A few thoughts about the recurring crisis in policing. I’ve been speaking publicly about police misconduct since Jonathan Ferrell was killed in 2013 by a Charlotte officer. His car had broken down and he knocked on a white person’s door for help. 1/
The impact of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were supposed to change the system of policing. Now we add two more names of dead unarmed black people - George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. How did we get right back here? 2/
I have spent the last decade as an outsider’s insider. I’ve had the opportunity to be up close to some of the largest LE agencies and I am certain that many proposed reforms are missing either sufficient evidence or enough insight into policing systems to make a difference. 3/
Let’s take qualified immunity. There is a call to end QI. The hope is that holding more officers individually liable will lead to relief for plaintiffs and result in change. In fact, unless you also tackle indemnification & Monell doctrine, QI elimination won’t do much. 4/
There needs to be a deep conversation about where risk should lie and with awards usually coming out of general fund, police have little risk-based incentive to change because of civil claims. 5/
Let’s talk defunding, but from a different angle. Defunding is abolition by budget cuts. Very smart to think where to reinvest in social/community services, but implications: the vast majority of police budgets are personnel. Big cuts will mean attrition or lay offs. Who goes? 6/
Most public employment has first in /first out. This means young employees, who are more diverse, will go first. If there is a temptation to rush through defunding the police there will be significant consequences good, bad, unknown. 7/
But let’s turn to the why we are here. Over the last 6 years, policing had the opportunity to build trust and transform itself. Some chiefs got it, some paid lip service, others are so Officer-first that they don’t care about community trust. 8/
Policing did not do enough. Out of nowhere we see departments had millions of dollars of riot gear and munitions stored (Note - 1033 is a distraction. The good stuff you see are not 1033 leftovers) But I guarantee you the training for protests was minimal. 9/
If a big event like a political convention is coming, there will be concerted training. Otherwise, almost none. First amendment training? LOL. In other words, policing set itself up for destroying trust by charging into peaceful protestors. Knocking over old men... 10/
Executing no knock warrants in plain clothes with no regulation. Standing by while a partner slowly kills someone. Shooting a woman in her home on a call of an open door. Shooting rubber projectiles at faces. Each of these examples could have been prevented with foresight... 11/
Instead in each case there was first a false/incorrect PIO statement and then acknowledgement. I have seen police being good at urgent after-the-fact fixes but they were predictable. This where policing has to reform. 12/
Who are decision makers? Who are strategic thinkers? Is there a risk management infrastructure? Is there a probing of possible outcomes? How are leaders selected, trained and held accountable? 13/
If agencies are not learning environments with diverse thinkers who have values centered on fairness, equity and evidence but instead rely on custom, myth, silent assent and coercive policing, this crisis will repeat itself again and again no matter what size of its footprint. //
One more thing: if departments can’t get rid of the 15% - see @ReddittOHudson on how they undermine - who are resistant to change and are the biggest risk, you are just waiting for the day the tragedy happens. Retention, civil service and professionalization requires a rethink.
