13 days, 22 murders

That's absolutely going to crush the Biden campaign which is all in on police def.... oh wait. He doesn't support it either.

 

I live in a place where funds for the police department went up in the latest budget. What has ever happened in this country to make anyone believe that funding for police is in serious jeopardy of disappearing totally?
I say this as someone who appreciates the job they do and the horrible working conditions - the people who yell about "defund" aren't powerful or numerous enough to make it happen to any significant degree.

 

What does Biden support as it relates to this?

 

Granted, I quit watching the 24-hour raw sewage channels, but has Biden stated a substantive policy declaration on anything?

 

Oh, sure. He does.

Here's his justice platform. It's very long and it's the typical "everything always good nothing ever bad" approach.

Joe Biden's Criminal Justice Policy | Joe Biden

 

Thanks for the link. I may take a look at it some time.

 

51 shot, 10 dead over Labor Day weekend in Chicago.

Chicago violence: 51 shot, 10 fatally in Labor Day weekend shootings

 

Going to regret this, but since I'm from Chicago and it bugs the shit out of me when people use the city I love as a political pawn ...

Do you actually fucking care? You don't seem to care about exponentially more people potentially dying by going back to school before it's safe, so why do you give a fuck about 10 people in Chicago?

I think I know the answer, but I'd like to hear it from you.

 

What are 3 policy changes you hope from this moment?

 

I'd start with the acknowledgement that, if the police get spit on, thrown at and have fireworks shot at them for weeks on end and stop doing their job so well, a spike in murders is bound to happen. Murder is the one crime you can't found or unfound, in criminal justice jargon. But that's not a policy change so much as a mindset one has or doesn't have.

What I don't think works is the "always good, never bad" magical thinking of some folks who think, if you just put a social worker or mental health practitioner on the case with a cop, domestic violence and drug-fueled hysteria arrests will indisputably turn out better. A cop is already overly protective of his or her well-armed colleagues. Imagine if a social worker is in his or her care, and gets in a wrestling match with some suspect.

Sound policy begins, most likely, with stronger anti-drug education that addresses demand way before users are of age to consider it, since drugs are a driver here. Decriminalization may work, but I'm not sure certain drugs will be or should be decriminalized.

 

I doubt I care as much about the city as you do, so, probably, you've thought more about how to stem violence in Chicago than I have. Any thoughts?

It's worth noting that Chicago is not the only city in this thread. There are many. So it wasn't about Chicago alone.

 

This is a terrible story.

Two California Deputies Shot in Ambush, Authorities Say

Hope they pull through.

There was also some sort of protest outside the hospital at which an NPR reporter was arrested.

LAist Reporter Josie Huang Arrested While Covering Protest