because they can’t make up their own rules. Yes, it is a complicated job. If you can’t do what is required of the job then go into a different line of work.
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Ooops.

Baltimore PD is accused of holding officers financially hostage.

Baltimore, MD – In a city with a record-breaking murder rate, and respect for police at an all-time low, many people are wondering why more Baltimore PD officers don’t quit. For many of them, the reason is simple - the department won’t let them quit.

Baltimore PD is one of the few departments which actively sues officers who resign, forcing officers to stay in a dangerous job that they may no longer want to do.

In order to resign without being sued, officers need to work for years after completing field training.
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https://www.themaven.net/bluelivesm...-thousands-of-dollars-qhz7q2klhESAOLrGIRfkKA/
 
Skeptic Bob said:
Well that changes some of what I said. That is an f-ed up policy. Officers who no longer want to do the job but aren’t allowed to leave do have my sympathy.
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I don't think it's that they don't WANT to do their jobs, it's that active policing carries a lot of risks. They still answer 911 calls.
 
Renae said:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...reddie-gray-wave-killings-followed/744741002/

Gee who would have thought this could happen? I don't blame the officers frankly. Sad, but true.
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ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

You don't blame the officers?

So.. whats the message? We are so professional, that we won't do our jobs if you hold us accountable?

Cripes.. who do these police think they work for?

I would do a mass firing for dereliction of duty. Any "blue strike".. should be accompanied by severe punishment.
 
jaeger19 said:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

You don't blame the officers?

So.. whats the message? We are so professional, that we won't do our jobs if you hold us accountable?

Cripes.. who do these police think they work for?

I would do a mass firing for dereliction of duty. Any "blue strike".. should be accompanied by severe punishment.
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They can't quit, they get sued, they do their jobs and they get investigated, harassed, attacked. The police in Baltimore are under siege in the streets, in the court of public opinion and from their own politicians.

That's a lot to ask people to deal with and also put their lives on the line. I don't blame them for being scared to DO their jobs.
 
Renae said:
They can't quit, they get sued, they do their jobs and they get investigated, harassed, attacked. The police in Baltimore are under siege in the streets, in the court of public opinion and from their own politicians.

That's a lot to ask people to deal with and also put their lives on the line. I don't blame them for being scared to DO their jobs.
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I don't always agree with you on things Renae, but on this I do agree. It is literally a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. If I was in their shoes I'd probably be doing the same exact thing.

It's just too bad that people hate cops so much that they refuse to look at both sides of the equation.
 
Renae said:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...reddie-gray-wave-killings-followed/744741002/

Gee who would have thought this could happen? I don't blame the officers frankly. Sad, but true.
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The police officers in Baltimore have zero confidence in the leader's of the city government. They know there is no support to be had from Baltimore city government. They are not going to put themselves in a bad position when there will be no support. Years ago we spent a lot of time at the Inner Harbor. There is no way we would do that today. It's to dangerous now.
 
Kal'Stang said:
I don't always agree with you on things Renae, but on this I do agree. It is literally a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. If I was in their shoes I'd probably be doing the same exact thing.

It's just too bad that people hate cops so much that they refuse to look at both sides of the equation.
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I want them doing their jobs, but the environment there is so toxic that... it's just as you said.
 
dirtpoorchris said:
How could you not blame the officers for choking a man that wasnt even selling cigerettes that day and then the whole force deciding to get free paychecks after that?
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Do you really think that is why these police officers are acting the way that they are? It's not. They're acting this way because their local government, and the nation as a whole condemned the whole lot of them. Good, bad, it didn't matter. To their local government and people across the nation, including the President at the time, every single cop in Baltimore were bad and deserved to be ridiculed and ostracized. They can't even quit their jobs because if they do they'll be sued. So, what exactly do you expect these HUMAN BEINGS to do? Continue putting their life on the line unnecessarily for people that would rather see each and every one of them put in prison (at the very least) for the actions of a few? Pfft. I'd start coasting in such a toxic environment also.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Do you really think that is why these police officers are acting the way that they are? It's not. They're acting this way because their local government, and the nation as a whole condemned the whole lot of them. Good, bad, it didn't matter. To their local government and people across the nation, including the President at the time, every single cop in Baltimore were bad and deserved to be ridiculed and ostracized. They can't even quit their jobs because if they do they'll be sued. So, what exactly do you expect these HUMAN BEINGS to do? Continue putting their life on the line unnecessarily for people that would rather see each and every one of them put in prison (at the very least) for the actions of a few? Pfft. I'd start coasting in such a toxic environment also.
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So then why do they get free paychecks.... They obviously arent good guys if they are gonna hold the city hostage and STILL bill it.
 
I say let the cops hang out at the coffee shop for coffee and donuts.Let the thugs kill each other .Then call the cops and the coroner to clean up.
 
dirtpoorchris said:
So then why do they get free paychecks.... They obviously arent good guys if they are gonna hold the city hostage and STILL bill it.
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:roll: Did you even read what I wrote? Did you even read that even if they want to quit that they would get sued? They can't quit. They can't do their job properly due to both the citizens and the government blaming all of them for the actions of a few. What else CAN they do?
 
Kal'Stang said:
:roll: Did you even read what I wrote? Did you even read that even if they want to quit that they would get sued? They can't quit. They can't do their job properly due to both the citizens and the government blaming all of them for the actions of a few. What else CAN they do?
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So then that makes the department triple bad guys because they sue their own guys if they try to leave.
 
Renae said:
Didn't say that, I just don't blame them for not wanting their careers wrecked because no one has their back.
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Are you saying there should have been no investigation into the mysterious death of someone in the custody of police officers?
 
Geoist said:
Are you saying there should have been no investigation into the mysterious death of someone in the custody of police officers?
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Probably, or maybe it just would have been too much trouble is all
 
Skeptic Bob said:
I have zero sympathy for public servants who refuse to do the job we pay them to do just because they can’t make up their own rules. Yes, it is a complicated job. If you can’t do what is required of the job then go into a different line of work.
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Right here.

Is being a cop too tough for you? Go do something else. You're not entitled to be above reproach.
 
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