The relevance of Dred Scott and other police news

150 years of precedents paved way for blatant police brutality
This is an excellent commentary from the Chicago Sun-Times linking the Dred Scott decision 150 years ago to the treatment Blacks receive from police today.

"We don't have a black and white problem as much as we have a black and blue problem. While the race of police officers who have been involved in questionable, high-profile shootings have been black, white and Hispanic, the race of the citizens who have been shot by police have been the same: black."

Secrecy again a major issue for the LAPD
LAPD Chief William J. Bratton has come under fire again for the extreme level of secrecy surrounding police disciplinary hearings. This article is a good brief history of LAPD cover-ups and defense of the thin blue line.

"Controversy has spread over a decision by an LAPD Board of Rights to clear Officer Steven Garcia, whose shooting of a 13-year-old boy was held to be out of policy by the city's Police Commission."

Police in Tijuana Issued Sling Shots
Tijuana cops are so corrupt that the government has disarmed them, replacing their guns with slingshots!

"The soldiers swept police stations and took officers' guns for inspection amid allegations by federal investigators that a corrupt network of officers supports smugglers who traffic drugs into the U.S. The weapons are still being checked."

Families and cops protested for the return of the weapons.

Former police chief sentenced for having stolen ATV, snowmobiles
The former head cop in Oswego, NY, was sentenced to probation after it was discovered that he was in possession of four stolen vehicles. He will also spend 60 days with the Sheriff's work program.

"William Ruggio, 52, the former police chief in Oswego, admitted to Oswego County Judge Walter Hafner that he knowingly possessed the stolen all-terrain vehicle and snowmobiles. Last week, the judge threw out Ruggio's initial guilty plea because a pre-sentencing report said Ruggio was not taking any responsibility for his actions and pleaded just to get out of going to trial. "