Somewhere along the way, the police services have anointed themselves in charge of the operational aspects of the dispute mechanisms AND whether they will bother with the obligations they are sworn to uphold. This is an obvious conflict of interest that leaves the political masters holding the bag. The police departments must have autono…
Somewhere along the way, the police services have anointed themselves in charge of the operational aspects of the dispute mechanisms AND whether they will bother with the obligations they are sworn to uphold. This is an obvious conflict of interest that leaves the political masters holding the bag. The police departments must have autonomy to make the operational decisions with available resources, but politicians have to answer to the public and ensure that the law is enforced.
What is unfolding is a police department hierarchy of acceptable lawlessness. The low hanging fruit like DUIs and traffic infractions are eagerly pursued and yet public spaces are allowed to be overrun by encampments, scaring young families away. Hard drugs are consumed in public and drunkenness and drug induced behaviour is normalized. And increasingly, mobs are allowed wide discretion to bring traffic and commerce to a standstill.
This is going to end up badly. Our social contract for peace and order with each other is rotting away right in front of our eyes.
Today, police budgets are going through the roof with generous pay packets and pensions, which can be justified for the dangers of the occupation. But it’s fair to wonder: Is society is getting their money’s worth?
Somewhere along the way, the police services have anointed themselves in charge of the operational aspects of the dispute mechanisms AND whether they will bother with the obligations they are sworn to uphold. This is an obvious conflict of interest that leaves the political masters holding the bag. The police departments must have autonomy to make the operational decisions with available resources, but politicians have to answer to the public and ensure that the law is enforced.
What is unfolding is a police department hierarchy of acceptable lawlessness. The low hanging fruit like DUIs and traffic infractions are eagerly pursued and yet public spaces are allowed to be overrun by encampments, scaring young families away. Hard drugs are consumed in public and drunkenness and drug induced behaviour is normalized. And increasingly, mobs are allowed wide discretion to bring traffic and commerce to a standstill.
This is going to end up badly. Our social contract for peace and order with each other is rotting away right in front of our eyes.
Today, police budgets are going through the roof with generous pay packets and pensions, which can be justified for the dangers of the occupation. But it’s fair to wonder: Is society is getting their money’s worth?