Most conversations and opinion pieces about how to rid police departments of bad cops miss the mark. They usually focus on factors like poor training, unions that protect their members at any cost, and a police culture that’s “inherently brutal.”
The Discourse About Bad Cops is Often Off-Target
Hoping to set the record straight, I sent in a rebuttal to the Wall State Journal in response to one of their pieces. Here’s an excerpt:
“In your The Death of Tyre Nichols opinion piece, you wrote that “the solution is to recruit and train more good police.” Therein lies the conundrum. Police departments are in the grip of a recruitment crisis that began circa 2015 and accelerated in 2020.
Smaller applicant pools translate to a reduction in qualified candidates from which departments can choose. Instead, they’re forced to settle for less desirable applicants. In fact, police departments have begun to lower some of their hiring standards, including physical fitness, work, and education requirements. As the pinch to hire cops continues, what other requirements will be lowered?”
—Paula Fitzsimmons
They didn’t publish my letter, which is just fine by me – because they did publish another stellar piece with similar talking points. It’s by Jason Johnson, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.
The article is behind a paywall, but here are some excerpts:
“The death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., exposed a crisis of professionalism in policing. Faced with record levels of retirements and resignations, police agencies are putting recruit quantity over quality with disastrous results. Desperate departments that hire risky recruits invite bad policing.”
And
“The longer the staffing crisis goes on, the worse community-police tensions will become as faith in the competence and trustworthiness of law enforcement erodes. A four-year college degree may not be necessary to perform the duties of a police officer, but applicants with sketchy employment and education résumés are unlikely to possess the communication skills and self-control necessary to do well as cops. A history of drug and alcohol abuse or criminal activity has been shown to increase the risk that an officer will use excessive force or engage in serious misconduct on the job. Officers who are in poor physical shape can’t credibly protect the public from crime.”
Boom! Precisely, Jason.
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at [email protected].
