So instead of focusing on the problems, lets present some actual solutions that would probably go a long way in improving the situation:
- Every police officer should have to wear a body cam which they can't turn off and this video should be public record in addition to every cruiser having a dash cam. They are public servants after all, paid by taxpayers.
- There should be an independent local council made up of citizens and others which regularly reviews the conduct and performance of local police. Police officers should have the ability to anonymously report bad cops or bad behaviors to this council so they don't feel pressure to keep quiet. Police departments should not have investigations being run by people who aren't impartial (ie: a police chief investigating a cop he's known for 20+ years).
- There should be much greater emphasis and training on de-escalation. Police should be armed with options other than just a gun, greater use a things like tasers and other non-leathal weapons should be experimented with. Instead of investing in armored tanks and military grade weapons, the emphasis should be on more non-leathal weapon technology that can disarm or stun/incapatate a person without killing them.
- Better training in general. You should not be able to walk in off the street and become a police officer in less than one year.
- Police should be incentivized to hire more local people from the immediate communities they serve. These individuals likely know the communities they work in better than some cop who grew up in a completely different area.
- Eliminate arrest and ticket "quotas". This leads to unneccessary harrassment of citizens who aren't doing anything particularily dangerous. Pay cops a higher wage if need be, but they shouldn't be arresting people or handing out tickets just to get a bonus or to get overtime hours so they can make a certain salary. This creates uneeded hostility between officers and the citizens they're supposed to be protecting.
