Trump was elected Antifa came and protested and yes sometimes with violence...mostly just breaking shit and starting newspaper bins on fire and clashing with police. Cops kept killing black people. George Floyd was the final straw. BLM came to protest, mostly peacefully. Cops ran them out nightly even though they weren't being violent. Antifa joined with the BLM protestors and yes some of the ANTIFAS started more fires etc. Most violent clashes we have seen have been Antifa vs Right Wingers. Right wingers came because BLM was protesting to "counterprotest". They came to intimidate BLM because BLM is a threat to their way of life. They brought more violence.
Revealed: LAPD officers told to collect social media data on every civilian they stop. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...ngeles-police-officers-gathering-social-media LAPD Weaponizing Your Social Media.
Him? I've met him and there's no doubt in my mind that he could never become threat. I want him as my next door neighbor. Good kid.
I was very disheartened when they dropped the requirement for a four year degree from the requirements to become a Portland police officer.
Portland has struggled for at least several years to hire qualified officers. Apparently few people are interested in being Portland cops (go figure). Supposedly they have not had a full complement in years (and is why so many cops make so much in overtime). So the City does the counterintuitive (and demonstrably stupid) thing and lowers the standards to that they can attract a higher number of “qualified” candidates. And so we get what we have…..and they STILL can’t get enough people to apply. I suspect it’s only going to get worse……..used to be that the aspiring cops who couldn’t qualify for the Portland police “settled” for going to work for Clackamas County (with the inevitable results). Anymore, Clackamas County is actually starting to attract higher qualified candidates than Portland. I was recently talking to two old grade school buddies (now retired) who were Portland cops. And of course Portland’s situation came up. Listening to those guys, it is mind bending just how far the requirements have fallen in 50 years. Those guys had to volunteer for Explorer Scouts in HS and put in a great deal of time volunteering with local law enforcement. They had to have 4 year degrees, with Master’s Degrees highly encouraged. They are very unhappy with the lower standards. Both these individuals agree that until City Management gets serious (and stands up to the police union) it’s virtually certain to get get worse before it gets better. But both guys also agree, that if they had the choice of being cops today (anywhere) they would very likely choose another profession…….
Need to up the pay for police officers with degrees and who can pass a high level psych exam, and have spotless records. Bonus, additional $50k per year for those willing to work outside the current Union. I have no problem at all paying great peace officers with the proper motives $150k+ per year. Basically, (if you accept this position) you're going to be a part of the Elite Peace Force ushering in a new age of community building. The focus is not catching criminals or getting convictions but preventing situations which encourage criminal/predatory behavior. You are also policing our current police force. Pay extremely well and offer superb retirement for the best candidates to meet very high standards.
I have no issue with a 4-year degree not being a qualification so long as there is an experience requirement to off set that. I know a few Portland police officers and morale is in the toilet with the current city council. It's an anti-police mentality and getting worse. Very few want to work as a police officer in a city where you get no support. And it's no wonder. That said, we need to re-think the ways police deal with people in general. Gresham seems to have a good community policing model and a website where they drum up support.
Gresham police shot an escaped calf 75 times when it got out of my parents enclosure. They chased it through fields with their vehicles and generally terrified it for about an hour first. Then encircled it and opened fire. It was shot in the ass 8 times. Called it a "rampaging beast". This was 20 years ago... But I don't have good vibes for Gresham police.
