Ted Rall for June 13, 2022

The republicans have turned “defund” into a political game. Nothing wrong with looking to see if the budget is used wisely… if there are redundant programs that serve no purpose.. if resources could be better used.. does every station need armoured vehicles…….

Here, the “thin blue line” to serve and protect “professionals” hand out traffic tickets like candy. Plus seize funds from any “suspicious” (preferably brown) person randomly walking down the street. Taking the money and building their own private fitness club. Also riding around in police cars to tanning salons and restaurants with their dates. Brought this up to the city manager who told me it was the “price of having police protection, and maybe since you don’t like it, they will be too busy to respond to your call when you need them”. Tell me, what’s the diff between the mob and them except the blue uniforms?

Hmm, tough choice.

Gadzooks! Jaywalkers will run wild in the streets!

https://www.newsweek.com/cartoonist-los-angeles-times-lapd-628466

It’s the old false dilemma fallacy.

Uh, it’s not an equal choice, Ted. I’ll take the one who’s sworn an oath to serve and protect. There are still a few of us who understand what that means, doncha know? Fortunately, a “few” are all that’s needed.

Given how few elected officials are actually calling for taking money away from police departments I wonder just how real this choice is rather than just being a political talking point. Sure a few cities here and there want to fund diversion programs or have social workers intervene in certain conflicts before calling the police; and some of those want to use money that would otherwise go to their local police but they are outliers. If police are actually sitting on their hands then they are responding to the thought of being defunded and over wrought media stories rather than actual proposals by those in a position to actually carry through on the threat.

I need to stop looking at Ted’s cartoons. I can see all the bat guano I need elsewhere.

They have immunity- the cops.

Time to play “Spot the real criminal here”.

CLEARLY it’s not working! Dumbasses!

Did you know that state troopers are trained to touch the cars they stop so that if they are gunned down by the driver there will be physical evidence left behind. Cops have a right to be a little nervous, there are more guns than people in America and any fool can get one.

I’m not saying this excuses racism and police brutality, but it’s something to consider when we criticize them.

If this is meant to be literal,I have no idea where you’re getting your premise.

Locally they took part of the budget to hire mental health people to handle calls for things like domestic violence where no weapons involved. They actually trained for YEARS to do that!! A week’s seminar at the police academy is not the same.

Just when did “To protect and serve.” end?

How does Rall know the cops are sitting on their hands?

This is the Republican interpretation of a discussion that we might need to spend more money on handling the mentally ill in a more effective way than just letting them walk around the streets with no medication or other intervention until they actually kill someone, then require police to do something about them. In the 1950’s, those who seemed to possibly pose a danger to society or themselves were sent to mental institutions. It is unlikely that they were lovely places to live, and almost certain that abuses took place in them. Laws were placed to “fix” the problem, and the result was that many of them were closed. While this solved the problem of bad institutions for these people, it didn’t solve the problem of the fact that they existed, still do, and need to be dealt with in some way BEFORE the police need to become involved.

Maybe we can use the money cops are getting, as tribute to the criminals. Probably be cheaper, and less violent. (too bad tribute never works in the long run).

In St. Louis, the police are racist (even for police, I mean) and corrupt (ditto), and also understaffed by about 200, last time I saw the numbers. It’s like the old joke, the two old women complaining about a new restaurant: A: “The food there is horrible!” B: “Yes, and such small portions!”

If politicians don’t respect the law why should any body else?

But if we defund the police who will protect us from jaywalking cartoonists who aren’t even jaywalking?

Read all the above comments and then ask yourself if you would take that job.

I’ve always figured that cops should get double the penalty than a regular citizen for any offense. Even if it is jaywalking while off duty, and that the courts should be ruthless when a cop is brought to trial. And if a cop is caught trying to hide evidence of their guilt, it is a felony. A arms-length group could have the job specifically of hunting down dirty cops.

That way the public would have more reason to trust the integrity of police. Rather than the current state of corrupt cops being protected by the system.

I would also be fine with cops being paid substantially more if they could keep their job in a system like that.

Joseph Wambaugh called them “The New Centurions” but new Praetorian Guard would be more appropriate. People who know Roman history will know that’s not a good thing.

I just love when WOKE Progressives show their cards. This toon is full of commenters that given half a chance would firebomb a Police Car, America is done with your extremist views on crime & punishment on full display in blue cities. Red Tsunami 2022/24.

Democrats*, are proud owners and founders of ‘Defund the Police’.

Please keep dissing the police. Democrat managed cties are almost unlivable, now. Just stay there, instead of moving to the red.