felons as cops

[WIII-60]

I don't have the direct quote, but the mayor of Kansas City MO stated (not verbatim) that there needed to be more minority representation on the police dept. and that people who have a previous non-violent felony should be allowed to be police officers.

seems nieve, since felons can't carry guns, and a little racist.

what do you guys think?

[flyhatch]

i think that dude is trying to get his foot out of his mouth right now

[Sam]

Why not?

We have felons as our politicans! ;D

[BUCKEYEone]

He definitely had a racist undertone to that remark.  I agree that non-violent felons should have a shot given an appropriate amount of time since the felony was committed.  Why ask felons to turn their lives around and then deny those who do the opportunity to do something good.  Its  a thin line to walk, but I think they should have the opportunity.

[fishfordollars]

Why not?

We have felons as our politicans! ;D

X2...Seriously though no one with a felony should ever be in public office or a lawman of any kind.

[flyhatch]

not that I dont think that there would be good to come of it just that

I doubt that federal law will change to allow felons have firearms.

[Popeye]

x3 to what Sam and Fishfordollars said!!!

[llPa1nll]

I know someone that has committed a horrific crime (that was never reported)and then became a police officer. I think they joined the force to wipe their conscience clean. Which is just another reason why I dont trust Law Enforcement as the beckon of light of the community. Granted that is just one person and I am sure that there are others that do a great job, but thats just me.

[slomoe]

I dont trust Law Enforcement

x10

Had a few recent unjustified use of firearms in my neck of the woods.

[WIII-60]

Which is just another reason why I dont trust Law Enforcement

what are some of the others?

[llPa1nll]

Which is just another reason why I dont trust Law Enforcement

what are some of the others?

Well for starters when I was in High School, and I first started driving. I was pulled over 23 times before I hit the age of 18. Now with all those times being pulled over youd think I was a crappy driver and had a ton of tickets/moving violations. I received 1 ticket during that time, just 1.  I dont really feel the need to go into each stop but it ended up being that they would call it a "Procedure Stop", keep me there for 20 mins and then let me go.

[Fish Man]

the way i feel about it is it shouldnt come down to hiring a person just because he is a minority, if there are 5 people that arent in the minority and do better than one man that is i think the job should go to those five men before the minority just because they are better candidates for the job .....but then again what do i know

[WIII-60]

Which is just another reason why I dont trust Law Enforcement

what are some of the others?

I was pulled over 23 times before I hit the age of 18.  they would call it a "Procedure Stop", keep me there for 20 mins and then let me go.

Well, it sounds like you've had some bad experiences. If you were stopped 23 times. You did 23 different things wrong, at least according to your civil rights, and the lack of someones authority to violate them. If you didn't get a ticket, it's a possibility that they chose not to give you one.

They most likely kept you there for 20 minutes so that they could run your driving record and choose weather or not to give you a ticket. In your case it looks like 22 different cops decided not to based on the fact that each one before them chose the same.

Please just try to be mindful of classifying an entire group of people into a generalization based on speculation.

It would be the same thing as someone telling you that all patriots fans are idiots, because some patriots fans do idiot things.

[llPa1nll]

Which is just another reason why I dont trust Law Enforcement

what are some of the others?

I was pulled over 23 times before I hit the age of 18.  they would call it a "Procedure Stop", keep me there for 20 mins and then let me go.

Well, it sounds like you've had some bad experiences. If you were stopped 23 times. You did 23 different things wrong, at least according to your civil rights, and the lack of someones authority to violate them. If you didn't get a ticket, it's a possibility that they chose not to give you one.

They most likely kept you there for 20 minutes so that they could run your driving record and choose weather or not to give you a ticket. In your case it looks like 22 different cops decided not to based on the fact that each one before them chose the same.

Please just try to be mindful of classifying an entire group of people into a generalization based on speculation.

It would be the same thing as someone telling you that all patriots fans are idiots, because some patriots fans do idiot things.

Oh hell, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that allot of Patriots fans are idiots  . I didnt mean to judge all of them as I said I am sure there are some nice ones out there. I have some friends on the force that I know that are stand up people. That being said just because you wear a badge, doesnt make everything you do ok.

[WIII-60]

Pain- completely agree. Just as in anything else, half of the population is below average.

So back to this felon thing........ I wonder if most people know what "felon" really means? Can't vote, can't have a gun, can't do a lot of things. Aside from the obvious (murder, robbery) you have to do some really high-speed stuff to be a felon. Rape, burglary, shooting at but not killing someone, arson. Would you want a guy who used to break-in to houses coming to your house to take a report for you? Or how about a past sexual offender looking for your lost daughter.

[slomoe]

you have to do some really high-speed stuff to be a felon.

Not quite my friend. I was sitting in a car with a guy who was selling marijuana to an undercover police officer. granted I knew what was going on, I made no hand to hand, A few weeks later the police ran up into my parents home pointing pistols and shotguns at my mother and father, to serve me with THREE felony warrents for distribution of marijuana.

I spent 3 months in county jail, missed thanksgiving, christmas, and new years, While a cellmate of mine was released on a misdemenor assualt after 30 days for cracking a minor upside the head with a lead pipe. Justice?

Im not saying that I am completely innocent. I made the decision to get into that car, and I knew what was happening.

That was three and a half years ago. I have since completed probation and Drug and Alcohol classes, and paid over $1600 in court fees. I moved out of my parents house into a two bedroom apartment with my girlfriend and my dog. I pay all of my own bills, as well as taxes.

By the graces of god, I was given a chance by my current employer, and am now an administrative supervisor for a local government agency.

I have completely changed my outlook on life, as well as the daily decisions I make and feel I should be givin the opportunity to do whatever I want to in life, especially vote.

[Gatorbassman]

Here in Augusta GA the ATF just had the largest gang and gun bust in it's history. They were aided by the Local Sheriff's Dept. and the FBI. It was a nearly two year sting involving only one main undercover agent. This agent posed as a Tattoo artist in a little shop on the south of town. The shop was full of hidden cameras and recording equipment. It was a place where thieves and gang members came to unload guns and deal drugs while they were getting tattoos. Many of them would be drunk while getting tattoos and many of them confessed to many crimes while under the needle. lol This undercover agent was a great tattoo artist and he was also a convicted felon who knew the ins and outs of the criminal world. He spent 10 years behind bars. With his help they arrested 71 people the first night of the roundup and 22 others later on. They caught 8 people who were wanted for murder, dozens of gang members and several leaders of those gangs. There were 147 federal charges brought against these people and many of them are going to be in prison for a long time. The crime rate in Augusta has dropped tremendously since November. My city is a lot safer because of a convicted felon.

[Gatorbassman]

A couple of my facts were wrong. It was only a 16 month sting and it was the second largest sting by the ATF.

Federal and local authorities are calling Wednesday's weapons seizure and raid on Augusta-area gang members the most successful undercover operation in Richmond County history. With more than 400 firearms recovered during the 16-month-long investigation, it was the second-largest storefront weapon seizure in the history of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Vanessa L. McLemore, the special agent in charge of ATF's Atlanta Field Division.

400 plus

Firearms -- including sawed-off shotguns, assault rifles and handguns -- seized during the course of the investigation

71

Arrests, including at least 43 known gang members

54

Pounds of marijuana

1,196

Grams of powder and crack cocaine

[llPa1nll]

Hrmmm i was going to say I dont think I would want a convicted felon to be a cop.  I can see both sides on this one. I think that to be a cop , you need a clean record, I just dont think it works out.

[WIII-60]

Those are really good points. I think the hard part would be how do you know who you're really dealing with? Some guys made a bad decision, some guys are bad people. How do you tell the difference?

slomoe, how does that work? How do you not be in possession of something at all, or invloved with it at all outside of an isolated incident, and then get three felony counts of distribution? What, should you choose to volunteer it, are the other details of the incident?

[ba7ss3in]

Not all felons are bad people, some bad choices, but on a case by case basis I think they could work in law enforcement

[WIII-60]

So who determines the case by case basis, and how is that person chosen?

not being abrasive, just trying to keep these ideas going.

[slomoe]

I'll just say, that I was stupid in believing that being honest was the best thing for me at that time, admiting to knowing what was going on.

After incriminating my self, I was slammed with any possible charges after I declined to work with the police.

I must say though, I believe I was meant to go through that and am blessed to have been able to see both sides of the fence. It really opened my eyes, and probably saved my life.

I don't think by any means all felons should be able to get jobs as police. I think under the right circumstances, and given the appropriate amount of time, to insure the reformed does not boomerang, they should be allowed.

As pain has stated, police are humans with badges, and not excluded from fault. There will always be corruption, and this will continue until the right examples are set from the top down.

[WIII-60]

No dispute, looks like the wrong way to handle that situation.

I'm familiar with a guy who works in the KC area as a member of a special narcotics unit. This officer was shot numerous times while attempting to apprehend a high-profile drug dealer after the vehicle he was in was stopped. The wounds included gunshots to the face and neck. He almost bled out at the scene. The officer was shot by a 15 year old kid, who was "just riding in the car." The officer will most likely not walk again. He has kids. That officer was the 9th one shot on that department in 2007.

A few weeks later, a police dog was thrown from the roof of a building by a couple of copper thieves. 75 feet down, 35 feet out. The dog died on impact.

That department received more letters of grief and gratitude from the people of the city for the dog than it did for the 9 officers combined.

It's not the city, it's the attitudes of people. Sadly, most peoples mistakes don't get caught on video.

[Replica.]

So back to this felon thing........ I wonder if most people know what "felon" really means? Can't vote, can't have a gun, can't do a lot of things. Aside from the obvious (murder, robbery) you have to do some really high-speed stuff to be a felon. Rape, burglary, shooting at but not killing someone, arson. Would you want a guy who used to break-in to houses coming to your house to take a report for you? Or how about a past sexual offender looking for your lost daughter.

Or not paying child support in Wisconsin.  Men who do not support thier children may be scum or unemployed or poor, but do you really think they should not be a police officer, vote, or hunt?.