I published an article years ago in my Care2 Sharebook about how important it is to have police officers with high morale. First of all, people work for money - even people in public service positions like police officers and fire fighters. Pay police personnel enough so they do not need to work two jobs and try to "serve and protect" the public feeling fatigue. Give officers at least a thirty percent pay increase and prohibit them from working another job as a guard or in any capacity that is related to law enforcement. I believe some of the officers who said they "thought the cell phone was a gun" were telling the truth. Working 16 hours a day in stressful positions can cause mistakes. The prison industrial complex costs taxpayers over $50billion per year. Surely, the officers who risk their lives to capture inmates who enrich prison investors through tax monies and prison labor should have a better share of the proceeds. And eliminate arrest quotas. Police officers should not work on commission!
There are other ways to help police officers feel appreciated and raise morale. America has many empty homes thanks to foreclosures. Give police officers reduced rent or low-cost home loans for their primary residences, and don't have them become neighborhood spies for the privilege, either! It might be especially helpful for crime-ridden communities to refurbish homes to give free housing for police officers and their families in those areas. Give officers and their families free tuition in state colleges.
Abusive police officers make the work environment tougher for everyone. Establish a zero tolerance policy for police brutality, and enforce it. Many more officers would probably report their corrupt partners if they were not afraid of "friendly fire" or being left in a sticky situation without cover one day. Investigate every complaint by the public and all reports law officers make about police misconduct, and do the right thing. Stop all cover-ups today.
Award bonuses periodically to officers who have no complaints in their files. As police brutality and corruption lessen, communities may learn to trust law enforcement and become more cooperative with police investigations. That would improve security for the citizens and engender greater respect for law enforcement from the people who rely on them. It seems that most police officers who do homicides and brutality had numerous misconduct complaints in their files already. The money saved on wrongful death and brutality lawsuits could probably pay for salary increases for all police officers if authorities would stop shielding criminals in uniform.
Pay raises, limits on other employment, opportunities for free or reduced housing and education, plus eliminating abusive cops would raise morale and attract high-quality applicants to police work.
There are other ways to help police officers feel appreciated and raise morale. America has many empty homes thanks to foreclosures. Give police officers reduced rent or low-cost home loans for their primary residences, and don't have them become neighborhood spies for the privilege, either! It might be especially helpful for crime-ridden communities to refurbish homes to give free housing for police officers and their families in those areas. Give officers and their families free tuition in state colleges.
Abusive police officers make the work environment tougher for everyone. Establish a zero tolerance policy for police brutality, and enforce it. Many more officers would probably report their corrupt partners if they were not afraid of "friendly fire" or being left in a sticky situation without cover one day. Investigate every complaint by the public and all reports law officers make about police misconduct, and do the right thing. Stop all cover-ups today.
Award bonuses periodically to officers who have no complaints in their files. As police brutality and corruption lessen, communities may learn to trust law enforcement and become more cooperative with police investigations. That would improve security for the citizens and engender greater respect for law enforcement from the people who rely on them. It seems that most police officers who do homicides and brutality had numerous misconduct complaints in their files already. The money saved on wrongful death and brutality lawsuits could probably pay for salary increases for all police officers if authorities would stop shielding criminals in uniform.
Pay raises, limits on other employment, opportunities for free or reduced housing and education, plus eliminating abusive cops would raise morale and attract high-quality applicants to police work.
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