The Blue Wall of Silence Is Starting to Crack

[Cow Poke]

Probably Oxmixmudd, starlight, firstfloor, etc.

Well, there you have it!

[rogue06]

As defined by several online dictionaries including Merriam-Webster and even the KJV https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/usurp.html

As noted earlier I regard several of you as nice.

I was using a more obscure one. Oxford Dictionary. Likewise my "old" (mid 1960s) 3-volume unabridged Webster's Third New International Dictionary

[Cow Poke]

As defined by several online dictionaries including Merriam-Webster and even the KJV https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/usurp.html

As noted earlier I regard several of you as nice.

When you're done playing your petty little "I'm gonna argue over words cause I got nothing of substance" game, lemme know, eh?

[Cow Poke]

So, brushing aside the psychotic pedantry, let's get back to the OP....

Reinventing the police, a far better idea, got a start in New Orleans in 2016, with a program that teaches officers to intervene when they see fellow officers doing something bad. It’s about to get another go in Maryland, now that lawmakers just overrode a veto and passed sweeping police reform legislation.

An EXCELLENT concept that will be brutally opposed by LABOR UNIONS who lose the power they usurped from legitimate authorities.

We need every cop to wear a body camera.

Again, I used to be against this, because it seemed to be a "spy on the cops" thing -- but in this day and age, I wouldn't attempt to do police work without a means to show I was within my authority, training and judgment.

We need to curb the power of police unions, the biggest protectors of the blue wall.

This is a MAJOR point - and special thanks to H_A for adding "civil service" to the mix - as that system also tends to usurp power from legitimate authority.

And we need officers of all stripes to back the words of those 14 in Minneapolis. They said, “This is not who we are.” Now prove it.

This is KEY, and is part of the several police recognition programs of which our local police department is a member.

So....

• Get rid of - or greatly curtail - Unions
• Checks and balances on "civil service"
• Teach accountability and reward good conduct
• Develop a culture of positive peer pressure
• Get out of the way and let "command" do their job

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Perhaps your comprehension of the way 'civil service' works in real life is as bad as - or worse than - your comprehension of how police unions work?

Entirely irrelevant to the point I made. Try reading for comprehension. It saves so much unnecessary confusion.

[CivilDiscourse]

Entirely irrelevant to the point I made. Try reading for comprehension. It saves so much unnecessary confusion.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Please leave this thread. Your comments are entirely irrelevant.

[Cow Poke]

Entirely irrelevant to the point I made. Try reading for comprehension. It saves so much unnecessary confusion.

Gonna kick me out, too?

[Cow Poke]

Entirely irrelevant to the point I made. Try reading for comprehension. It saves so much unnecessary confusion.

Actually, it's quite relevant --- the civil service system acts in much the same way labor unions do in protecting bad employees.
You're the one who brought up civil service, so I assumed (and I believe rightly so) that you didn't really understand what 'civil service' was all about.

(I think we're really getting on your nerves, and it might be good if you focused on the content rather than the format. )

[CivilDiscourse]

Please leave this thread. Your comments are entirely irrelevant.

Toodaloo

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

When you're done playing your petty little "I'm gonna argue over words cause I got nothing of substance" game, lemme know, eh?

You are the one who introduced an archaic meaning for a word. I just gave you another word that also has an archaic meaning in order to balance things out.

And I agree with most of those points made by Egan and yourself, with reservations as to power being handed to command and/or local representatives/politicians without any independent oversight.

I would not curtail the unions but I would prefer to see a national union established for all police officers, rather than, as seems to be the present case, a rather piece-meal collection of local groups most of which have no affiliation with any larger organisation.

[Cow Poke]

You are the one who introduced an archaic meaning for a word.

OK, I confess, I keep doing it just because it's so durn easy to get you rattled.

Back on topic?

[Cow Poke]

OK, I confess, I keep doing it just because it's so durn easy to get you rattled.

Back on topic?

The fact is that the unions do usurp (in the sense of the word that is still used in conversation, though somewhat archaic) the authority of 'command', and so does 'civil service'.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

OK, I confess, I keep doing it just because it's so durn easy to get you rattled.

Back on topic?

You flatter yourself if you consider that your playground antics in any way irritate me. You do, however, give me cause for amusement and several comments made here by yourself and others have been the source of hilarity over dinner and Zoom conversations.

[Cow Poke]

And I agree with most of those points made by Egan and yourself,

OK, back on topic --- this is PROGRESS!!!!

with reservations as to power being handed to command

No - RETURNED to command. In MANY police departments across the fruited plains, the police departments are operating just fine.

and/or local representatives/politicians without any independent oversight.

AND, I have repeatedly pointed out that the police chief is, indeed, answerable to the mayor, the city council, the city counsel, and ultimately, the voters of that jurisdiction.

I would not curtail the unions

Then, on that point, you DRASTICALLY disagree with Egan and me.

but I would prefer to see a national union established for all police officers,

Ah, the BIG GOVERNEMNT "one size fits all" approach. No, no, a THOUSAND times no. That's one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard.
In fact, it would be illegal in many "right to work" states.

rather than, as seems to be the present case, a rather piece-meal collection of local groups most of which have no affiliation with any larger organisation.

You mean... FREEDOM?

Typical liberal ---- Punish ALL departments who don't have unions because SOME departments who have unions are corrupt, so make ALL departments have unions.
I honestly hope that sounded better in your BIG GOVERNMENT head.