Federal Monitoring of the NYPD
Federal Monitoring of the NYPDIt has been discussed in many public circles whether or not the N.Y.P.D. should or should not be monitored by the Justice Department. Many feel that some of the recent cases of brutality and corruption have warranted some sort of intervention by the Government. I believe that we should be opposed to a federal monitor. To be constantly watched over by a body such as the Justice Department, would be demoralizing to all of the officers. As we know, police moral in the N.Y.P.D has not always been at a high level as it is, and with a monitor, law enforcement will suffer. If the cops feel that each move they make, each risk they take every time they go out on patrol is being watched, they will become hesitant to make that move. They will just do their eight hours of duty, driving around their patrol cars, because they would be too afraid to make a mistake. We sometimes forget that police officers are humans too. We sometimes expect them to be superheroes, and forget that they too are human beings. They will make mistakes. Within the department, there will be good cops and bad cops, just as in society, there are good people and there are bad people.
Police misconduct is and will be a very important factor in our society now, and for many years to come. In our city, the presence of police in our neighborhoods, on our streets, affects the way we think. If you see an increase of police in the streets, you could assume one of two things; either, “I do not feel safe seeing these cops” or that you do feel safe seeing them. Those who support the former are right to have these reservations of the New York Police Department. When you turn on the news and constantly hear of reports of police brutality and corruption, you should have every right to fear for your life. Those who we believe are there to protect us, are out there beating people, whether they did something wrong or not, getting their kicks from it. Is this the way that the police should be perceived? Definitely not. When someone sees an officer in uniform, they should feel that he is out there doing an honest job, not using his powers to assault citizens.
The most common forms of alleged ill treatment are repeated kicks or punches by officers using fists, batons, guns, and police radios, sometimes while the person was already handcuffed or restrained in another way. In several cases, people have died after being restrained by police officers. Many cops practice...
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