NationStates

Quaeg wrote:Ah, but good news isn't news at all. By which I mean, good cops doing their jobs is just kinda... expected. It's the status quo and so goes unreported. We don't really need to see headlines saying 'everything's fine' and puff pieces like 'Local Cop Saves Cat From Tree' are nice for a local gazette but they're not incredible pieces of journalism.

Now when we see reports (more and more often recently) that cops are shooting unarmed black teens and using unnecessary levels of force and that all this seems to be happening more and more (or at least are being noticed more and more, who knows what's slipped under the radar?), now that's news. Because it's in the public's interest to know if there's a law enforcement officer who, instead of protecting and serving, is beating and harassing people. That's something people need to know as opposed to good cop stories which are basically just nice to know.

Ultimately, I'd say that cops are pretty well represented in the media. We often see them doing their jobs on TV giving press conferences and announcements about ongoing cases and acting in a professional capacity. We also see them well represented in TV programmes which, realistically or otherwise, depict the police. More often than not in the role of the good guy.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you feel the police are represented. This seems to be an issue that's more or less entirely based on personal interpretation.

Aeritai wrote:

Quaeg wrote:Ah, but good news isn't news at all. By which I mean, good cops doing their jobs is just kinda... expected. It's the status quo and so goes unreported. We don't really need to see headlines saying 'everything's fine' and puff pieces like 'Local Cop Saves Cat From Tree' are nice for a local gazette but they're not incredible pieces of journalism.

Now when we see reports (more and more often recently) that cops are shooting unarmed black teens and using unnecessary levels of force and that all this seems to be happening more and more (or at least are being noticed more and more, who knows what's slipped under the radar?), now that's news. Because it's in the public's interest to know if there's a law enforcement officer who, instead of protecting and serving, is beating and harassing people. That's something people need to know as opposed to good cop stories which are basically just nice to know.

Ultimately, I'd say that cops are pretty well represented in the media. We often see them doing their jobs on TV giving press conferences and announcements about ongoing cases and acting in a professional capacity. We also see them well represented in TV programmes which, realistically or otherwise, depict the police. More often than not in the role of the good guy.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you feel the police are represented. This seems to be an issue that's more or less entirely based on personal interpretation.

You make some good points it is very important that the public knows about these shootings, though when that type of thing is reported the good officers get most of the hate from the internet.

Bombadil wrote:I would say a far larger influence on perceptions is shows like COPS, and there's another newer one which is even more live.

There's a podcast on it at the moment but some aspects that come out of it are.

1. Cops are always right, when they suspect someone is a criminal turns out they always are when in fact it's only the case some 20% of the time
2. Black people are all criminals
3. Cops can be overly violent without repercussions, like tasering someone running away from you

Anyway, which media, I do a FOX sweep every day and there's always a story about some heroic policeman if they're not covering some heroic soldier doing something in civilian life.

EDIT: the podcast is called Running from Cops

Another thing is.. everyone in Cops has to sign a release form.. who would sign a release form of footage of them being arrested, no one that's who.. hence all sorts of trickery to get them to sign it including saying they'll get a shorter sentence, or letting suspects 'release form' is actually a form they sign so they can be released.

Rising Palms wrote:The media act more like entertainers than journalists.

Kowani wrote:

Aeritai wrote:
You make some good points it is very important that the public knows about these shootings, though when that type of thing is reported the good officers get most of the hate from the internet.

Good cops that see their fellow officers abuse their authority and do nothing are enablers.

Inkopolitia wrote:

Rising Palms wrote:The media act more like entertainers than journalists.

Pretty much this

Aeritai wrote:

Kowani wrote:Good cops that see their fellow officers abuse their authority and do nothing are enablers.

Now if the Good Cops stomp out the bad ones then maybe the public and the African-American communities would start trusting their local police force.

LiberNovusAmericae wrote:Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Sometimes that bad rep is deserved, while other times it is not. I doubt there was a racist motivation for the Michael Brown shooting, but the media wanted to milk the narrative that there was, even though the guy was a thug in the making.


At the same time there are cases like the Walter Scott case where the police are definitely in the wrong.

Kowani wrote:

Aeritai wrote:
Now if the Good Cops stomp out the bad ones then maybe the public and the African-American communities would start trusting their local police force.

Perhaps. It takes time to rebuild trust. But it would be a good first step.
(And of course, some people would never be convinced. ‘Cause people fear government.)

Bombadil wrote:

LiberNovusAmericae wrote:Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Sometimes that bad rep is deserved, while other times it is not. I doubt there was a racist motivation for the Michael Brown shooting, but the media wanted to milk the narrative that there was, even though the guy was a thug in the making.


At the same time there are cases like the Walter Scott case where the police are definitely in the wrong.

Just coming back to COPS, there's an example where a cop pulls down the trousers of a suspect and tasers the guy in the genitals. It's on camera, and police departments actually have to sign off on this shit. When questioned the police chief said it was accidental when, again, IT'S ON CAMERA! Turns out the cop had a history of warnings and suspensions for violence against suspects.

So they wondered why police departments would sign off on clearly unconstitutional actions by cops and the answer is they want the public to think this is all acceptable. Running around screaming at people, tasering them and throwing them to the ground because, hey, they're all criminals right?

Bombadil wrote:I would say a far larger influence on perceptions is shows like COPS, and there's another newer one (LivePD) which is even more live.

There's a podcast on it at the moment but some aspects that come out of it are.

1. Cops are always right, when they suspect someone is a criminal turns out they always are when in fact it's only the case some 20% of the time
2. Black people are all criminals
3. Cops can be overly violent without repercussions, like tasering someone running away from you

Anyway, which media, I do a FOX sweep every day and there's always a story about some heroic policeman if they're not covering some heroic soldier doing something in civilian life.

EDIT: the podcast is called Running from Cops

Another thing is.. everyone in Cops has to sign a release form.. who would sign a release form of footage of them being arrested, no one that's who.. hence all sorts of trickery to get them to sign it including saying they'll get a shorter sentence, or letting suspects 'release form' is actually a form they sign so they can be released.

https://www.topic.com/runningfromcops

Bombadil wrote:

LiberNovusAmericae wrote:Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Sometimes that bad rep is deserved, while other times it is not. I doubt there was a racist motivation for the Michael Brown shooting, but the media wanted to milk the narrative that there was, even though the guy was a thug in the making.


At the same time there are cases like the Walter Scott case where the police are definitely in the wrong.

Just coming back to COPS, there's an example where a cop pulls down the trousers of a suspect and tasers the guy in the genitals. It's on camera, and police departments actually have to sign off on this shit. When questioned the police chief said it was accidental when, again, IT'S ON CAMERA! Turns out the cop had a history of warnings and suspensions for violence against suspects.

So they wondered why police departments would sign off on clearly unconstitutional actions by cops and the answer is they want the public to think this is all acceptable. Running around screaming at people, tasering them and throwing them to the ground because, hey, they're all criminals right?

Scomagia wrote:

Bombadil wrote:I would say a far larger influence on perceptions is shows like COPS, and there's another newer one (LivePD) which is even more live.

There's a podcast on it at the moment but some aspects that come out of it are.

1. Cops are always right, when they suspect someone is a criminal turns out they always are when in fact it's only the case some 20% of the time
2. Black people are all criminals
3. Cops can be overly violent without repercussions, like tasering someone running away from you

Anyway, which media, I do a FOX sweep every day and there's always a story about some heroic policeman if they're not covering some heroic soldier doing something in civilian life.

EDIT: the podcast is called Running from Cops

Another thing is.. everyone in Cops has to sign a release form.. who would sign a release form of footage of them being arrested, no one that's who.. hence all sorts of trickery to get them to sign it including saying they'll get a shorter sentence, or letting suspects 'release form' is actually a form they sign so they can be released.

https://www.topic.com/runningfromcops

Tasing someone eluding the police is absolutely not unnecessary violence. What would you prefer, that they just give up and let them go?

Bombadil wrote:

Scomagia wrote:Tasing someone eluding the police is absolutely not unnecessary violence. What would you prefer, that they just give up and let them go?

It's against the law.