Paying Out Hundreds of Millions Over Police Misconduct
Chicago has a long and costly history of police misconduct and there are currently hundreds of civil rights cases against the city that are pending and under review. In 2016, the city paid roughly $32 million over various misconduct lawsuits. And since 2011, they've paid hundreds of millions, over $280 million total, on numerous lawsuits stemming from various misconduct allegations.
For 2018, they've already paid out more than $20 million because of various police misconduct cases that involve allegations of excessive force, illegal search and seizure, and false arrest.
The police board has criticized oversight committees for their failure to allegedly recognize or analyze any pattern that's taking place.
However, according to a previous investigation report by the Justice Department from last year into this issue, it was suggested that the problem rests with a police culture which permits and at times even encourages excessive force.
That this force isn't monitored effectively and there often isn't appropriate punishment for any wrongdoing.
Some of the most costly cases, it turns out, are those involving police shootings.
At the end of the day, they are paying hundreds of millions because people are being abused unjustly.
If those who are guilty of wrongdoing don't feel the pain in paying the cost for the damages that have been endured, and it instead is coming from taxpayers, then we shouldn't be surprised if there are many who might not feel pressure to change. That isn't to say that there aren't ever times when officers are held accountable for any wrongdoing, though most often it will be taxpayers who are footing the bill. How fast might the change come if those millions were coming from the pocket of the officer, the department, or their pension plans?
Pics:
pixabay
Sources:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/04/17/chicago-police-misconduct-case-settlements/
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160320/NEWS07/160319758/how-chicago-racked-up-a-662-million-police-misconduct-bill
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-police-department-of-justice-report-20170113-htmlstory.html
http://www.chicagoreporter.com/police-misconduct-payouts-continue-to-break-the-bank-in-chicago/?utm_source=SRichardson_Media&utm_medium=Email_060817&utm_campaign=Payouts
https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/12/when-cops-violate-civil-rights-its-city-taxpayers-who-pay/383419/
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/jury-awards-record-44-7m-in-chicago-police-misconduct-case/
Big Cities = Big Problems!...
What a news.. Your progress is impressive!I don't believe it.thanks for sharing
Police thinking should be legal but they make partnership with criminals to make money as like my coutry police help criminals instead of nation I hope Chicago's situations will better soon thanks for this news that you have pointed out @doitvoluntarily because corruption is bad activity.
Chicago is an amazing place, but there is so many issues and it often gets weird when it comes down to police, lawsuits and politics. I have sme of the best memories from Chicago, but sometimes it can be a tricky place to live in.
Wow this corruption is everywhere the people in power needs to do something about it
I like what you shared upvoted and resteemed
hopefully in chicago the future is getting better and safer
I think its a spamming comment...only very good...
The problem is, that the punishment doesn't hit them in the pocket book. They are just giving taxpayer money back to some specific tax payers.
These statistics don't even effect the police, as a whole's, ratings.
So, of course they ignore it.
I would suggest that people donate to a ETH smart contract address, and that smart contract pays the police. Thus, the police will be directly tied to the wishes of the people's pocket books.
Not a bad idea, everyone is a slave to money.
However what if one person has to much ETH than the next person and they are more corrupt than the other person, the police will be a slave to the rich rather than protect and serve.
Then there will become two police departments.
Instead of now, where it is one police department, who's job is to protect and serve the govern-cement. (rich people)
With blockchain it becomes painfully clear when any big interest decides to try to move things. Then the hi-jacking can be addressed publicly. And if it is not a clear violation of people's rights, then what would happen is that there would become two police departments. Or there will become one police department who is paid for and protects one person.
my country police same problem create all time....that is why many people hate police..its only for police dishonest behave..
I think you are right about the police, and really any authority figure, sometimes failing to be held to the standard they set for others, this is hypocrisy, and it saturates all of humanity, myself included. The best we can do is try to foster a heart for doing better, for being honest and genuine about our own failures in this way, and in so doing, hopefully inspire others to a higher way of being.
Lead by doing, not by saying.
But again, I really think you are right, and I do wish there was some easy way to fix it, but I really believe the problem is human selfishness, and tribalism, "us-vs-them", us police, vs everyone else. If we identify as part of any group in a way that makes that core to our identity we necessary become zealots for their sucess, despite corruption in that group, and growth will fail.
If we teach strong self identity, apart from the group, then individuals can stand together (as police, or whatever) but also accept that individuals within that group are not perfect, not faultless, and I think we can grow a sense of accountability by moving away from group identity as core.
Thoughts?
👍👍👍