Mental Health and Substance Abuse Crisis Intervention Advocates of defunding the police point out that one fourth of fatal encounters with the police, and one half of police shootings, involve individuals with “disruptive behavior” due to mental illness and/or substance abuse. My Personal Experience I have handled several cases where a person calls 9-1-1 to … Continue reading Police Reform (7/10): Mental Health Crisis Intervention
"Support Your Local Sheriff" - The Movie “Support Your Local Sheriff” was an entertaining 1969 Western parody. In the movie, James Garner played a gambler who was persuaded to take the job of sheriff in a crime-ridden mining town. Garner didn’t believe in violence, so he simply outwitted the dumb criminals. For example, there weren’t … Continue reading Police Reform (10/10): Supporting Law Enforcement vs. the “War on Cops”
Dumb Ideas Advocates of defunding the police are disturbed by the use of deadly force. A plethora of people insist that the police should be trained to “shoot to wound" or "fire warning shots" first. "Shoot to Wound" -Fantasy versus Reality and Experience The recommendation to "shoot to wound" is based on Hollywood fantasy, … Continue reading Police Reform (5/10): “Shoot to Wound” and “Fire Warning Shots”
Winston Churchill observed that democracy is the “worst form of government – except all others.” That is how I view our law enforcement and criminal justice systems. This ten-part series of recommendations for improving law enforcement is based on my 10 years as a prosecutor and over 30 years as a criminal law judge. Saved … Continue reading Police Reform (1/10): “Support Law Enforcement Privately and Publicly”
The London Edition 