this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2026
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THE POLICE PROBLEM

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    The police problem is that police are policed by the police. Cops are accountable only to other cops, which is no accountability at all.

    99.9999% of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct is never investigated, never punished, never makes the news, so it's not on this page.

    When cops are caught breaking the law, they're investigated by other cops. Details are kept quiet, the officers' names are withheld from public knowledge, and what info is eventually released is only what police choose to release — often nothing at all.

    When police are fired — which is all too rare — they leave with 'law enforcement experience' and can easily find work in another police department nearby. It's called "Wandering Cops."

    When police testify under oath, they lie so frequently that cops themselves have a joking term for it: "testilying." Yet it's almost unheard of for police to be punished or prosecuted for perjury.

    Cops can and do get away with lawlessness, because cops protect other cops. If they don't, they aren't cops for long.

    The legal doctrine of "qualified immunity" renders police officers invulnerable to lawsuits for almost anything they do. In practice, getting past 'qualified immunity' is so unlikely, it makes headlines when it happens.

    All this is a path to a police state.

    In a free society, police must always be under serious and skeptical public oversight, with non-cops and non-cronies in charge, issuing genuine punishment when warranted.

    Police who break the law must be prosecuted like anyone else, promptly fired if guilty, and barred from ever working in law-enforcement again.

    That's the solution.

♦ ♦ ♦

Our definition of ‘cops’ is broad, and includes prison guards, probation officers, shitty DAs and judges, etc — anyone who has the authority to fuck over people’s lives, with minimal or no oversight.

♦ ♦ ♦

RULES

Real-life decorum is expected. Please don't say things only a child or a jackass would say in person.

If you're here to support the police, you're trolling. Please exercise your right to remain silent.

Saying ~~cops~~ ANYONE should be killed lowers the IQ in any conversation. They're about killing people; we're not.

Please don't dox or post calls for harassment, vigilantism, tar & feather attacks, etc.

Please also abide by the instance rules.

It you've been banned but don't know why, check the moderator's log. If you feel you didn't deserve it, hey, I'm new at this and maybe you're right. Send a cordial PM, for a second chance.

♦ ♦ ♦

ALLIES

!abolition@slrpnk.net

!acab@lemmygrad.ml

r/ACAB

r/BadCopNoDonut/

Randy Balko

The Civil Rights Lawyer

The Honest Courtesan

Identity Project

MirandaWarning.org

♦ ♦ ♦

INFO

A demonstrator's guide to understanding riot munitions

Adultification

Cops aren't supposed to be smart

Don't talk to the police.

Killings by law enforcement in Canada

Killings by law enforcement in the United Kingdom

Killings by law enforcement in the United States

Know your rights: Filming the police

Three words. 70 cases. The tragic history of 'I can’t breathe' (as of 2020)

Police aren't primarily about helping you or solving crimes.

Police lie under oath, a lot

Police spin: An object lesson in Copspeak

Police unions and arbitrators keep abusive cops on the street

Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States

So you wanna be a cop?

When the police knock on your door

♦ ♦ ♦

ORGANIZATIONS

Black Lives Matter

Campaign Zero

Innocence Project

The Marshall Project

Movement Law Lab

NAACP

National Police Accountability Project

Say Their Names

Vera: Ending Mass Incarceration

 

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Right after ICE Agent Johnathan Ross executed a US citizen in cold blood

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[–] OR3X@lemmy.world 240 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

The lady they shot sure didn't get any of that due process. Hypocrites.

[–] zeppo@lemmy.world 202 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

"When citizens are accused of a crime, they are given the presumption of innocence as afforded by due process. When there is an incident involving law enforcement, politicians and activists immediately condemn those involved and are scrambling for sound bits. They do not afford them the same due process but rather convict them in a public court of opinion while an investigation is barely beginning"

Well, that's an absurd claim. Simply being arrested for a crime is often enough for the public to believe that a private citizen is guilty, and they can lose employment, business deals, a marriage or relationship long before any "due process" occurs. When police are accused of a crime, often they face no consequences at all, and if they are charged, they get the exact same due process as any other citizen.

[–] BussyGyatt@feddit.org 113 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

also, cops are immune to prosecution, so the court of public opinion is like, all they have

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 47 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The ruling in Harlow v Fitzgerald was actually illegal according to the full text of the law as written and passed. SCOTUS was given an illegally amended copy of the law.

http://web.archive.org/web/20230520080201/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/qualified-immunity-supreme-court.html

Qualified Immunity is illegal.

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[–] duckCityComplex@lemmy.world 46 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Also ironic since in this case the President and Secretary of Homeland Security immediately came out stating that the victim was a domestic terrorist and tried to murder the ICE agent with her car before any investigation was conducted, and both of which turned out to be false.

[–] egrets@lemmy.world 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Also ironic because they executed her on the spot by shooting her in the face.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 19 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, I feel like that's a rather large thing to have overlooked. How the fuck do you release a statement saying citizens have a presumption of innocence when the guy literally judged and executed a citizen on the spot?

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[–] Mist101@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

~~exact same due process as any other citizen~~ treated like an innocent person and are often moved districts for a fresh start FTFY

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[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m curious about the due process of getting shot in the face…

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[–] axexrx@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

There are also two glaring problematic assertions with that part that imo should bear removal of those involved in this statement from law enforcement:

'Citizens are afforded.... ' categorically false. All people in the USA are afforded due process, regardless of citizenship.

Becoming a politician does not lessen ones right to free speech. The very fact they have the balls to make this statement about their bosses (the state and local governments) shows an inherent insubordinatio and lack of respect for the structure from which they derive their authority: the states laws and governance.

Fire these fucks, and threaten a Regan style retaliation against any cops striking or protesting their dismissal (ie any cop protesting or striking over the decision is bamned from seeking LE employment in the state, for life)

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[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 73 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Doing their jobs"

What does that job involve? Murder, surveillance, imprisonment, harassment of the community?

Yeah jeez wonder why it's such an issue

[–] blarth@thelemmy.club 24 points 3 weeks ago

Maybe their job is morally repugnant and shouldn’t exist. How about that?

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 64 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Innocent people don't have to hide behind masks you stupid motherfuckers.

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[–] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 60 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

In the war between ICE and civilians, the police have declared they’re siding with ICE. They have identified themselves as your enemy, and everyone should act accordingly.

[–] YellowParenti@lemmy.wtf 19 points 3 weeks ago

Lol, my first thought was, "no one has said shit about cops on this until you opened your mouth and picked a side."

[–] rayyy@piefed.social 56 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police folks apparently are blind or totally corrupt because the videos show one of their own executing a citizen in broad daylight with many witnesses present. Their response is to lie like criminals.
They will be judged to be on the wrong side of history.

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[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 47 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I miss the days when people admitted wrongdoing occasionally. What we have now is denial of obvious facts caught on video and millions of liars contradicting said facts and they will continue to lie about them, in perpetuity.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Same. There was something in the news recently where Marjorie Taylor Green mentioned her MAGA training “to never apologize and to never admit when you’re wrong”.

I left like the media just kind of glossed over the fact that this is actual MAGA politician training. I always assumed this was their unofficial playbook, but that was the first I've ever heard of an actual training being mentioned.

So yeah, I suppose it makes sense why we never see the common sense "whoops, my bad" apology from them nowadays.

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[–] Hux@lemmy.ml 45 points 3 weeks ago

Jeeze, when I watched the video it never occurred to me that the murderer and all his accomplices were the victims.

Thanks, FOP, my eyes are opened! Could you please send me any boots you need licked?

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 40 points 3 weeks ago

Normally a group of people perverting the course of justice by covering up each other's crimes is called a criminal conspiracy. As an aside, what about female cops? Do they have their own gender-segregated old girls club or do they need a male 'sponsor' to get the same ass-coverage?

[–] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 34 points 3 weeks ago

funny how the idea of felony murder is turned upside down when the police do it

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 34 points 3 weeks ago
[–] Cyberflunk@lemmy.world 28 points 3 weeks ago

ACAB verified

[–] disregardable@lemmy.zip 27 points 3 weeks ago

I think not murdering people would make your jobs less difficult and dangerous.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

As has been said before, and will be said again:

Fuck The Police.

They exist to enrich themselves, have a powertrip as a day job, gain a higher effective class of citizenship, and to protect the property rights of the oligarchs.

Anything else they ever do is basically an accident, an incidental, occasional side effect stemming from the particular manner in which they carry out their actual purposes for existing.

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago

I do love how these kinds of memorandums do absolutely nothing to address how everyone else feels. The complete and total "our side of the story and counterpoints are just invalid" rhetoric speaks entire libraries about values, priorities, and why things aren't going so great. Meanwhile the FOP is using this tragedy to grandstand and speak about how they feel attacked by everyone not wearing a badge, even though they weren't invited to this party. I want to say it's in poor taste, but that doesn't quite capture just how ugly a thing this is to do.

[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't "presume innocence" when I see someone shooting someone else in the face. Kind of stupid.

It doesn't matter if a judge and jury says so or disagrees, he still shot her in the face while in absolutely no danger.

He's guilty, independent of any court ruling, it's not debatable.

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[–] HeadfullofSoup@kbin.earth 22 points 3 weeks ago

In other news criminal gang stand with criminal gang

[–] bluesheep@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Fraternal Order of Police

What kind of cringe ass fucking name is that?

ACAB

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[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago

Yet when immigrants are accused of being illegal they do not get the presumption of innocence. Fucking hypocrites the lot of them.

[–] cadekat@pawb.social 19 points 3 weeks ago

Fops, the lot of them

[–] tacosanonymous@mander.xyz 16 points 3 weeks ago

Wow. That’s some heavy DARVO right there.

[–] mp3@lemmy.ca 16 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

When citizens are accused of a crime, they are given the presumption of innocence as afforded by due process. When there is an incident involving law enforcement, politicians and activists immediately condemn those involved and are scrambling for sound bites.

Law enforcement officers wield a significant amount of power over civilians, and should be held to a higher level of standard and scrutiny. You know, with great powers comes great responsibilities.

Maybe one reason why there is systematic condemnation when a law enforcement official is involved in a crime is because the population is increasingly mistrustful because of incompetent officers that tarnishes your profession by acting recklessly and with apparent impunity?

An important aspect of policing is to defuse and deescalate situations when possible, not make a bad situation worse. This communication does none of that. If you want to regain trust, be the better person and use this tragic event to improve, not double down.

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[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 16 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

the fuck is a Fraternal Order of Police?

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A union for union busters.

[–] massacre@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

A union for union busting class traitors which advocates for complete immunity for it's members.

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[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

Oink oink is all I see here

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Innocent until proven guilty doesn't mean you stand by the likely guilty and defend their actions. Either you wait for proof - demanding due process - or you stay silent.

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[–] TheObviousSolution@lemmy.ca 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Gotta say, first time I've seen a police group so dedicated to driving home the ACAB messaging.

Any police organization standing behind what is clearly shown to be an abuse of authority by plainly recorded evidence should be disbanded, as they are clearly more interested in threats to their authority than why they have the authority in the first place.

[–] eatCasserole@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Remember that time protestors burned the 3rd precinct in Minneapolis? That was fucking rad.

[–] demonmariner@sh.itjust.works 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Where did this come from? I'd like to see the original and it's not on their website.

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[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 13 points 3 weeks ago

Cops are on the side of the cops. Don’t be fooled by copaganda where local police are pushing against the feds or the DoJ put a local police department under a consent decree. We need to be pushing to abolish the police and let these violent assholes try to get away with their bullshit when they don’t have their gang with them.

[–] modus@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

Goosestepping in solidarity.

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 12 points 3 weeks ago

He deserves the exact same due process that Renee received.

[–] NorthoftheBorder@lemmy.ca 12 points 3 weeks ago

Killing and kidnapping citizens is what ACTUALLY makes law enforcement work more dangerous, and yet this letter sure sounds a lot like "stop resisting." Hmm.

[–] Hypnotoad_@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 weeks ago
[–] amino@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 weeks ago

the "court of public opinion" doesn't fucking exist. we shouldn't ignore the fact that this rhetoric is word for word what rapists say to paint themselves as the victim when their real victims inform anyone they've been raped. civilians don't have any powers to arrest cops, even if they persecution fetish their way into thinking they do. they frame the public hate of cops as an act of violence because every accusation is an admission with fascists. this should be treated as hate speech because they're implying that the freedom of speech of abolitionists should be abolished to soothe their feewees and make their klannish actions as cops go away from public view

[–] wavebeam@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

ACAN

Originally this was a typo I fixed, but I changed it back after I decided that it was still correct: All Cops Are Nazis

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