Walt Cygan wrote: "It seems to me that if we are asking for a new Chief, and we want the MPD to change, we need to be able to articulate what we want them to change *to*."
The answer to this question is, in my opinion, fairly simple. We must have a police department that views the use of violence as their last resort in any situation. Currently, the MPD approaches many situations seeing violence as either a foregone outcome or the ideal response. Walt then wrote: "Some people have expressed a need for a civilian review authority with subpoena power and no police participation. Why would police have any respect for that process, if they felt it was simply a way to get back at them for perceived wrongs?" If the new CRA has the power to examine police policies and change them, and the power to discipline officers, the MPD and all its employees will have to respect the process. Even if it's grudging, grumbling respect. I suppose this assumes that the officers in question would like to keep their jobs. Though I don't think the populace would be badly served if certain MPD officers were to find us "impolite" and decide they want to find employment elsewhere. A related but--in my opinion--more important question is this: how can the people of Minneapolis have any respect for the policing process when our police invariably approach us in a state of either fear or aggression, with one hand on the nightstick or the gun? I've asked this before in different ways, and I'll answer it myself. We can't. So we need to change the system. Call your Council Member. Robin Garwood Seward Elected Member, Minneapolis/5th District Green Party Steering Committee _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
