4/23/15

Lynch to target police abuse in forces like RCPD, APD

Tim Giago sees little difference between Rapid City and Ferguson, Missouri where today Michael Brown's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against that police department.

The cop who managed 'a bunch of racists' wants to be Rapid City's mayor.

A federal judge has ruled that Christopher Capps' family can sue for wrongful death after the unarmed Lakota man was gunned down by Pennington County deputy.
Loretta Lynch, who the Senate confirmed Thursday to be the nation’s next attorney general, has said she’d make it one of her “highest priorities” to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has two tools available to reform police departments. The first is a program in which it works collaboratively with law enforcement agencies who ask for assistance to implement best practices. That program, administered by the department’s COPS office (Community Oriented Policing Services), started in 2011. The other tool is more powerful: the ability to investigate police departments for patterns or practices of misconduct, and then sue them to implement reforms. Since the DOJ first received this authority, under a law passed by Congress in 1994, it has launched at least 66 so-called “pattern or practice” investigations. [PBS Frontline]
The Albuquerque Police Department, ridiculed for its brutality and ineptitude in the award-winning series Breaking Bad, has added two more officers to the list under investigation for possible use-of-force violations.

To her credit, GOP Governor Susana Martinez signed a law aimed at ending property forfeiture and Policing for Profit.

Lynch has shown some reticence about cannabis legalization while out-going Attorney General Eric Holder sees value in not imprisoning people for its possession and enjoyment.

2 comments:

Duffer said...

The Jury will be watching Ms Lynch closely Mr. Kurtz. Some of her statements give one pause. Cannabis is more dangerous than alcohol - for one. Wow. Just fucking wow.

Michele Leonhart does herself in at DEA. The President couldn't find it within himself to fire her for gross insubordination.

In interviews, the President states he can't understand why so many people believe cannabis law change is so important. Because people are still going to jail for it Sir . . . . . that's fucking why.

We wait patiently for someone to stand up and show some cajones. Will it be Congress?

larry kurtz said...

Excellent point, Duff. Leonhart is pretty much universally hated by both major political parties and by unaffiliated voters as well: her replacement's confirmation will be yet another shit storm of biblical proportions.