this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2025
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THE POLICE PROBLEM

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    The police problem is that police are policed by the police. Cops are accountable only to other cops, which is no accountability at all.

    99.9999% of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct is never investigated, never punished, never makes the news, so it's not on this page.

    When cops are caught breaking the law, they're investigated by other cops. Details are kept quiet, the officers' names are withheld from public knowledge, and what info is eventually released is only what police choose to release — often nothing at all.

    When police are fired — which is all too rare — they leave with 'law enforcement experience' and can easily find work in another police department nearby. It's called "Wandering Cops."

    When police testify under oath, they lie so frequently that cops themselves have a joking term for it: "testilying." Yet it's almost unheard of for police to be punished or prosecuted for perjury.

    Cops can and do get away with lawlessness, because cops protect other cops. If they don't, they aren't cops for long.

    The legal doctrine of "qualified immunity" renders police officers invulnerable to lawsuits for almost anything they do. In practice, getting past 'qualified immunity' is so unlikely, it makes headlines when it happens.

    All this is a path to a police state.

    In a free society, police must always be under serious and skeptical public oversight, with non-cops and non-cronies in charge, issuing genuine punishment when warranted.

    Police who break the law must be prosecuted like anyone else, promptly fired if guilty, and barred from ever working in law-enforcement again.

    That's the solution.

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Our definition of ‘cops’ is broad, and includes prison guards, probation officers, shitty DAs and judges, etc — anyone who has the authority to fuck over people’s lives, with minimal or no oversight.

♦ ♦ ♦

RULES

Real-life decorum is expected. Please don't say things only a child or a jackass would say in person.

If you're here to support the police, you're trolling. Please exercise your right to remain silent.

Saying ~~cops~~ ANYONE should be killed lowers the IQ in any conversation. They're about killing people; we're not.

Please don't dox or post calls for harassment, vigilantism, tar & feather attacks, etc.

Please also abide by the instance rules.

It you've been banned but don't know why, check the moderator's log. If you feel you didn't deserve it, hey, I'm new at this and maybe you're right. Send a cordial PM, for a second chance.

♦ ♦ ♦

ALLIES

!abolition@slrpnk.net

!acab@lemmygrad.ml

r/ACAB

r/BadCopNoDonut/

Randy Balko

The Civil Rights Lawyer

The Honest Courtesan

Identity Project

MirandaWarning.org

♦ ♦ ♦

INFO

A demonstrator's guide to understanding riot munitions

Adultification

Cops aren't supposed to be smart

Don't talk to the police.

Killings by law enforcement in Canada

Killings by law enforcement in the United Kingdom

Killings by law enforcement in the United States

Know your rights: Filming the police

Three words. 70 cases. The tragic history of 'I can’t breathe' (as of 2020)

Police aren't primarily about helping you or solving crimes.

Police lie under oath, a lot

Police spin: An object lesson in Copspeak

Police unions and arbitrators keep abusive cops on the street

Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States

So you wanna be a cop?

When the police knock on your door

♦ ♦ ♦

ORGANIZATIONS

Black Lives Matter

Campaign Zero

Innocence Project

The Marshall Project

Movement Law Lab

NAACP

National Police Accountability Project

Say Their Names

Vera: Ending Mass Incarceration

 

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The homeowner told police the two men said they were police and claimed they were at the home to serve a warrant.

"[The homeowner] became suspicious, because, you know, they have a ring camera too, and the suspects were saying they had a warrant, but it was just two people and they're masked up and no police cars, no lights or anything like that," said Lt. Khan with HPD.

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[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 4 points 1 day ago

Did any real people get shot?

[–] ansiz@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even if these guys were actually ICE agents and were killed, odds are the feds would just deny it and keep moving forward. But the way I know they weren't is just because there were only 2 of them and the homeowner wasn't shot and killed by other ICE agents.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 4 points 1 day ago

They have so much money and people, they probably won't even notice these two missing.

[–] Stupidmanager@lemmy.world 52 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Stringer noted that real officers do not wear ski masks.

Not yet. ICE does in a way, but not police… yet.

[–] RUN_DMG@sh.itjust.works 23 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

At some point, police said the men shot at the homeowner through the door, prompting the homeowner to return fire.

It wasn't even like he preemptively shot at them first. They tried to shoot down the door.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 40 points 1 day ago (5 children)

If warrantless masked men come to your door, even claiming to be cops or ICE, far as I'm concerned they're fair game. I better see blue lights out front and in no case am I opening the door.

Call the cops right off the bat. Case after case after case demonstrates that he who calls 911 first wins. A mugger can approach you, you pull a gun, gets run off and calls 911 first? You got some splainin' to do Lucy. CALL 911 FIRST.

STFU and grab your weapon. Don't yell or threaten, don't say a word. Prepare to fight and STFU until the cops come. Anything you say in the lead up can be used against you. STFU.

I have a gun within reach anywhere I stand in my house. Sound fruity? Meh, maybe. I got that way after a bear wandered in the dog door. In no case is ICE coming in this house to drag my wife off without a fight. Will I die? Most likely. But they're not getting a free pass.

[–] ook@discuss.tchncs.de 35 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Every day, I wake up happy I don't live in the USA. I have to think about none of this. I hope it stays that way.

[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 16 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Yeah, I feel more and more like I won the jackpot being born in Sweden...

[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 2 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

Yeah I'm just hoping people learn from the US example but I'm afraid too many people don't have the political analysis to connect the dots between a rightward shift in politics and fascism as its natural conclusion.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

My kids 10 and I tell him often to get out when he's old enough, I'll help fund his move to Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, don't give a fuck. Go explore and decide away from this place.

[–] ook@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 day ago

Aside from the grenade murdering.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Be vigilant. I was born in 1971 and never imagined today's America.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

As an embarrassed "American" (whatever that means anymore) I fully agree, take me from this place.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thanks for letting me know that I can rob you if I just flash some blue lights

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Missed a bit there hombre!

and in no case am I opening the door

[–] itisileclerk@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Where do you live? Seriosly, I live in Europe, never been in USA and reading stuff like this I will never ever go in a country where anybody could have a gun. Sometime I forgot to lock my appartment at night, don't own a gun. Simple life. There are thieves but most of the time they don't have a weapon, maybe a knife.

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Uh, europeans have guns too.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thinking about moving to the Philippines and telling my wife it would be a bummer to never get to shoot again. She looked at me like I grew a second head. LOL, she has a relative that owns a gun store and Filipinos are simply mad for 1911s. Who knew?

Americans don't have a gun problem. American's have a culture problem.

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

A Fillipino made 1911 is my overt fav. Inexpensive and fabulously well made. I knew. ;)

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

NW Florida, America. No, not everyone can have a gun, and not as many people are armed as you might think. Bear in mind, unusual events get reported, because they are unusual. There are 340,000,000 souls here. It's a big-assed country, weird shit happens.

And yes, I used to leave my house unlocked all the time. The only reason I started locking up was to keep anyone from stealing my guns. (After the "bear incident".) How's that for irony?

None the less, I had felt safe leaving my door unlocked, and usually did, but now, with the current political situation and having a brown immigrant wife ...🤷🏻 Doors locked, 12-gauge leaning on the desk, AR-15 resting on the nightstand. But I'm damned thankful to be armed and practiced. Fucking nuts! I never imagined.

Anyway, I've been in many situations, both in the wild and on the street, mostly in the wild, where I was glad to be armed. Having said that, I've led a life that's a bit more... adventurous, than most Americans. Please do not take my anecdotes to be typical of American life. And please don't take our media reports to be typical.

[–] Bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

As a very quick amendment to what you have to say, call 911first IF YOU ARE SAFE TO DO SO. Under most circumstances, yeah, you can do that first. Just make sure you or someone else are not in ACTIVE AND IMMEDIATE danger before you call 911

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thank you. I should have said grab your weapon and unsafe it first, then call 911. Can you believe we're having this fucking discussion!?!

[–] Bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Well, yeah, this is always a good thing to remind people. Its not taught enough, honestly.

[–] Greyghoster@aussie.zone 34 points 1 day ago

The problem with the rule of law is that everyone has to be accountable and believe that the law is on their side. Friends, neighbours, strangers, police, politicians etc all are expected to do the right thing. When those in authority don’t the whole thing breaks down. In this case the 2 perps probably had observed how ICE gets around and emulated the behaviour. Lucky the homeowner was using an earlier version of lawful behaviour as a guide.

[–] Supervisor194@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

"[The homeowner] became suspicious, because, you know, they have a ring camera too, and the suspects were saying they had a warrant, but it was just two people and they're masked up and no police cars, no lights or anything like that," said Lt. Khan with HPD.

Note to self: make sure to have easily available lights flashing if you're going to do a home invasion.

Stringer noted that real officers do not wear ski masks.

What a load of shit. SWAT goddamn will wear ski masks.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

If swats coming, you're gonna know it. There is no mistaking that IF your even see them before your door blows off it's hinges.

[–] kriz@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago

Need you over at Shitty Life Pro Tips!

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The homeowner was not hurt in the gunfire, but the two men were both hit and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the two men were wearing bulletproof vests and had some sort of badge around their necks.

Those bulletproof vests don't seem to have been of much use....

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

They generally aren't against rifle fire. Don't know what the man used, but an AR-15 round is tiny, basically .22 caliber, and fast, 3,400FPS or so. 12-gauge shotshell will knock the living shit out of someone, even if armored. And so will a Colt .45. :)

A bullet proof vest is more of a bullet resistant vest if it doesn't have strike plates, and even then common rifles can penetrate at close range.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Sxan@piefed.zip -2 points 1 day ago

Þat þey weren't real cops?

[–] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you have a door cam, never answer the door unless you know the person.

Use sense, cops wear body armor and show up in numbers for a warrant, obviously armed, and not in street clothes in one car that isn't an American brand. If they try to kick down the door, shoot through the door until you know you fucked up. If they use a battering ram, don't make the situation worse and hope for a fat payout through the courts if you aren't up to some shit.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Story says "some sort of badge around their necks". So we're they impersonating cops?