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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The U.S. faces an epidemic of not only police violence - but police insurrection against civilian oversight

by Joan Walsh
If you thought nothing could top Cleveland police union chief Jeff Follmer's brazen defense of police authority - "the nation needs to realize, when we tell you to do something, do it" - you need to read this story about New York Patrolmen's Benevolent Association head Patrick Lynch's meltdown in the wake of criticism over the NYPD's killing of Eric Garner in Staten Island.
Because Mayor Bill de Blasio won't let cops do "what's right," Lynch tells his members to use "extreme discretion" when policing "our enemies" - which, in context, sounds like advocating a work slowdown.
"If we won't get support when we do our jobs, if we're going to get hurt for doing what's right, then we're going to do it the way they want it," he told his members in a meeting last Friday that was secretly recorded, and leaked to Capital New York. "Let me be perfectly clear. We will use extreme discretion in every encounter …"
"Our friends, we're courteous to them. Our enemies, extreme discretion. The rules are made by them to hurt you. Well now we'll use those rules to protect us."
He doesn't define who the NYPD's enemies are. He presumes his audience will know.
On the one hand, Lynch's comments are good news - if police are really going to use "extreme discretion" - or as Lynch says, just follow "the rules" - that's what we all want. (A PBA spokesman says that's exactly what Lynch was advocating: "The message I got was do the job right.")
On the other hand, the histrionic, self-pitying tone of his comments makes clear he's urging cops to follow a ludicrous interpretation of "the rules" to the detriment of the communities they're supposed to serve. 

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