Problem with law enforcement
The issue, as I see it, is that law enforcement officers measure success by the number of arrests. I would think that fewer arrests (i.e., fewer committing crimes) would be the appropriate measure of success. Sadly, it’s not or how could you explain this:
The arrests were for selling legal items like sudafed (in legal quantities), while “knowing” they would be used to make meth. The undercover cops would hit convenience stores run by Indians (who often spoke limited English) and casually mention slang terms like “cooking” to refer to meth — something the foreign clerks didn’t even understand. A stupid law, a stupid sting, and a gross injustice.
Abysmal. The ACLU is on the case.
November 23rd, 2005 at 9:51 am
Too bad “Police Entrapment” isn’t a jailable offense.
November 23rd, 2005 at 11:16 am
Yeah,
Thats going on in Walker and Catoosa County Georgia. Having a place in LaFayette, I know all about it. On the one hand, the PoPo (both state and local) really did screw these folks over. Sure there are cultural issues (not really rascism as the NY Times suggested, but rather cultural and language barriers), but I also have to wonder how innocent some of the shop owners are.
Walker County is the meth HQ for Georgia and you can go anywhere (ANYWHERE – anystore, restuarant, etc.) without seeing signs asking you to be on the lookout for people buying certain products. In most places – as idiotic as it seems – the supplies of sudafed etc. have either been removed (which sucked last time I was down and my allergies acted up) or have been removed to behind the counter in a locked case. I just can’t see how these folks didn’t understand there was a crack down.
My gut feeling is some of them are guilty (meaning they had the intent to skirt the law) and some aren’t. Still, its interesting the ACLU is going to get invovled. Don’t really know what role they will play – and knowing Walker County, I highly doubt the ACLU will be effective. Rather, what they need, is to head down to Summerville and hire Bobby Lee Cook (the guy Matlock is based on).
November 27th, 2005 at 10:27 pm
First of all, Law Enforcement is in place do enforce laws. When laws are broken people go to jail. If people don’t break the law they don’t go to jail. It really makes me laugh when I see people make comments about the Police making too many arrests and writing too many tickets. I suppose people should just be left alone to speed, cook meth and whatever else they want to do? If thats your position then you should write your congressman or councilman to get the laws changed.
Secondly, the Meth laws were put into effect due to the severity of the meth problem. Once your on meth there is no going back. People are dying everyday from meth and innocent children are crawling around on house floors where meth is being cooked. One inhalation can kill or severally injure you for life. Should these people be allowed to cook thier drugs and to hell with everyone else?
lastly: Don’t believe everything you hear, read and see on the 11 o’clock news. Most of these police stories are trumped up lies to get ratings and sell papers. In have been involved in many case and NOT ONCE has the media got it right! Not Once! As far as the ACLU….well thier a joke! We laugh at them daily. They want nothing more in life than to allow freedom of rape, drug use, violence, murder and corruption all wrapped up in the nice little package called FREEDOM. Ironic….the freedom they enjoy, I defend!
November 27th, 2005 at 10:48 pm
Who said that? And what does that have to do with police officers taking advantage of folks who don’t speak english? A few bad cops/departments can give the rest a bad name.
And that’s no excuse to entrap people. The war on drugs is generally an afront to liberties these days.
That, I can believe.
I’m far from a fan of the ACLU but they wan’t none of those things. In this case, they want cops to not take advantage of people who don’t speak english. And they’re right, that shouldn’t happen.