It’s a thin (blue) line between love and hate

Public Service Announcement:

“Desiring police accountability is not anti-police”

Fuck the police might be anti-police.

ACAB (All cops are bastards) might be anti-police.

But wanting police to do their jobs properly, and be held accountable when they don’t is not, I repeat, IS NOT anti-police.

Several friends (I don’t make this shit up, seriously several) reached out to me yesterday about the sudden explosion of “Back The Blue” posts and Facebook frames. What was all the hubbub about?

I appreciate my friends assume I keep in the know, and yes, I knew exactly why Chicagoland white folks were losing their minds….not all of you of course, but some of y’all…losing your minds!

House Bill 3653 was passed by the Illinois Legislature yesterday, and now awaits signing by Governor Pritzker. The bill was authored by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.

So what’s the big deal with HB 3653? Well, NBC Chicago did an amazing detailed overview of HB 3653, so check that out here. Also, you can visit the Illinois General Assembly website here for more detailed information on the bill.

So, after looking at the bill, I have to ask, “where are the negatives here?” I mean, of course, nothing is perfect. However, let me start by saying that it is sad that we have to pass laws that give those taken into police custody due process, and basic rights like a phone call within a reasonable amount of time.

Hot tip:

If your “friends” are consistently and vehemently against things that large groups of black people are for, they might be sus, and you might be due better friends.

I’m no lawyer, and may not be an expert on constitutional law, but I would think such things would be super basic…but then again, the reason we need reforms in the first place is because police departments (not just Chicago, so please don’t go pointing fingers) have a long distinguished history of violating people’s civil rights. And yes, as a reminder, to quote the DOJ Report on the Chicago Police Department,

”CPD engages in a pattern or practice of force in violation of the Constitution”

Laymen’s talk: CPD has been violating the civil rights of citizens for decades…DECADES!!!!

So yes, we need accountability.

Now let me say…I get it. How does the old saying go:

“When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”

When police have been able to basically behave as they want, any regulation certainly feels like oppression. However, how exactly can oversight keep them from doing their jobs effectively?

Oh, I know how…if they’re not doing their jobs correctly. You can’t really stop and frisk someone for no good reason when you have video evidence of the interaction…can you?

And at least here in Chicago (I suspect other places as well) the police union has corroded the thinking of far too many (unfortunately) to believe that a little oversight puts police at a disadvantage? Well, unfortunately, I, and I am certainly not alone, have a low threshold of trust for Chicago police. Yes, I want them to wear a camera (with audio), yes I want to be guaranteed a phone call within 3 hours of my arrest, and yes, I want to know that I won’t sit in jail for an indefinite amount of time because I simply don’t have enough cash to pop bail.

Oh yeah, if you look down under ‘court reforms’ up front and center is the abolishing of cash bail, which has long been a problematic practice that criminalized poverty and perpetuated inequities in the justice system.

If those words “perpetuated inequities in the justice system” don’t make you squirm, you are also suspect.

Please, feel free to let me know down in the comments when you see something in the list down below that strikes you as grossly unreasonable. However, to me, there isn’t anything down below that doesn’t strike me as a “duh!” Most of this should have been in practice decades ago…but then again, decades ago CPD was torturing citizens for false confessions…so why would we need accountability now…right?

Let me know your thoughts on HB3653 down below. Is it a step in the right direction? is it bad for business? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.