Police

Gun Rights

This recent decision in DC saying there is right to carryis actually bigger news than you’d think. Why? Because up till now you did not have that right. This decision asserts constitutional rights beyond what the Supreme Court has ever ruled. The Court said that the government cannot prevent you from having a gun in your home for protections. But…

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Looking up to police officers

I just learned that cops in Greece have to be at least 5’7″ (170 cm) tall. Male and female. That’s crazy. Hell, I’m just barely over the cutoff. …which is the highest minimum in Europe, along with Malta, Romania and Serbia. At 152cm, Belgium has the lowest height requirement. Female applicants in Greece must also be 170cm tall, making them…

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Is Selling Untaxed Cigarettes Now A Capital Offense?

So asks W. James Antle III in the Daily Caller. The answer is no, even with death of Eric Garner. But it is an arrestable offense. And that’s a problem for police. It should be a problem for society. But people love passing stupid laws and then getting upset with police for enforcing them.

Police

How to change occupational culture

New York City just paid $2.75 million to settle a lawsuit from a prisoner who killed in Rikers. As a taxpayer, I worry about a million here and a million there. Pretty soon, as they say, we’re talking about real money. To the tune of $100 million each yearfor New York City. And indeed it does not grow on trees.…

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The chokehold that wasn’t?

Not surprisingly, the preliminary autopsy report in the death of Eric Garner shows, showsthat the “deadly encounter Thursday did not damage his windpipe or neck bones.” Why is the not surprising? Because I’m still not convinced there was any chokehold at all. It certainly did not happen when Mr. Garner was taken down. There may have been a chokehold later,…

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Meanwhile, in the land of Greek Americans

I’m featured in The National Herald, the largest Greek-American newspaper. Front page story, no less (below the fold). Must have been a slow news week. Read all about it.

Police

The sound of the drug war slowly crumbling…

…now includes police chiefs saying we should decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. It’s not that bold of a statement, but it is coming from an active chief of police! From Mlive: [Petersburg, Virginia, Police Chief John] Dixon said drug use and addiction ought to be addressed by public health officials, not police. He said that police often view drug arrests…

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Still of the Day

Direct predecessor to DEA agents proudly displaying their prohibition victory. After another decade of trying to make alcohol go away, Americans would wise up and regulate alcohol. Guys like these would then continue the prohibition fight against other drugs. It’s 92 years later and more than two million Americans are behind bars. Keep on keeping on! [Enlarged version here. Taken…

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Police

If you can say, “I can’t breath”…

The first thing that jumps to mind in the death of Eric Garneris that somebody who is repeatedly saying “I can’t breath” is, in fact, breathing. It’s a basic rules of choking, first aid, and well, the way we speak. [Update: Seems I’m probably very wrong about this.] Also, I’m no expert in chokeholds (because most departments forbid them), but…

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Police

Reporter fired for politically incorrect editorializing

With regards to the killing of Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago, Fox News TV reporter Sean Bergin no longer has a job after editorializing on-air: It’s important to shine a light on this racist mentality that has so contaminated policing and America’s inner-cities. … The underlying cause for all of this, of course, is America’s racist criminal justice system…

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