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IP addresses linked to the New York Police Department's computer network have been used to sanitize Wikipedia entries about cases of police brutality.
This wouldn't be the first time we've seen nefarious alterations to Wikipedia entries, and it won't be the last. But the disclosure of NYPD's entries by Capital New York come as the Justice Department announced a national initiative for "building community trust and justice" with the nation's policing agencies.
As many as 85 IP addresses connected to 1 Police Plaza altered entries for some of the most high-profile police abuse cases, including those for victims Eric Garner, Sean Bell, and Amadou Diallo, Capital New York said. Edits have also been made to other entries covering NYPD scandals, its stop-and-frisk program, and the department leadership.
(Score: 2) by arashi no garou on Tuesday March 17 2015, @11:25AM
Who said they want trust?
The thing is, they do want your trust, they just want it to be a foregone conclusion; they don't want to have to earn it first. I say that as someone who worked in law enforcement for 14 years. And they damn sure don't trust us, and never will. They learn at the academy that the citizen is never to be trusted, that every traffic stop is a potential fight for their lives, and every time they stop and frisk someone they risk getting shot or stabbed to death. And they are right about that: It's a dangerous job, often a thankless job, and even the best, most morally upright cops can get beaten into a state of mind where they no longer have the safety and protection of the citizen at the front of their minds. That's to say nothing of the "just give me a paycheck" cops, and the truly bad cops.
I once heard a police veteran say "Most cops are really good guys, they just want to do a good job, protect their community, and go home to their families each day. But there's that one percent of us who are truly bad seeds, and they are the ones the people see in the news. They are the ones who make people hate us. They are the ones who, when they end up in a position of power, can drag an agency down with them." And he's right; that's exactly the kind of thing we see in the news, and it's that kind of thing the "good" agencies and officers need to work to avoid becoming. Police are here to stay, our nation would be in a state of anarchy without them. But they need to do what they were designed to do, and not be a tool of oppression.
(Score: 1) by Mr Big in the Pants on Tuesday March 17 2015, @10:06PM
I spoke to several career policemen. They told a different story. NB: Not from the US but still a first world country with "low corruption".
They said explicitly that you will be asked to lie under oath all the time. If you don't your "mates" and especially your superiors will bully and harass you until you tow the line or quit. If you cannot handle that, then don't bother joining.
This was frank advice given to someone who said one of the reasons they wanted to join was that they were an honest person.
I will give you the benefit of the doubt and accept that this was not your reality and that lying under oath to get a conviction for someone "you know is guilty" is not something you ever did. I doubt this is not commonplace overall though.
It is not police though and I have nothing against them personally. (I spent 8 years training under and with several who are very good friends)
It is power. Any small minded humans with too much power is NEVER a good thing. And giving power to people can make them small minded to boot. And most people are small minded.
(Score: 2) by arashi no garou on Wednesday March 18 2015, @02:12AM
Lying under oath and lying to a citizen/the public are two different things. It sounds like you spoke to some pretty corrupt individuals.
Just for clarity's sake: I was never a peace officer myself, I worked in the administrative side with and around police officers. I did have to testify in court a few times when I worked as an evidence technician, but if I had lied under oath I would not only have been reprimanded and likely fired, I would have faced criminal charges too. The US courts (at least, those in my little corner of it) treat perjury very seriously.
(Score: 1) by Mr Big in the Pants on Wednesday March 18 2015, @03:43AM
Not at all special cases. This is standard practice. Its too hard to catch people the usual way so they just lie to make it easier.
They have been caught out in several recent cases that made it public - some embarrassingly bad lies. Many will not be public.
And since it IS an offence then I doubt people will ever admit to it and it is tied up with all the usual human biases so the truth is not a black and white thing. (pun not intended...)
(Score: 2) by arashi no garou on Wednesday March 18 2015, @12:42PM
Then it sounds like wherever you are, you have it worse off than most of the US.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 18 2015, @01:50PM
1% bad cops? Maybe from that brainwashed traitor's perspective. I'm sure he sees the enforcement of the drug war and all the rest of the "good" cop's daily treason as just doing their job.
it's pretty obvious you've been around cops for a while, you're regurgitating all their propaganda. What was supposed to be so scary about this anarchist hell we've all been reminded of every time the cops want to justify their unamerican tactics? oh yeah, the wild west, predator and prey... and how is that different from thousands of morons with guns trying to catch slaves for the prison economy?