The Revenge of The Thin Blue Line 32: Highways to Hell (i.e. Chicago)

The Illinois State Police released statistics for gun violence on the Expressways in and around Chicago.  Targeted ISP enforcement resulted in a 50% decrease in shootings and a drastic reduction in violence.  According to the report Illinois State Police will continue this targeted focus and enforcement, 

[T]he Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting the total number of Chicago area expressway shootings dropped 47% in 2022 compared to 2021. The number of non-fatal injury expressway shootings in the Chicago area was cut in half and the number of expressway homicides decreased by 88% compared to last year. 

ISP will continue to take the multifaceted approach that has shown to reduce violent crime on our expressways.

Increased ISP presence

Focused, strategic violent crime reduction missions. Proactive enforcement - Statewide Anti-Violence Enforcement (SAVE) Unit 

Multiple jurisdiction collaboration 

Unified Command - Multiple ISP divisions focused on expressway violence 

Technology - automated license plate readers, air operations

This kind of Police work is what Police at municipal, county and state levels should be doing.  Instead because of slashing taxes, cutting services, and generally dumping everything into the laps of the Police over the past 40 years, the focus of effort has devolved into Police adjacent calls for service and efforts to bolster revenue.  Worse than that the sensationalist media coverage of crime reporting during that timeframe lead to two of the worst initiatives in history; Stop-and-Frisk and Broken Windows, which should properly be understood as Stop-and-Fuck with People and Broken Trust of the Community.   

Besides the rampant racism of Police Officers writ large, U.S. Police Departments have always had an insular Us-against-Them mentality but those two "theories" of Police Work, turned many a department into Occupying Armies.  

What's needed in Policing and what Police Reform has haphazardly tried to address, with programs like CIT, are Officers with a capacity for deductive reasoning, a modicum of humanity and compassion, and the ability to communicate especially under stressful conditions.

Every "Democrat" City according to Faux News

Of course, complicating all of this has been the steady adoption of Law & Order as a cultural wedge issue since the time of Dirty Tricky Dick Nixon.  We saw this used again in 2020 with the dubious and deceitful Republicans bemoaning Defund the Police efforts leading to rampant crime.  One of the unshakeable Republican tropes trotted out daily on rightwing media, is that Democratic Cities are all smoking dystopian ruins, akin to the images of Boston in the HBOMax series The Last of Us.  Whether it was Portland, Oregon being burned to the ground 6 or 7 times in 2020 and 2021 by BLM and Antifa or the Highway to Hell that is Chicago despite the "strictest gun laws in the Universe" or when a simple gay Brazilian immigrant Congressman named George Santos was mugged at 3 in the afternoon in broad daylight in downtown Manhattan and robbed of his shoes just for being a Republican!

Now, the are multiple reasons both gross and fine for Republicans continually claim Democratic cities are hellholes (See Pig Fvcker Darren Bailey's comments on Chicago as he ran for Illinois Governor in 2022); the Republican Party has wedded themselves to the idea that Crime is a Black problem and its' exacerbated by Democrats who love Criminals.  This has been the overarching rightwing strategy since Dick Nixon ; to equate crime with Urban centers (and thus by minorities and elite liberals who live there) as opposed to the Rural America where the Real Americans live and the suburbs to which all good white people flee the smoking ruins of Democrat Cities. 

And facts don't matter in this Narrative.  For example when Democratic candidate Joy Hofmeister corrected pointed out that violent crime in Oklahoma was higher than New York City or California under the Republican Governor's mismanagement.  Governor Kevin Stitt was all, 'Aw shucks can y'all believe she's correctly pointing out the facts when all you good Real Americans know Escape from New York was a documentary?'  Facts, as was long ago pointed out, have a liberal bias...

So, getting back to Chicago.  After every Mass Shooting, Republicans jump onto the Corporate Media to repeat CHICAGO! CHICAGO! CHICAGO! which is of course code for Blacks, to dispute the fact that flooding the Nation with Firearms has not made Americans safer.  And, more importantly, guns are most often used to kill their owners after the gunman has murdered his family.  So here a few recent shootings which didn't rise to wider national coverage;

• In Baldwinsville, New York, "This is how it ends for us," abusive asshole Christopher Wood told his ex-wife before shooting the couple's 14 year old daughter to death before killing himself because his wife correctly left him rather than stay in a violent abusive relationship. 
• Jarid Haddock walked into a Circle K in Yakima, Washington and shot 3 people for no apparent reason.  Fleeing in a car Haddock then shot himself as Police responded.
• Some guy shot another guy and then shot himself in Everett, Washington.
• In Hawley, Texas Justin Coonrod gunned down his parents then shot himself...

Guns used to kill the owner after HE has killed someone else.  And these four incidents are by no means the only recent ones or at all unusual in the United States.  But, none of this matters to the cadre of Gun Nuts, Republicans, and Firearm Manufacturers who profit mightily off the blood of dead and wounded Americans.

But, Gun Nuts simply ignore this fundamental truth and as they are fanatics who fight every gun law, regulation or restriction adopted at every level of Government by a politically powerful Well Financed groups of scumbag attorney's America keeps losing.

But, this is merging into another post I'm working on about the Rightwing effort to undo the Illinois Assault Weapon Ban and the Unending War conservatives are waging on the American People to ensure unrestricted gun violence is unstoppable plague forever and ever. 

The Revenge of the Thin Blue Line 18: Ow! My Balls! Edition

I've had some direct experience with control, ahem, tactics such as this. 

Back in late March 2022, Officer Travis Lewis and another Indianapolis Metro Police Officer were called to the scene for a possible burglary in progress.  There was no suspect, no apparent attempted burglary, and no other crime in progress.  Police then ran a name check on the caller who appeared to have an active Order of Protection prohibiting from being at the residence in question.  In such an offense, being present in violation of a court order is a mandatory arrest no discretion for the Officer.

This is were you step in and deal with the issue straight up.  Tell the guy he seems to have an OOP.  If, he starts telling you he isn't going anywhere you move on to handcuffing him... maybe.  Using words and persuasion is always preferable to force even, the lightest of force.  But, that's not what seemingly happened as the Officers on scene handcuffed the suspect* and tried to get him into the back of the squad car.  

At this point the Officers should already be verifying the Court Order is valid. And I don't know what was going on before the ball twisting use of force; maybe Ofc Lewis was tired, hungry, sleepy or ready to go home.  Maybe dispatch verified the court order incorrectly.  Maybe the innocent suspect was engaged in an act of "Aggravated Mopery"  whatever, the result was Lewis grabbed the guys nuts a couple of times in order to get him into the back of the squad car.

It seems the other Officer on scene came forward to the Department about the Use of Force policy violation, that's commendable and very brave, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has only released partial video of the incident and while they conduct an investigation but, several charges of battery and official misconduct have already been filed against the Officer.

There's a whole host of other factors which could be at play here, Ofc Lewis direct supervisors may have expected him to (or ordered him to) clear up the call quickly and move on to others.  Maybe the department has a policy of handcuffing suspects immediately.  I hope he gets a proper defense but, all Officers should know by now Times have Changed.  

A decade ago such an interaction wouldn't have resulted in criminal charges nor a department investigation and probably would have gotten the Officer involved a round of pats on the back and joking Attaboy's.  Because Policing in the United States has always been comfortable with the causal use of violence or threat of violence directed at "mopes". 

"Mopes" is a term of long lineage used by Police and Courtroom Officials for suspects but, as Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve highlighted in her phenomenal book Crook County: Racism and Injustice in America's Largest Criminal Court, the term broadly applies to anyone who interferes or slows down the rapid dispensing of "justice" in the criminal justice system.

But, post-Ferguson in 2014 and definitely post George Floyd these types of incidents are more and more frequently caught en flagrante delicto by body camera and citizens cell phones and can no longer be brushed aside or tolerated by a civilized society let alone applauded.  Of course, the adoption of casual violence against suspects is in direct violation of Sir Robert Peel's instructions to the newly created Metropolitan Police of London in 1829 and the still pertinent rules for Police conduct as crafted post World War 2, Principle #6; 

The police should use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient to achieve police objectives.

But, those rules governed Policing in the British Commonwealth.  The history of Policing in the United States diverged as it was in direct response to the pressures of Industrialization, the influx of immigrants of differing cultures and language, and the recent emancipation of black Americans from Slavery with the addition of Frontier Justice aimed at controlling and eradicating Native Americans and Mestizoes. 

*- I should point out this is the pernicious quality of Police parlance as the caller was innocent of any crime but, at this point in the narrative and interaction with the Officers he was a "suspect" for a Violation of Order of Protection.  So, using force on him has been, for many years, okay.

The Revenge of the Thin Blue Line 13: Murder, Someone Wrote, but we don't know Who

His only option is to question as many people as possible, to believe those who deserve belief, and to be a good judge of what he hears. - Polyibus, The Histories Book 12 Chapter 4c

Solving crimes is what most people believe the Police should be doing.  Murder is, of course, the worst crime and occupies its' own classification in the Illinois Criminal Code.

Unfortunately, over the past 40 years the clearance rate for homicides has steadily dropped.  From a high of about 75% solving a murder is now a 50/50 shot.  Now, this is bad in the aggregate but, it might not be as bad as the data and graphs seem to illustrate.  

Because for a long time clearance rate was simply based on the making of an arrest and unfortunately old school Police tactics were unethical and borderline criminal, besides the outright heinous crimes of the infamous Chicago Officer John Burge.

I'm not going to say solving a murder is ever "easy", but departments do have a wider array of diagnostic kits, greater investigative tools, and superior evidence collection at their disposal than ever before.  But, the most important aspect of investigating crimes remains face-to-face investigations.  Known for a long time as "shoe leather" detective work.  Have investigation skills, interview techniques, attention to details, critical thinking lapsed since the old days?  I doubt it.  The dismal clearance rate for murder is instead a direct reflection of a lack of trust of Police Officers and Departments by society.  

Due to constant bad actions (and I don't mean just spectacular crimes like Chauvin's) and the proliferation of information Police Departments have also lost moral authority.  Because of this people know who is responsible for many murders they just don't want to tell Police the information.

That's bad and it strikes at the core problem facing Policing going forward and right now.  #3 of Sir Robert Peel's nearly 200 year old 9 principles of Policing; The police must secure the willing cooperation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain public respect.  Those 9 maxims still stand as basic guidelines for Policing in the United States and Western liberal Democracies. 

Can Police get the trust and cooperation of society back? Not now.  I don't know what it will take to regain trust.  If it is even possible.  Defund?  Reformation?  Police reform has been a catch-phrase and running theme for decades.  Police reform is only accomplished when a new generation with a new way of thinking takes over and the problem with Policing was identified by Raymond Chandler a century ago; 

The Bravery of the Thin Blue Line 10: The Lady and The Lady and the Tramps

There are two tragic December stories of female Police Officers exchanging gunfire with criminals.

In Bradely, Illinois two Officers responded to a call of dogs left in a vehicle at a motel. Locating the dogs owners they learned one of the suspects had a warrant.  So the two black suspects attacked the two Officers.  Initial court proceeding provide a horrific account of the death of Bradley Police Officer Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic, which alleges having already been shot and pleading for her life the murderers, wrestled her duty weapon away from her and executed Rittmanic.  It seems this vile, remorseless murder was all captured on her body camera.

The other exchange in and around Denver, Colorado involved a deranged tattooed White Incel killer traveling to several tattoo parlours, a residence, a Hyatt, and a restaurant shooting multiple people, killing 5, before finally being bravely confronted and killed by Lakewood Colorado Officer Ashley Ferris.

These two Officers both should be commended for their bravery and dedication to service; though one story ends in personal tragedy and one in "triumph".  It also highlights how the bad and criminal actions of other Officers have diminished us all and cast a shadow over every noble and dedicated Police Officer. 

But, has the proliferation of easily obtainable firearms made Americans and police work "safer"?

Guns don't save lives.  A gun has never sutured a wound, applied a tourniquet, performed surgery to stitch up and repair damaged tissue and organs.  Guns have one purpose: To Kill.

We've allowed insane gun nuts to craft a whole lexicon of false euphemisms surrounding firearms turning guns into a panacea which will usher in the Utopia.  Strip away all the NRA talking points and imaginary intruder scenarios and understand the metaphysical nature of a gun; Guns are tools for killing

Now, killing can sometimes be justified.  Defensive Gun Uses (DGUs) do occur.  Though, they are far rarer than the gun lobby would have you believe as they've crafted an outright fantasy about millions of incidents a year.  In the Real World, guns are most often used to murder spouses and for suicide.  Guns are overwhelmingly used to kill and wound innocent people.

This used to be known.  The NRA of the 1950's and Police and Sheriff Departments throughout the 20th century used to know the absolute truisms: More Guns = More Gun Deaths : Gun Take Lives.

But, the damage is done.  The United States is flooded with firearms and the Gun Industry is working on ensuring the US Government and American people can't do anything about it.  Moms Demand Action and other groups are fighting to reign in the political machinations of the murderous immoral NRA.  Police Departments and Sheriff's across the Nation would be wise to reevaluate their support of policy of unrestricted gun violence championed by the immoral GOP, the fanatical cadre of antisocial gun nuts, and amoral gun salesman. 

And just like that I'm no different than Darren Wilson or any of the other Out of Control Criminal Cops

Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the Wrong Guy - David Bowie, Life on Mars?

The Park District in my town serves a large and diverse group of people in Cook County and we have a fancy, very desirable pool complex. Therefore, every summer when kids leave their unlocked bikes outside the pool entrance, they find them stolen.

So, this weekend I have the misfortune to receive a few of these stolen bike reports, which stupidly, I decided to solve through basic investigation and some footwork, instead of merely writing up a report and moving on.

Now, I have to be purposefully vague here. After investigating, locating and returning several bikes, which had seemingly been stashed nearby, I also located a couple juvenile offenders.

And that's when things went haywire. I found myself being circled by women demanding my name and badge number. At least one had her cell phone camera out. Conversations about how This Isn't Right were spoken loudly nearby so that I might hear them. I think those mothers believed I was going to harm those juveniles...

A couple of pool lifeguards (envision privileged never been out of the suburbs white college kids), probably altered by the above mentioned mothers thought it was their duty to surreptitiously record the interaction with their cell phone cameras, eventhough I clearly positioned myself in front of the Pool's front entrance camera. Their feigned nonchalance was ludicrous.

I realized these people whom I never met were judging me by what I was wearing. That they had formed conclusions about me without any real knowledge of who I am. I was just another potentially out-of-control white cop who might snap at a moment's notice.

It would be the height of obtuse tone-deafness for me to say now I know what it feels like to be an African-American driving and be pulled over. Because, I can still easily badge my way out of any traffic stop and as a cop in a Cook County suburb I'm well off financially.

But, the take away from most police officers and the ones on my force whom I talked with about this incident, is far different than my own. The blame with the current environment between Law Enforcement and the American Public lies completely with the criminal cops who have no idea how to police. Who have been trained to be suspect all People of Color, subject their communities to the Broken Windows policy, hand out citations/tickets in order to plug budget gaps, see themselves wholly apart from the communities they've been ostensibly sworn to Protect & Serve, while they more and more see themselves as some sort of Paramilitary Occupying Power.