Actually, I wouldn’t mind too much if a prosecutor gave some generous plea deals to such people in exchange for admitting, under oath, that by their actions, they had engaged in insurrection against the Constitution, and would thus be ineligible for any government position unless or until such time as Congress removed such disability (see USC Amendment XIV). The availability of such a plea deal may encourage rapid turnover of the people who need to be removed.

Thanks for saying so, but I know it’s not that great. While I’m a tech writer by trade, ever since I got a head injury last year my writing skills have bombed. That, and I know the site design just isn’t that great either.

But, I’m trying… and I know that people have been getting information about where to turn when they’ve been victims of police misconduct where, without it, I know from experience that it’s a very confusing process.

As for courage, I dunno… at times I think it might be just my being dumb.

Take care.

:) Just kidding. Excellent site. I’d say it’s no wonder you’re getting some anger from the cops, though. The problem with any close-knit group of people is that they feed each others emotions, but I don’t know of any cases where anyone has been really hurt because of a website. Nonetheless, it takes courage to take on police misconduct knowing that some of the people you’re embarrassing are not known for their ability to react in a rational measured way.

Thanks… It’s pretty funny, when I started the site I didn’t expect cops to react in the ways they did to the site, thought they would understand the consequences of negative perceptions from bad behavior in that regard.

I grew to learn they have no such fear since there will always be a sizable segment of the population that supports them no matter how badly they act. It’s the “Whatever it takes to get criminals off the streets” mentality that says it’s ok to harm a few innocent people for our cause… which is what leads to stories like this one out of Chicago I guess.

Yeah, I used to get the “gee, what do you expect to happen when you write about police misconduct” line all the time when I’d say something about nasty messages I’d get from cops. I used to reply to them that “I expect them to be professional about it and accept criticism like grown men and women. I also expect them to stop acting in ways that gives me something to write about.”

…in the end, though, I just got tired of addressing all the excuses people make for bad cops, so now generally I generally don’t bitch about the crap and threats officers give me for what I write these days because it really doesn’t give anyone any pause. But I still wonder how serious they might very well be.

I guess people expect anyone who writes about police misconduct to be threatened by police, just like they expect to see a few innocent people end up as “collateral damage” and beaten down in the street during the “war on ____”… to me that says something pretty rotten about our level of expectations for police officers in this society and our society itself… but that’s probably just me.

#16 Packratt
#12,
I should have clarified, I meant that people who have sites that bring up stories of police misconduct, not necessarily people who commented on stories of police misconduct.

Ah-ha! I just had a gander at your site. I will look at it again after work when I have more time.

To be honest, I’m way too much of a pussy to be too critical of my local police on the internet. I’m no martyr. Cops are worse than a gang. They’re a gang with impunity. They don’t feel bound by the law. Prosecutors don’t charge them unless there’s no other choice. They cover for each other. The public sees them as the good guys. The public sees those who attack them as the bad guys. And many are self-righteous bullies. Being openly critical (especially with my sarcastic mouth) would be akin to poking a rattlesnake with a stick.

Fortunately, sites like this are changing that, but I don’t doubt that there’s an element of danger to it and I think it will get more pronounced. On the list of the world’s most dangerous professions, blogging about cops might eventually be riskier than actually being a cop. haha!

Doesn’t Amnesty International have a policy that criticism of any particular country is handled by chapters outside that country.

And another thing, the police officer in this story is hiding a hell of lot of crap. He acts like stealing money was forced on him and that it was a big moral hurdle to overcome. Now that we know what he had been doing for years, I would be surprised to learn the murders I KNOW they committed were even moral hurdles.

Reading between the lines; “I can’t murder my fellow officers. I’ve worked with them. I know their children. Now, point me in the direction of a lowly citizen and I will happily apply a base-coat or two. But, one of our own? THAT is where I draw the line.”

I should have clarified, I meant that people who have sites that bring up stories of police misconduct, not necessarily people who commented on stories of police misconduct.

A while back I had a bunch of Chicago cops visiting my site and some of them sent some pretty disturbing comments, and watching that 60 Minutes segment always makes me wonder just how serious those comments might have been. (let alone if there might be some disgruntled cops in my area just itching to send some “painters” my way.

Sure, it might just be a case of PTSD from when I was abused in custody, but that also serves to remind me of how easy it is for officers to do things like that to people. But, hey, I understand from experience that it’s hard to convince those who haven’t experience it first hand that some officers have no moral compunction against harming people without justification.

Typical for a thug who has been playing the game for years. Just surprised his “mentor” didn’t do it first.

http://depaullaw.typepad.com/library/2008/06/city-appeals-ru.html

#12 Packratt
Scary stuff really… Makes me wonder how many police officers plot “paint jobs” for people who speak out against misconduct like us?

Good question. If so, we’ll probably just start disappearing one by one. Anyone heard from UCrawford lately?

I worry that some will see this video as a justification for ends justify the means policing. But I think it’s pretty obviosu that America decided a long time ago that we’d accept a certain level of crime as the price for having enhanced freedoms and a transparent government (especially when it comes to those to whom we give the power to arrest and prosecute).

I disagree Nick. I think all too many people are willing to cut guys like Herrera a lot of slack since he his getting the guns, drugs and criminals off the streets. The old, “You only have to worry if you are a criminal” mentality holds for quite a few people. Which is why nobody complains about the War on Drugs, cops using more and more aggressive/extra-constitutional tactics, etc.

You saw the same thing in Afghanistan. When the Taliban moved into an area they were first considered saviors against vile and violent war lords. Then the Taliban institute their own vile and violent policies and the would be “good guys” became just as bad as the villians they replaced.

Remember, power corrupts….

I worry that some will see this video as a justification for ends justify the means policing. But I think it’s pretty obviosu that America decided a long time ago that we’d accept a certain level of crime as the price for having enhanced freedoms and a transparent government (especially when it comes to those to whom we give the power to arrest and prosecute).