Year: 2011

LA Jury

My mom just got off of an L.A. jury. It happened to be the same courtroom as the OJ Simpson trial. The accused was pulled over in South L.A. for a traffic violation and had an outstanding warrant (for what, naturally, she doesn’t know). Search incident to arrest found cocaine. Seems open and shut… but…
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Cops shoot bad guy–hostage safe

A bit sloppy, but the good guys won. You could also file this one under, “just another day at the office.” Bank Robber Takes Hostage, Slips and Falls on Ice, then Shot and Killed by Police: MyFoxDC.com

Rate My Professor

“[Moskos’s] ego barely fits into the room.” “His book which he wrote is not great at all, pretty boring, although he thinks its the best. He also has that ‘oh, look at me, I went to Harvard, I’m so great’ attitude at times.” “Doesn’t really seem to connect with his students. I also found his…
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Anybody have San Diego PD Connections?

I want to look at the impact of cell phones of crime prevention. I can’t seem to make any progress getting such data from the NYPD. The San Diego paper has this story. Maybe I’d have better luck there. Besides San Diego has always been an interesting case vis-a-vis crime reduction because they mirrored the…
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“If police have to come and get you…”

“…they’re bringing an ass-kicking with them.” — Chris Rock Here’s videoof Houston police beating a 15-year-old burglar. He was convictedback in October. But the video of the arrest was just now released. Did he “deserve it”? I’m not going to go there. But police should take note: seven officers no longer have jobs. And for…
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Suspect’s phone found charging at scene of burglary

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. [thanks to Alex]

“Whoa camel, whoa, when I say whoa…”

Attack Camels?! This is not a picture I ever expected to see: Luckily, and unlike the tear gas, this tool of repression doesn’t have “Made in U.S.A.” stamped on it. [“I mean whoa!”]

1871: Two classes of police officer

This is from an 1871 newspaper article. It seems as if times never change. The average police officer may be divided into two classes, the honest and untiring patrolman, constantly on post when duty calls, alert in performing his rounds, and courageous when confronted by sudden peril or danger, and the one who shirks his…
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A Sociologist’s Response To Anthropology

I have a short article in the journal PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review. “Policing: A Sociologist’s Response to an Anthropological Account.” You can read the PDF here. I love reading other people’s summary of my work. This is from the issue’s introduction: In his commentary on Karpiak’s article, sociologist and criminologist Peter Moskos praises…
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Success is Not an Option

From the BBC: “Mrs Clinton said there was ‘no alternative’ to confronting the cartels, despite rising violence that left more than 15,000 dead last year.” Actually, there is an excellent alternative. The US government just won’t consider it. “Under a security cooperation programme called the Merida Initiative the US is spending around $1.7bn (£1bn) on…
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