Today I Learned (TIL)

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TIL of August Vollmer, the "father of modern policing." He opposed enforcing traffic and vice laws. He also encouraged discretion, leniency, and diversity in order to foster public support (99percentinvisible.org)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/til

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Another interesting article on Vollmer.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It kind of seems that way. The 99PI episode touches on that a bit.

A lot of the authority police have today is a result of prohibition and a reinterpretation of the 4th amendment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_v._United_States

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

It may have started with Prohibition and Carroll v US, but don't forget the War on Drugs^TM^ hasn't helped either. Add in systemic racism, qualified immunity, police unions, corruption, and insufficient training/requirements (compared to what's required to be a police officer in other countries), and you've got a recipe for....well [gestures vaguely in all directions]

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I really like how you wrote this, I really don’t like that it’s true

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

Same.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Don't forget all of the military equipment they get for free. Because every sleepy 4 intersection town needs a Bearcat/MRAP.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Most definitely. Completely forgot about the over-militarization of local and state police forces being yet another step in the road to what we have today.