FBI director James Comey said during a speech in Chicago on Friday that a violent crime spike throughout several major cities is due to police officers becoming wary of being accused of a crime while performing their duties.
“I don’t know whether that explains it entirely, but I do have a strong sense that some part of the explanation is a chill wind that has blown through American law enforcement over the last year,” Comey said at a forum held at the University of Chicago Law School, according to news reports.
Violent crime — including homicides — have increased dramatically in many large cities, Comey said, pointing to Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Washington and Baltimore by name.
The cause of the spike is the center of intense debate. Some have dubbed the phenomenon the “Ferguson effect” — a reference to the fatal police-involved shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 9, 2014. The shooting sparked mass protests and violence in the St. Louis suburb.
Source: The Daily Caller
It’s a tricky subject. On the one hand, vigilance against an encroaching police state is necessary for the preservation of our human rights. On the other hand, if police are being discouraged from performing their duties, our human rights will be threatened by criminals run amok.
There is no easy solution, but we must encourage our police departments to perform their duties and separate their oversight from uncontrolled commentary. Let the reviews come from certified, experienced citizens, not some YouTuber with an underutilized pre-law degree.
Wow so they are scared to do their jobs because they might get harmed or killed so they execute us because of their fear and now the FBI Director wants to give them this out for doing their job because they fear they themselves might come under charges?? Sounds like its times for a career change for those who cant overcome both their fear and their ignorance – stop blaming us and just do the job you are supposed to do protect and serve. We did not intend to be your enemy – circumstance brought us here