Police Reform

I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF POLICE REFORM...

The police have gotten TOO POWERFUL as they attempt to STOP:

• Urban and Residential Crime
• The selling of illegal drugs in our cities
• Organized Crime and Racketeering
• Extortion and Bribery
• Gang violence and murders
• Rape and Sexual Assault

There was a time in the USA where CRIMINALS had better and more powerful weapons than the police...  and, as the police BITCHED AND COMPLAINED, city councils and States allocated monies for them to acquire sophisticated weaponry and SWAT teams.

I live in the Valley of East TN...   not in a city...  and, certainly not in a BIG CITY...  and, most days when I am out and about, I very seldom see any police at all.  And, when I do, they are not seen intimidating blacks in any way shape or form.

However, I cannot say the same is true for:  Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, or Chattanooga because I have never lived in those areas for any length of time...  primarily just visiting if I went there at all.

PERSONALLY, I have no desire to live in a CITY large or small.

I also know that the State of TN has one of the lowest Highway Patrol Forces of any State...  and, taking that into consideration, it is highly UNLIKELY that one will get caught for SPEEDING on the interstates in TN unless you are near an urban area...

Nowadays, Highway Patrols here have enlisted the help of Sheriff Departments and local police to stop violators of the posted speed limits.  Still, their numbers are still small and since there are so many people exceeding the speed limits on a regular basis, they only stop those that they are relatively confident will not get overturned in a court of law if the ticket were to be challenge...  OR, the violator has an OUT OF STATE plate.

HERE"S THE POINT:  Law Enforcement NUMBERS help deter crime..  the more police the less crime...

During BIKE WEEK at Myrtle Beach last year...  my wife and I were there because we overlooked those dates...  always avoiding that week...  but, last year we were there...   and, saw first hand that the city of Myrtle Beach had a HUGE POLICE PRESENCE drawing on nearby police departments to provide additional manpower.

On the main beach road, there was only ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC and there was a group of several police every other block and a few police every other block...  the flow of traffic was stop and go and remained that way for the 4 hours we moved down that road.

All of the police wore protective vests and were heavily armed...

There was no trouble provided by the BIKERS even when most of them got drunk and began walking around the town...

I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE IF THE POLICE PRESENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT IN HALF...  OR, IF MYRTLE BEACH HAD BEEN FORCED TO RELY ON ITS OWN DEPARTMENT NUMBERS...