…of Illinois:
Over the last few years, surveillance video has also exposed a number of police abuses in Chicago, including one episode in which an off-duty cop savagely beat a female bartender who had refused to continue serving him. He was sentenced to probation.
In 2008, the city made national headlines with another major scandal in which officers in the department’s Special Operations Unit — alleged to be made up of the most elite and trusted cops in Chicago — were convicted of a variety of crimes, including physical abuse and intimidation, home robberies, theft and planning a murder.
In a study published the same year, University of Chicago Law Professor Craig B. Futterman found 10,000 complaints filed against Chicago police officers between 2002 and 2004, more than any city in the country. When adjusted for population, that’s still about 40 percent above the national average. Even more troubling, of those 10,000 complaints, just 19 resulted in any significant disciplinary action. In 85 percent of complaints, the police department cleared the accused officer without even bothering to interview him.
Yet Alvarez feels it necessary to devote time and resources to prosecuting Chicagoans who, given the figures and anecdotes above, feel compelled to hit the record button when confronted by a city cop.
This is outrageous.
You know, a lot of violent crimes have enhanced penalties based on the status of the victim–for instance, battery of a police officer of the elderly. I think in the case of law enforcement, there should be enhanced penalties when they commit unlawful acts of violence on citizens while on duty or in uniform, particularly when acting outside the scope of their authority.
But hardly surprising. I’m always amused when people think the Founding Fathers pledged their lives (and in cases gave them) to construct a state with extravagant gaurantees of individual liberty for quaint fussy philosophical preferences — instead of in desperate reaction to bitter experience, both their own and those of prior generations in Europe.
Like, individual liberty was just an attractive notion they had. A whimsy, something nice, like a day at the beach when it’s sunny. As opposed to the possibility of it being grim necessity, a recognition that any structure that concentrates power in the hands of the few is diabolical, and will find demons among men to animate its claws and teeth.
Well said, Carl. Very well said.
So just got back from lunch. On the way, I shared some recent news with some junior engineers that spend more time playing games than reading news (watching network news isn’t even a thought with these guys). They were not previously aware:
That the Dept of Ed had: Shotguns, a S.W.A.T team, and conducted raids on homes of individuals that failed to pay back student loans.
That the same Sheriff department that conducted a less than proper investigation in how Sarah Palin’s rhetoric drove a disturbed teenager to shoot a Congresswoman, also shot to death a Afghanistan Marine veteran in his own home, with 70 bullets found in the body, because the sheriff deputies raided the wrong home.
That the Indiana Supreme Court found that it is against the law in that state to defend yourself in your own home, even if the police unlawfully enter your home.
So, what exactly is the difference between this country and say, Syria? The Orlando, Sanford and other local police agencies are continually excusing officers accused and videotaped brutalizing the public. the local “news” stations seem to be the only ones with enough moxy to call out the cops when this happens. Thank god for cell phones with video capability.
Well, when po po decide to smash your phone, you best be streaming live.
“I hate Illinois nazis.”
“The whole world’s watching!” … ?
It sounds like typical Chicago BS to me.
I lived north of there, in Waukegan, and I’ve had opportunity before and since to visit Chitown. It’s one of the most corrupt towns on the planet. The cops are just a wing of the corrupt city gub’ment. If at all possible, we stayed out of Chicago because you couldn’t count on the cops to help IF you needed them.
I know a guy from up there, his parents were Poles who came here just before WWII. Joe used to say there is a Polish saying that shows how corruption works up there. Chicago is a fish, that is rotten from the head down.
I’ve been told that’s a Slavic saying more than just Polish, but the analogy still works.
Afghanistan Marine veteran in his own home, with 70 bullets found in the body, because the sheriff deputies raided the wrong home.
Pardon. Re-read the story. The victim wasn’t a veteran from Afghanistan, rather he served to tours in Iraq. Also not 70 bullets in the body, just 60, with 71 shots fired. But Dupnik says it is wrong to couch questions as if the police did anything improper, despite the fact they had to withdraw claims that the Marine shot first, since his safety was engaged, and thus couldn’t have fired.