Poll of the Day > Were the police always this brutal in the States?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I always knew about a select few incidents of brutally and that cops did treat blacks worse... But there are an awful lot of reports coming out now of the brutality..

---

Believe or not, they used to be a lot worse

---

Mead posted...

Believe or not, they used to be a lot worse

Sadly this is the truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4cea5oObY

---

It used to be fine but became significantly worse since the invention of cell phone cameras.

---

I'd wager it was worse before 95% of people had a cell phone with a camera that can record at a moments notice.

Yessir

---

Ignorance is bliss. The police don't have to worry about reports of brutality if they murder anyone who could testify against them. Now that surveillance is easier than ever, our tax funded death squads have to get use to a new way if life, and it isn't easy for them.

---

Things are only a big deal now since it's easier to record the police doing run of the mill things.

---

I mean... songs like **** the police were a thing for a reason

You all act like if you were a police officer, you'd probably kill someone...oh. dang, I guess people are the problem, not the individuals.
Well, makes sense we have this problem.

As a white, non violent Male, I've pretty much only have received help from officers. Any time I've been in a pulled over car, it's always been a warning, too, no matter who else was in there.

---

Yeah, well as a white, nonviolent woman, the cops told me to either get back in my abuser's car or go sleep in the street.

---

pedro45 posted...

As a white, non violent Male, I've pretty much only have received help from officers. Any time I've been in a pulled over car, it's always been a warning, too, no matter who else was in there.

Congrats?

No they were not worse, that is crazy. Yes, in some parts of the states they were more racist than they are now, but I lived all across america as a kid, going from one project to another, the police mostly stayed out of those areas all together. They also did NOT attack people like this, in fact I have NEVER seen police in this country attack innocent people like they are right now.

I do not know what has changed in the last 40 years or so, but the police department seems WAY more aggressive than they used to be. Even against minorities (maybe especially against them which is crazy considering america has become more diversified/mixed etc over the years). Heck the racism against hispanics seems to have spiked recently as well.

I'd like to blame it on the current administration but it certainly predates that. Honestly I can't pin down a specific point but it seems to have started really escalating around 2000 or so....I have no clue why, but around then the police department just started acting like they could get away with anything, and more and more bully like police members starting cropping up in all areas.

This was not the police department I knew in the 70s, even in areas where the police were feared and not called etc.

---

Yup. Just more coming to light since they are recorded easier.

---

I think its because they are more cameras to catch it. Maybe...
---

wolfy42 posted...

No they were not worse, that is crazy.

in many places during many times they were unfortunately

during the prohibition era cops were gunning down suspects in the streets, then there were cops that would sick dogs on crowds during civil rights protests, and then in the South youd have cops aiding in actual lynching

then theres the Tulsa massacre which is another matter entirely

and like a lot of other posters have pointed out, its only so apparent now because everyone has recording devices on them all the time. In the US cops have pretty much always been this way because the departments were designed from the start to protect the wealthy and oppress the marginalized and disenfranchised

---

I'm not defending police brutality, and it IS under a brighter spotlight because of cellphones and all...but go ahead and abolish them so we can go back to the good old days of private police for hire and you'll be begging for government policing faster than you can say "don't tase me bro!".

How quickly we forget massacres by police for hire like the Pinkerton's agency.

---

Mead posted...

in many places during many times they were unfortunately

Yeah, there could also have been a downslump in police aggressiveness and brutality for awhile after the 60's maybe.

I mostly lived in anywhere that it would even be likely to see such acts till I was around 9-10 years old and honestly even if they were happening I probably wouldn't have seen it alot at that age.

Then I was in the bay area CA, which is a cultural melting pot so not a good example to base off for the majority of the country.

That being said, I was mostly saying the way the police are acting right now and attacking peaceful protesters, their own black officers, pushing down old men and ignoring them as they lay bleeding etc. I have never seen that, and i'm pretty sure it would have been in the news even in the 70s. I do know that racism has existed within the departments throughout history, especially in certain states.

I'm just totally and completely stunned by their reaction to peaceful protests right now. That is what I meant by them never being this brutal......it seems insane that they are acting this way right now.

---