Trouble Finding Police Recruits? Cry Me An Effin' River

 The Philly Inquirer has an article today on the city’s problem with filling openings in its police department. Mike Neilon, spokesman for the FOP Lodge 5 (the union) said, “All of that coming together is creating some issues with finding the best and brightest to sign up to be Philadelphia police officers,” he said.

The problem MAY be that “the best and the brightest” don’t want to work in law enforcement, given the racism and hatred endemic in the field. “The best and the brightest,” more or less by definition, want to IMPROVE our country, not tear it apart.

In addition, current attempts to hold officers accountable for their illegal acts, and the efforts to remove the “qualified immunity” that shields them, coupled with the recent convictions of several officers who decided to take the law into their own hands, is scaring off the bullies and racists who would otherwise apply.

“Every action has a reaction. When you vilify every police officer for every bad police officer’s decision, (people) don’t want to take this job anymore,” said Pat Colligan, president of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, the state’s largest police union. 

And until the good cops start speaking out against the bad cops, society is going to continue to distrust ALL cops.

“It’s been a very trying and difficult time to put on the badge every day,” he added. Whether his difficulty is due to the criminal actions of his fellow officers, or the fear they may be held accountable is moot.

People do not trust the police anymore, and with good reason. The abuse of persons of color at the hands of the police has not diminished. It has, in fact, increased, especially after president trump implicitly approved of the violence and hatred in the field (remember when he urged cops not to be “too gentle” with arrestees?).

The refusal of the police hierarchy to hold officers accountable is also partially to blame. The refusal of department brass to control corrupt, violent, criminal officers, simply encourages misbehavior. Good cops standing with bad, to protect corrupt officers because of the “thin blue line” mentality further alienates the public.

The illegal activities of the cops are nothing new; almost 50 years ago, a young NYPD detective testified before the Knapp Commission, investigating police corruption in New York City, saying:

“The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist, in which an honest police officer can act ... without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. Police corruption cannot exist unless it is at least tolerated ... at higher levels in the department.” 

That detective had been shot in the face during a drug bust, possibly on the orders of his fellow officers, who were afraid of his belief that cops should follow the law, just like everybody else. The cop’s name, by the way, was Frank Serpico.