It’s perfectly understandable. Given that many, if they heard a gun discharge, would run as fast as they could toward the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts, there has to be some way to assess whether they are doing their job. And so the New York City Police Department has “goals”, which, to no one’s surprise, means quotas.
The problem, however, was made clear when P.O. Adil Polanco decided that he couldn’t take it anymore, issuing tickets to kids who were doing nothing more than coming home from school, arresting people who committed no crime, stopping and frisking because of the color of skin or the neighborhood of residence. From ABC Eyewitness News :
You can bet that Polanco won’t be getting his gold shield any time soon. The ramifications of his disclosure, supported by the recordings of what is said in roll call when cops don’t make their numbers, are obvious. They confirm our worst suspicions.
At the administrative level, the spin is clear. Police officers, like the rest of us, are expected to work for a living.
At the administrative level, the spin is clear. Police officers, like the rest of us, are expected to work for a living.
One Police Plaza declined our requests to interview the 41st precinct commander. But, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said, “Police Officers like others who receive compensation are provided productivity goals and they are expected to work.”And equally obvious is how the message plays out on the street.
Officer Polanco says if they are just goals, why are officers who fail to make them, re-assigned to different shifts or relocated far from home.And this is where the rationalization breaks down. If more officers were to stand up to the threats, refuse to issue bogus summons or arrest innocent people, the repercussions for failure to meet quotas would end. They would have to, as you can’t have an entire police force on desk duty, or in the Missing Persons Squad, where cops are sent to die. All it takes is a bit of guts and integrity. If not at the supervisory level, where petty ambition blinds cops from honesty, then at the street level where the police officers have to look into the eyes of the kids they bust to meet their quota.
It’s the consequences of not making the numbers or quotas, he says, that forces officers to give out bogus summonses.
People love to attribute heroism to cops. Most of the time, they call a cop a hero for being in the wrong place when a gun discharges. How about the cop who subjects himself to hatred and ridicule from his brethren in order to protect the public from those who lack the courage to stand up against a wrong? Sounds like a hero to me.
H/T Turk and Mike
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The deputy commissioner is incorrect. The duty of a police officer is to make his presence known in order to prevent crimes, to stop crimes in progress, and to investigate crimes, with such investigation leading to an arrest and conviction. Their jobs certainly are not to meet quotas for specious and bogus arrests and citations, or to make up crimes to meet a quota. If they do the above the jobs I cited, then they are being very productive.
“The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.”
My wife got a BS traffic ticket, I went to see the asst DA, but they refused to dismiss the ticket and instead offered a “deal”.
I suppose a lot of people would have jumped at the chance to make sure it stayed off their record, even if they had to pay a fine.
I told him I knew he was just ordered by his boss to do this, but I had to do what I had to also…and that I’d see them in court.
Case got dismissed…I don’t think they even bothered to have the cop show up.
Fight every BS ticket, don’t make deals to make it easy for them.
It is good to see this guy doing the right thing. I hope more will follow but I have my doubts.
Good advice John. Until the lawmakers enact a fee. Apparently some places in Mass. charge you a $275 fee if you want a judge to hear your case.
Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne:That’s right, they’re expected to work, NOT harass,falsely accuse, arrest&imprison & write up summonses to innocent individuals. I don’t appreciate all the damage your corrupted Police Officers,namely my own Family Members(who retaliate for me reporting my alcoholic/drug addicted Mother & Pedophile step-father),have done to me and others regularly.You need to get with the program & resign since you decide to do things in an unethical and dishonest way!Since I’m a Lawyer in my own right,your CORRUPTED Officers charges have all been sealed & dismissed. No thanks for the IRREPARABLE damage you,other Police Commissioners,D.A.’s like Richard Brown,flanking Court Personnel & Officers have done to my life.NO ONE can or will EVER be able to heal my outter & inner scars you’ve DELIBERATELY allowed & promoted to EXTREMELY destroy my life!Its a shame you all care more about the almighty dollar than the morals you NEED to possess.People like you tear down our Communities with your bullying,intimidation,accusations,manipulations,unethical practices,summonses,illegal arrests,illegal imprisonments,partiality, unfairness etc..You all with your big salaries are living off of the backs you victimize day in and day out. Your partial & conflict of interest associations with Judges,Law Clerks,Court Stenographers(like my retired Aunt),Police, Court Officers,Court Clerks etc. only shows decades of corruption innocent people like me can’t escape & whose lives have been torn down as not to be able to succeed in life.You shatter our dreams with false charges that are forever on our records & prevent us from having jobs & supporting our Families.Sooooooo please don’t say “they’re expected to do their jobs” etc.. That is a crock of crap. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO FALSELY ACCUSE, BE CONTEMPTUOUS, BULLY, INTIMIDATE IN VARIOUS WAYS, SHAPES & FORMS. My life has been destroyed because of unethical and corrupted people like you.This is PRECISELY why I’m an Activist. The trouble started with the fact that when I reached out & told my story to 3 corrupted Suffolk County Police Officers about child molestation, abuse & neglect, they did nothing! No child should have to fear for their safety in their OWN home especially when she HAS Police Family like me.SHAME ON THE WHOLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS IF YOU ARE N O T A PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU A R E A PART OF THE PROBLEM!!~*~*~*~Respectfully, Impartially & Sincerely, Ms. Victoria Mary Stong / Humanitarian, Civil Rights & Community Activist, 9/11 Family Member, Former 1st Responder & Ground Zero Worker 9/11-11/10/01,Singer,Former;Auxiliary Police Officer,Choir Member for St. Patricks Cathedral & Nursing Volunteer for The Veterans Hospital at 23rd & 1st Ave. in N.Y.C.-Well Seasoned!-You are NOT better than me or anyone else you allow to be constantly victimized!
[Ed. Note: Comment deleted. VMS, this isn’t a personal message board or soap box.]