I like to give credit for good ideas, when possible, so I sent an email to City Councilwoman member Cherelle Parker for her idea to hire retired cops to help fill the decimated ranks of men and women in blue.
It was explained in this inquirer story.
There’s one problem with her solution, one I spelled out in a lengthy report in February 2021.
It was the “why” behind cops retiring in record numbers, not just here, but across the nation.
They were demoralized by the explosive contempt heaped on them in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, including demands from the Left to “defund the police.”
In fairness, despite what some on the Right say, President Joe Biden never said that. In fact, he said police need more resources, not fewer.
But other Democrats did say that, and now party leaders are trying like Houdini to escape the handcuffs that connect them to the idiotic idea that during a time of rising crime we need fewer cops.
In Philadelphia, conversations with police convinced me they were sick of being scapegoated, and felt they got little support from the public, none from City Hall and the police commissioner.
They were able to shrug off decades of being called “pigs,” but the knee-jerk defunding — which actually happened in maybe 20 cities — was the last straw.
It’s worth noting that “defund” cries usually come more from white progressive who live in safety, than from residents of Black neighborhoods who live under the gun.
In Black neighborhoods 81% of the residents want the same or more of a police presence.
Only 19% want less of a police presence.
I would be less than honest if I did not say that Black Americans have more suspicion toward police than whites. Yet despite that they want to see them in their neighborhoods, perhaps showing more courtesy.
Back to Parker’s idea.
She has to reach out to them.
“Until their service is publically appreciated, I think you will have a hard slog,” I wrote to her. “Perhaps a Police Appreciation Day — if you dare.”
Maybe “dare” is now the wrong word.
I think the anti-cop fever that gripped some quarters of America has broken.
The Squad shot its load, and Americans are moving away from that hateful rhetoric to understanding how vulnerable we are without the thin blue line.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
pallie,
When I was a city employee, the rank and file were pretty much consistent, It didn’t matter what department they worked ( employed ) . They were all counting days, as if they were waiting to get out of jail. The nature of the beast. Same with the cops. It got to the point that they were just drawing a paycheck. Go in to work. Do your job – with minimum effort and go home at the end of shift. Avoid problems and don’t go near trouble without backup. And this councilwoman wants to hire back the troops that couldn’t wait to leave ?!? Reality check ! Sure, offer them incentives to come back. Like ‘we got your back ‘, not ‘we’ll stab you in the back. The best way to show the police that you really value them, would be to clean house . New mayor, D.A. and Police Commissioner for starters.
Tony
If your experience were typical, everyone would retire as soon as eligible, but I know many city employees who enjoyed their jobs and stayed on.
EVERYONE that I met couldn’t wait to get out. It’s a little different inside the ivory towers. Unless there’s a serious reason to stay – college funds, mortgages, stuff, when they hit the magic combination of years plus age – OUTTA HERE ! DRO{P had a lot to do with that early bail out .
I know your story, pallie. 😉
How does anyone believe that less cops and less guns equal safe streets? You gotta be near room temperature to accept that foolishness. So, some who say they do, have to have ulterior motives. Others get caught up in it and are used like pawns. The hold thing has been a scam, a deadly one. I agree about anti-cop fever lessening, but given the opportunity, the left will use it.
POI: Did anyone watch Sunday night’s National Memorial Day Concert on PBS with Gary Sinese and Joe Montegna? Great show!! You can find the 2022 concert on YouTube.
City council members joined protests blaming the police for abuse for actions that occurred in Minnesota. City council, Mayor, Police Commissioner and DA blamed police officers for using mace on protestors who were breaking the law. The use of force used during protest on I-676 exhibited is part of the officer’s training. He was a political scapegoat. Police officers see these actions and got the message. City Council’s passing of the Driving Equity Bill eliminated police legitimacy in our city. The administration of the Bailey agreement is a disaster. Police vehicle investigations and Pedestrian investigations are down. The newspapers report there is an inequity in the race of citizens stopped by police in Philadelphia. Since the city has a population of 45% African Americans, the numbers of car and pedestrians stopped by police should mirror the number of African American residents who live in our city. This point of view completely ignores the fact that over 90% of shootings and carjacking are committed by African American males. City council members support the idea that African American Males are constantly being stopped for no reason. The rank and file police officers have received the message of non-support from our political leaders. So the future is bleak until the political environment changes in our city.
Agreed, but for one thing. You say 90%. Me, I’d guess it was closer to 100 than your 90. Yet, it’s still the “elephant in the room” and rarely mentioned on the local news and never, ever acknowledged by that POS otherwise known as The Philadelphia Inquirer.
As in any profession if you wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work with a family of those who also enjoy providing a service for their community then you will stay as long as your mind and body will allow. When your cities leadership stands behind you with words and actions along with commanders who work the streets with you your performance is maximized. When you make an arrest and the DA assigned assists you in preparation of your testimony to make the charge stick along with a proper sentence, then add one more reason to feel good about your employment. But there is a downside which is always present and sadly today has been magnified. Stress, long hours, weekends away from family, observing the worst of society all add up to the continued challenge to feel good everyday but you accept all the negatives. And then suddenly every wrong decision that individual officers perform is attached to every other officer who took the legal and proper action during 10 million other incidents yearly. The facts and any research are ignored. Demagogues, politicians, and the media then join hands in condemnation of all police. Leadership becomes defensive instead of showing the overwhelming positive activity and arrest statistics to show the facts. Progressives living in detached safe gated type communities are placed in charge of decision-making jobs without ever speaking to, riding along with, or observing the training of their own force. Yes, there are some retirees who will return for the incentives, but they do so knowing that behind them is a detached and indifferent group of officials and the concern that any split second decision could be second guessed that in the past could have been defended is now chargeable. In any profession leadership is critical, with a team of elected officials who understand what the job entails. Neighbors where the bulk of crime exists the most must establish a rapport and an understanding with their protectors of how to reach the goal of confronting the criminals who prey on their vulnerability. And the police must reach out with explanation and mutual respect of any questionable confrontations while at the same time both must refute those who make a living on selling victimhood. And finally the media must begin to dwell on the majority of police responses with the facts and research and not incite illegal protests while focusing on singular exceptions that the overwhelming members of the police also seek to address and remove but only after giving them their day in court.
Excellent! Local news anchors should read this as well as the “pretty face” anchors at 630pm.
Council also passed legisltation, veto proof of course, for 1 year preemployment residency requirement, which essentially halted police hiring for 1.5 years. Kenney disagreed and said as such in his response to City Council, then for some inane reason waited a year and a half to disregard that dumb legislation and exercise an exemption. He let a dumb idea run it’s course and the outcome was as bad as anyone with half a brain (including Kenney) knew it would be when it was originally passed by council.
Kenney is a confusing man, he does know some things well but has certainly withered immensely in this second term. He can’t leave office soon enough, for both his and our sake.
Kenny’s a confusing man, all right. I believe he’s gender confused. He and Krasner. AND Outlaw!
Stu
Having run into burning houses for a 20+ year career, I can tell you I wouldn’t want try humping hose at my age. I wouldn’t want to try and chase chumps down Broad street after retirement from Philly PD either. People retire for a reason sometimes willingly sometimes not. Policing and fire fighting is not a old person’s game.
Maybe the thugs and bad guys should support this. Come on gramps see if you can catch me.
Some retirees are relatively young, late 40s or early 50s. IF they have slowed down, give them desks and free fitter cops for the streets.
If memory serves me right, any city employee that retired on the DROP can not return. Of course, people were brought back as ‘advisors’, etc
Then also, people just left the city. don’t know what, if any, are the stipulations for rehire after the one year grace period.
Parker would rewrite the rules to permit this.