.png) |
| Not Arkansas. Not 21st century. |
Police officers in Paragould, Arkansas, soon will commence AR-15-assisted foot patrols, during which they will approach random citizens to demand identification and ascertain the citizens' reasons for being outside.
The Paragould Police confirmed the plan in a notice posted a couple days ago on their website. Officials acknowledge that the plan has alarmed the local populace:
Many citizens, through various media outlets, have expressed a concern about the police "violating rights" or "violating the Constitution". *
But police say such actions are necessary:
Understand, crime is fluid and ever-changing. We as law enforcement are forced to change with it.
Police explained the plan further:
Officers will be working to identify residents in [high crime areas] so that we can better serve our affected neighborhoods. Most often, this identification process will be nothing more than making contact with a subject, handing them a business card, and asking if they live in the area and if there's anything we can do for them.
During hours in which crime seems to be more prevalent (i.e. between the hours of 11pm and 5 am), our process will become more stringent. We will be asking for picture identification. We will be ascertaining where the subject lives and what they are doing in the area. We will be keeping a record of those we contact. The record keeping is two-fold: First, we want to try to keep from over-lapping making contact with the same people multiple times.
Once we know where people live, or that they always walk in that particular neighborhood, then we'll not need to repeat that contact. We will not be harassing citizens. Secondly, by documenting those of the criminal element,** we have a record of that contact and where/when it occurred. An example of where this will be helpful is if a crime (i.e. burglary, breaking or entering) is reported the next morning. We then have a list of "go-to" suspects to question regarding that incident or incidents.
As for the AR-15's:
The AR-15 and police work is nothing new. Our Street Crimes Unit will not be wearing them constantly. That would be impractical.... When our officers deploy into areas where there is the potential for contacting several subjects in a high-crime area, that is when the potential deployment of AR-15's will occur.
Somehow, this all sounds eerily familiar. Yes, I believe we have seen this before. It was in another time and another place, and not so long ago.
*Note the strategic use of quotation marks, as if to question or perhaps mock the suggestion that this plan violates our Constitution.
**This in particular puzzles me. Do i.d. cards in Arkansas specify which element citizens belong to? How many social elements are there? Who decides, and on what basis?
11 comments:
So when do they expect to deploy the Straßenkriminalität Einheit, oops, I mean the (ahem) "Street Crimes Unit".
A friend of mine (much younger than I) and one of her friends have this theory that if you put something in quotation marks, it makes it creepy. Certainly a prime example here as you've noted. This is definitely creepy.
When should we start talking about the slippery slope?
I believe this plan is set to go into effect in the new year, although the Stra- I mean, Street Crimes Unit is already active.
There is a sort of reverse creepiness at play, here, with the fact of the quotation marks is in itself a display of high creep.
Slipper slope, you say? Can you throw me a rope, so I can climb back up the ledge?
Guess I won't go to Arkansas like I planned! lol
Everyone take a deep breath. Lets go visit Realville for a few minutes. Take my hand, we'll be OK. Look around. You see, here in Realville, criminals commit crime; people get hurt; propperty gets stolen. Citizens bitch and moan that the police weren't there to stop it.
Police increase visibility; become pro-active in high crime areas during high crime time frames and suddenly its 1939? GMAFB. As to the AR15's, let me explain how it is out here in Realville. There are neighborhoods that I wouldn't drive through during certain times without a Humvee and a mini-gun. Gangs, esp MS13 and seveal others, have better weaponry than the police. There are individuals who are better armed than the police. There are evil people in Realville. Evil bad muthafawkas who dont give a furry rats ass aout nothing but hurting and stealing and the next hit from the crack pipe. Thats Realville. Thats America. I'd prefer LEO's actually "Serving and Protecting" than trying to figure out who did it after the fact. Make up your minds what you want from the police. Reaction or proaction. Prevent crime or investigate it. Find the bad guys before they act stupid or wait for the 911 call.
You cant have it both ways.
Now, y'all do realize that this is SOP in Israel, right? I know they have a bigger issue than just your run of the mill street thug, but think about this: We know radical islamists are living in this country. We know what their agenda is. Suppose one of these nightly patrols finds a person of ME background walking the streets after "normal" hours? Suppose they run this ME person's pedigree and find he's on some watch list? Still sound like 1939? Or does it sound like maybe there might be an up side to this? Just asking from the purely cynical and paranoid perspective I have gained from living here in Realville, USA.
Semper Paratus
Semper Vigilio
Semper Fidelis
Well, Bob, now that you have brought up the Patriot Act and the TSA...
these have been the locus of abuse, as well. Should we round up suspicious characters and put them in a holding pen just in case they are plotting something bad? We are on a slippery slope with random i.d. checks and the cataloging of citizens.
I can see both sides of the argument. I am with Bob with regards to Prevent vs Investigate. I am with SKK about the potential for abuse. If we can find a middle ground somewhere, great. Might be interesting to see if the "bad" neighborhoods move to avoid the police presence.
Would some enterprising person organize about 100 "strangers" to drop into Paragould every hour for about a week to meet the police? The "strangers" could aimlessly wander through the entire city, be punctiliously polite, refuse to provide identification to the SE (what color shirts do they wear? brown, maybe?), and record every encounter via streaming video and audio that could not be deleted (accidentally) by the SE.
I never mentioned the Patriot Act or TSA. Although we could a lot better on the airport security front if we used Israeli methods. Unless and until the police start coming through the door without a warrant, I'll let them do the job we ask them to do. Serve and Protect. The streets are public ground. The police have every right to ask any individual who they are and what they are doing when they occupy public ground. I do expect the Anti-Christian Lawyers Union (Jihad with a law degree) to be all over this one any minute now.
I know you didn't, Bob - I was rhetorical rhetoric. ; )
However, I'm real serious in my view that it's a very bad idea to presume that everyone in a given neighborhood is a potential criminal to be placed in a ledger of likely suspects, and that police can simply walk up to citizens and demand i.d.
What's a little precedent for dispensing with due process for keeping the children safe? Straßenkriminalität Einheit indeed. Wait'll the "crime" becomes "hate speech" or possession of a once-legal firearm or ammunition of any kind.
Taking the rights of the law-abiding will surely stop MS13 and Latin Kings and NBPP.
Precedent. If you think it will be used only against criminals, you missed the 20th Century.
Post a Comment