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Well then, put it out there. What would you have done? Don't just hide behind emoticons, say it out loud.
If you got convicted of a crime, would you deserve to have your social security revoked? Why should they face anything worse than termination and criminal sanctions?
agree 100%. I have a feeling a few just want to see them hung because of their disdain for police in general.Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Fowler
We live in a weird society with cops.
On the East Coast, they still get away with that unionized crap where the cops badge their way into everything (not saying that happens everywhere, but I know people who have gone there for trainings and been horrified to see what cops still get away with out there). If we lived in that environment, I would probably not trust police very much. The reality is though, that we don't live out there.
Here in Colorado, I feel like most departments do the best they can - people here might not believe it, but trust me - most cops feel sick and angry when one of their own does something that betrays the public trust, because we know we'll be painted with the same brush. The Blue Wall of Silence isn't really a "thing" here, at least not in my decade of law enforcement.
I personally know a guy who intentionally struck a cop with a truck - cop was on foot. He ran the cop over because he was trying to run away from other cops, because he was driving drunk. Fortunately, the cop was barely hurt - super lucky. Now, do you know what happened to this guy as far as his job is concerned? He found a job that fully supported him - so much so that they HIRED another guy to drive him around because he was a "really nice guy" but they knew he was going to lose his license.
The newspapers didn't even report on his sentencing, and he tried to KILL a person. He'll get his Social Security benefits juuuust fine, minus the few months he'll spend in jail.
So for killing an elk - and doing it illegally and shamefully, to be sure - I want you to NAME the penalties, in realistic words, you would apply.
You missed my point. PERA is not return of the employees money. About 8% of it is, the rest is taxpayer money. (just like SS but even worse).Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Fowler
BTW, they weren't terminated, they quit. big difference.
And the blue wall of silence clearly lives. We aren't chicago (yet, not sure about Denver), but without the resident's video, these guys would have had nothing. They TALKED ABOUT IT a week before in their daily briefing. Where were the other police officers (and their commanding officer) saying "hey, wait, stop, even joking about that stuff isn't funny" Nothing, big wall of silence.
[QUOTE=JohnTRourke;888529]You missed my point. PERA is not return of the employees money. About 8% of it is, the rest is taxpayer money. (just like SS but even worse). [QUOTE]
I believe they contribute 10% and their employer contributes 10%, but I could be off on the percentages. As stated before, it is money they earned and were entitled to as part of their compensation package for employment. After they leave (fired, quit, terminated, whatever), they do get a percentage of their pay back monthly at their retirement age.
Nope, we don't. I live in Boulder, which might just rival what you refer to. This is just the last six months in a small town in Colorado:Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Fowler
Boulder cop Elizabeth Ward: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2254753.html
Boulder cop Scott Morris: http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/12/1...-officers-car/
Several of the deputies who participated in the traffic stop recognized him from previous stops, and one of them said he had been pulled over 44 times in the past several years, according to the report.
Boulder cop Christian McCracken: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boul...tian-mccracken
Boulder cops Carter & Burnow: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22424249
So wait - these cops are ousted and charged, and you think they're getting away with something? The very fact that you can link to news articles about them points out the fact that they aren't protected by the blue wall.
I would argue that this might perhaps point to hiring or internal discipline issues internal to Boulder, but these people are in the public, terminated, and charged. You're not going to get better than that until the day when police hiring processes include the ability to predict all future behaviors.
You'll get no arguments from me that SSN is a terrible, terrible system that is doomed to failure. Simple math can dictate this.
These two guys will get a literal pittance from PERA, and they'll end up working some crappy menial job because police work doesn't prepare you for any alternative careers.
Also, don't get me wrong - what these guys did was illegal and shameful. And as police officers, when they break the law, the public deserves to know, and they need to be terminated. But anything beyond that is frankly unreasonable.