20 Questions
What was the main concern of Professor Peter Kraska and his associates regarding the police?
The militarization of U.S. police departments
What did the author find to be the most important factor in police work based on his study?
The non-negotiable use of coercion
What did Professor Kraska and his associates believe was 'taking over' U.S. police departments?
The use of force by the SWAT teams
What was the author's primary criticism of Professor Kraska and his associates' argument?
A failure to properly analyze their data and a misunderstanding of the war on drugs
According to Christopher Cooper, what has American police departments shifted from?
Community policing to a militarized approach
What does Radley Balko focus on in relation to SWAT raids?
No-knock raids for drugs
What is criticized by Radley Balko in relation to SWAT teams?
Mistakes and potential danger
What does the ACLU report conclude about SWAT raids?
They are often unjustified
According to the text, what is the root cause of SWAT team use and mass incarceration of poor blacks and Hispanics?
War on drugs
How did the police in Ferguson, Missouri respond to riots?
Armored vehicles, tear gas, and rifles
How do the Baltimore riots in 2015 differ from the Ferguson riots?
Saw a police van death and widespread looting
What was the outcome of the Laquan McDonald case?
Officer Jason Van Dyke was indicted for murder
What led to the death of Eric Garner?
He was put in a chokehold by police
What happened to the officers involved in the Tamir Rice incident?
No actions were taken against them
What is Project Ceasefire?
A program offering social services to individuals involved in shootings and homicides
What is the primary aim of Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)?
To reduce violence through verbal de-escalation and restraint
How do Scottish police effectively handle most individuals?
By employing verbal de-escalation and distance
What can help avoid European soccer riots according to the text?
'Dialogue policing' involving negotiations with demonstrators
How does the discipline of military personnel and firefighters differ from that of the police according to the text?
Military personnel and firefighters follow orders to attack enemies or extinguish fires, unlike police
'Police critics, such as Kraska and Balko,' according to the text, do what in their analysis?
Focus on sensational cases and ignore the mundane aspects of most police work
Study Notes
- The text discusses the perception of militarized police during protests and analyzes three controversial police killings: Lequan McDonald, Tamir Rice, and Eric Garner.
- Laquan McDonald was killed by Officer Jason Van Dyke for no apparent reason, leading to his indictment for murder.
- Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy, was shooting a toy gun and was immediately shot by police, with no officers being indicted in the incident.
- Eric Garner was selling cigarettes and died after being put in a chokehold by police, with no officers being indicted for their actions.
- Project Ceasefire is a program where individuals involved in most shootings and homicides are identified and offered a choice between harsh punishment or social services, significantly reducing violent crimes.
- Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) can reduce violence by employing verbal de-escalation and using restraint.
- Scottish police effectively handle most individuals without the use of force by using verbal de-escalation, distance, and plastic shields.
- European soccer riots can be avoided through "dialogue policing," which involves negotiations with demonstrators.
- The police are often accused of being militarized, but military personnel and firefighters have closer discipline and follow orders to attack enemies or extinguish fires, while police use restraint.
- Police critics, such as Kraska and Balko, selectively focus on sensational cases and ignore the mundane aspects of most police work, which involves preventive patrol, writing traffic tickets, and answering calls for non-violent situations.
Test your knowledge on the militarization of the police and the related literature, including critiques and analyses of real-life events such as the riots in Ferguson and Baltimore.
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