Quality Policing Podcast and Blog

Oh, Jamaica

Gun battles seem to be the order of the day. Police officers have been killed. There’s also looting. But a police spokesman says about the business district, “There was some shootings last night but some amount of calm has returned.” Phew. A state of emergency has been declared that basically give police carte blanche to…
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“He does what the government doesn’t do for us”

Jamaica is a rough place. 2.7 million people and 1,500 homicides. That’s a higher homicide rate than Baltimore… but lower than Baltimore’s Eastern District. It’s also dangerous for police, with 5 official line-of-duty deaths per year (though I suspect many more police die in less official ways). Jamaican police are known to kill a lot…
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Police Chief Endorses Marijuana Legalization

Sometimes, as our drug war continues unabated, it’s easy to forget just how much progress has been made in fighting prohibition. Just a few years ago this kind of talk from an active police chief was inconceivable. It’s the kind of talk that encourages honest debate. Which is just what we need because advocates of…
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Only in Baltimore

How come when I see a headline “Woman Loses Home Over $362 Water Bill” I just know it’s talking about Baltimore? Where else could this happen? Sho ’nuff…

New Orleans opens Comstat to public

I think this is a good idea.

Off-Duty Chicago Cop Killed, killer shot by victim’s father

Tragic story with an unusual twist in the Sun Times. Too bad a good man is still dead.

Draw Mohammed Day

It’s Everybody Draw Mohammed Day! I love free speech. I also like South Park a lot more than I like religious zealots. I also like being able to write this without being arrested (or killed). This is the cartoon that started it all: Since I can’t draw, I’m just going to reprint the drawings of…
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Immigrants Save Cities

Not about police, but this article by Richard Herman does summarize my position on immigration very well.

Workplace Conflict Scenarios

There’s an article in the New York Times that isn’t actually supposed to about police. An academic study asked participants how often they experienced eight “workplace conflict scenarios.” These are: * Someone treating them unfairly * Someone blaming or criticizing them for something that wasn’t their fault * Someone failing to do the work that…
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Dutch Tea Party

This is so bizarre I first thought it was satire: A robbery victim gets arrested and the robber gets fed wine and cheese! Classy. But it’s not satire. Trots op NLmeans “Proud of the Netherlands” and is a fringe right-wing political party that is playing on racism and fear of crime. Is white people drowning…
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