OMG what has happened to the reading comprehension of the posters on this forum? the OP is saying that there has to be a Balance - a middle ground. That means that somewhere in between police brutality and the police not doing anything. In no way is he saying the residents Need police brutality to keep them in order. They just need to do their jobs, but also be respecting of the residents and their rights.
According to the article you posting, its a result of quite a few things.. 1. Over-cautious Cops are worried they'll be arrested if they make a mistake 'If I get out of my car and make a stop for a reasonable suspicion that leads to probable cause but I make a mistake on it, will I be arrested?' They pull up to a scene and another officer has done something that they don't know, it may be illegal, will they be arrested for it? Those are things they are asking." 2. Some cops are flat scared to be in the area now.. "Our officers tell me that when officers pull up, they have 30 to 50 people surrounding them at any time," Batts said. 3. It happens in every city after the police are accused of a crime "Other cities that have experienced police officers accused or indicted of crimes, there's a lot of distrust and a community breakdown," Rawlings-Blake said. "The result is routinely increased violence." 4. Violent crime was already Rising BEFORE the Gray incident Baltimore was seeing a slight rise in homicides this year even before Gray's death.. Ten of May's homicides happened in the Western District, which has had as many homicides in the first five months of this year as it did all of last year. So the Police are partially to blame for this uptick in crime, but so is the community. I'm curious to see how the police will respond since the city council meeting.
Police don't cause crime. Criminals do. The citizens in Baltimore could put the police out of business instead the are proving that they need to be policed.
Folks complain when Cops arrest people. Folks complain when Cops don't arrest people. Folks gonna complain.
Aren't homicides committed usually before any police involvement. This is squarely on the criminal element of Baltimore.
Police presence serves as a deterrent to crime. Police intervention on other, smaller crimes may stop a process of escalation before it becomes a homicide.
In light of the more recent article, I have to agree with your original sentiment. I'm sure there are many things going on, but it certainly sounds like cops have overly withdrawn from the scene. They can maintain a presence without violating people's rights, and they should do so.
Engaging in physical assault is not a necessary element of enforcing the laws, nor is neglecting crime a necessary byproduct of withholding physical attacks. It's an imaginary continuum based on a false choice and abusive, simplistic notions of responsibility, authority and influence.
I don't know enough about policing, but it seems like other cities do a better job. Baltimore also isn't exactly an economically vibrant city, which doesnt help.
