What substantive positive CHANGES have come from recent events?

JimMIA

There's more to life than mice...
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
One of the things that get lost in all the noise is positive changes which have come as a result of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and George Lloyd in Minneapolis.

So I thought it might be good to list real, substantive, SYSTEMIC changes that have resulted from these events.

I'm not talking about the arrests of police officers and others responsible for these deaths -- those are simply byproducts of the crimes. I mean real changes to the way things operate -- NOT symbolic actions however important, but STRUCTURAL change.

Politicians and many other interested parties say all sorts of stuff in times like these, but I want to see what is actually being DONE.

I'll start with a few, and please feel free to add to the list.
  • In Georgia, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting a detailed investigation into the police department in Brunswick to try to identify and correct organizational problems. I don't know Georgia law, but in most states the state government has tools to mandate changes and even take over police departments where warranted.
  • Also in Georgia, there are state investigations into whether several prosecutors involved in the Arbery case acted properly.
  • In Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Police Department has prohibited the use of various types of choke holds by police.
  • Also in MN, the state Attorney General has ordered a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department. I'm not sure if that move is entirely non-political, but we'll see.
Please add your contributions, and please try to limit them to REAL ACTIONS, not people just running their mouths.
 
My sister‘s school district has ordered an audit on the past 5 years of disciplinary actions for disproportionate treatment of black and brown students (they already know that these students are disciplined more than their white peers for the same behaviors and receive stricter punishment in comparison). They will not be renewing their contract with the local PD for onsite ”resource officers” and will be rolling out new procedures to handle discipline internally without involving the police when possible.

Just as an example when I was in middle school if 2 boys got into a fight (as happened in every school and mowas a middle/upper white school) the gym teacher and our male science teacher would run over break it up, and the kids would be sent to the principle where they’d get detention. In my sisters minority school if 2 kids get into a fight the uniformed police officer at the school runs over, handcuffs the kids, and the kids are taken to the station (where they may or may not be let go or booked on a juvenile charge). So what was a minor fistfight (and we can all agree the 13 year olds shouldn’t fight) results now in a criminal action and a disproportionate response that could have serious consequences outsized for the actual offense. The officer is doing his job in his response but many would argue the school should have other options before making it a police matter.
 
It will be decades before a judgement can be made on if recent events impacted things in a positive or negative manner.
 


It will be decades before a judgement can be made on if recent events impacted things in a positive or negative manner.
Any changes that take decades have little or nothing to do with today's events.

Change doesn't take decades, except the change that results from societal attitude changes like women's rights, sexual identity rights, etc.

The police department I worked for did a complete 180 in less than 3 years in terms of officer and departmental accountability.
 
Anything that shines light into things always leads to positive outcomes.

I realized I can completely opt out of other people's fool opinions and just look up events, like the senate stuff this week, on You Tube. I can't stand the weird formats where news has an opinion play by play like sports center, it's so bizarre to me, to let other people think for you - just not my scene. Anyway, I never used Youtube through my Firestick as much as I do now so that's positive if it's happening everywhere.
 
Our township started a diversity group on fb. I know its not much, but its bringing to light experiences many poc have had in the community and in the schools. Hopefully we learn from each other and can make sure we are embracing the diversity we currently have as well as encourage more diversity within the community leaders and the school district faculty.

I think a lot of the stories being told, especially by the high school students and by the parents of the younger students, have opened eyes to what some of the children are dealing with every day. These need to be told so we know what needs to be worked on. Again, its only a start, but its a small step in the right direction.
 


Studies and investigations don't guarantee any change. Heck people won’t even wear masks, a proven method to limit the spread of COVID.

The 9/11 Commission made many recommendations that still have not been implemented. Many of those, such as REAL ID, are low hanging fruit and still wait to be rolled out.

More than 50 years ago The Kerner Commission wWas created to address the very issue we are facing today. It shined a bright light and produced effective recommendations. Those were ignored, in large part because so many in power and the general public didn’t want to face our historic and systemic racism. We as a country really weren’t ready to act. I fear we still aren’t.
 
Any changes that take decades have little or nothing to do with today's events.

Change doesn't take decades, except the change that results from societal attitude changes like women's rights, sexual identity rights, etc.

The police department I worked for did a complete 180 in less than 3 years in terms of officer and departmental accountability.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree. My first experience with events like happening today was with the Watts riots in 1965. So many issues and attitudes have not changed. As for law enforcement, officer and departmental accountability has been an issue here for at least 9 years. They couldn't even get the money for body cams in good economic times, now that the public money has dried up, those won't be happening anytime soon.
 
My first experience with events like happening today was with the Watts riots in 1965. So many issues and attitudes have not changed.
Today's disturbances (those that go off-track) are nothing like the Watts riots in 1965 or the McDuffie riots in Miami in 1980. In those two riots, dozens of innocent people died -- and NOT at the hands of the police. They were killed by rioters.
As for law enforcement, officer and departmental accountability has been an issue here for at least 9 years. They couldn't even get the money for body cams in good economic times, now that the public money has dried up, those won't be happening anytime soon.
That's not a police problem. That is a local government problem. They have PLENTY of money to spend on the politicians' pet projects, but police accountability is not one of their priorities.

Body worn cams are a big deal, and they are good for everybody. Officers who initially resisted them (and dash cams) now swear by them -- because they provide a full picture of exactly what the officer is dealing with. Body cams provide a clear picture, which proves the officers position an overwhelming majority of the time.

But your city can well afford body cams. They just don't want them -- They're making excuses. They want to spend that money on other things.
 
But your city can well afford body cams. They just don't want them -- They're making excuses. They want to spend that money on other things.
1591491462943.png
https://www.policeforum.org/assets/BWCCostBenefit.pdf
^Page 17 of this 2018 report- Beside a long list of non-monetary positives, "researchers concluded that $4 was saved in resolving complaints for every $1 spent on BWCs."

Not sure but I'd estimate body and car cameras plus digital storage at <$1k per package. Big Brother stuff comes with a negative feeling but if cops actually using them have come around to see the value maybe it's something that should be standard. Phones record many incidents anyway but also run the risk of being edited. Sounds like a good investment.
 
But your city can well afford body cams. They just don't want them -- They're making excuses. They want to spend that money on other things.
I think they probably COULD have afforded them. But with the millions in lost tax revenue because of the shutdowns, no way they have the money.
 
I think they probably COULD have afforded them. But with the millions in lost tax revenue because of the shutdowns, no way they have the money.
Oh please! Take a look at their budget!
 
State and local budgets have been decimated first by COVID response then by the response to the results of the recent police killings and assaults.
 
Not sure but I'd estimate body and car cameras plus digital storage at <$1k per package.
I suspect that is WAY, WAY high. Stuff like that (and cars, radios, computers, etc) is typically bought through state contracts for a fraction of the normal retail price.
Big Brother stuff comes with a negative feeling but if cops actually using them have come around to see the value maybe it's something that should be standard. Phones record many incidents anyway but also run the risk of being edited. Sounds like a good investment.
Yes, definitely should be standard. I actually think it should be mandatory for departmental accreditation by national organizations, and should be required by insurance companies.
 
State and local budgets have been decimated first by COVID response then by the response to the results of the recent police killings and assaults.
Get their budget, and go line-by-line to see what they are spending YOUR taxpayer money for.

You will be appalled, and you'll see that there is plenty of money for the things the politicians want to fund.
 
:confused3 How is this false claim positive?
I don't think the claim is false -- there is no question that local governments have taken a big hit financially. But they will continue to use that as an excuse for anything they don't want to fund for years...probably decades.

If they are really seriously impacted, they need to take a zero-based budget approach and reconsider every single thing they are spending taxpayer money on to see if programs still are worthwhile. In a lot of cases, they will find that the programs are really not benefiting anyone except some bureaucrats and the money never trickles down to the people it was intended to help.
 

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