The lying gun-rights fanatics will often tell us Police Chiefs who espouse stronger gun control laws are just political hacks and yes-men who are giving lip-service to the positions of their superiors. The exact opposite is true. These are usually men who have risen up through the ranks of police departments, experience that makes their opinions especially valuable.
Law enforcement career of Garry Francis McCarthy
New York Police Department
McCarthy joined the New York City Police Department in 1981 at age 22. He rose through the ranks and became Deputy Commissioner of Operations in 2000. While there, he held a variety of positions around the city, was commander of several different precincts, and eventually was in charge of the NYPD's CompStat program.
Newark Police Department
In 2006, McCarthy left his position with the New York Police Department to take over the Police Department of Newark, New Jersey. He was chosen for this role by Mayor Cory Booker, and appeared with Booker in the documentary series Brick City.
Chicago Police Department
McCarthy was hired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to take over the Chicago Police Department shortly after Emanuel's election in early 2011.
"Law enforcement career of Garry Francis McCarthy"
ReplyDelete"When the cops asked McCarthy to leave, he continued on with a stream of vulgar expressions, one invoking his own mother, Rossi's report said. When Rossi asked McCarthy to leave before he charged him with weapons possession, McCarthy again swore at the officer, invoking two sexual acts.
"At that time PO Galloza forced the door to J23 open by kicking it open. PO Galloza had to do this because McCarthy was creating a physical interference by having his body against the door of the vehicle. Once PO Galloza was out of the vehicle, I observed him place McCarthy in an arm bar. I immediately exited the vehicle and observed McCarthy resisting arrest."
"McCarthy's wife got into the driver's side seat from the passenger side seat and lunged out of the vehicle. She stated 'That is my husband's -- gun.'
"She reached for the handgun and I had to jump on her back and take the gun out of her hand. I placed her into handcuffs and placed her against my police vehicle. I was able to call for back up when I was inside of the vehicle."
http://nypdconfidential.com/columns/2005/050722.html
"As the argument got heated, Rossi and his partner disarmed Garry McCarthy and placed him in handcuffs. They also handcuffed his wife after she grabbed her husband’s gun from their patrol car, prosecutors said."
Newark’s top cop suffered another loss in his nearly three-year court dispute over a traffic ticket when an appeals panel upheld his conviction Wednesday.
"Police Director Garry McCarthy was fined $230 for obstruction of traffic after a February 2005 incident in which he was involved in a scuffle with two Palisades Interstate Parkway police officers
His wife, Regina, received a similar penalty after being convicted of making unreasonable noise by yelling at the officers."
http://passaicnews.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/newark-top-cops-ticket-is-upheld-after-palisades-police-ticket-him/
He seems to have gotten off pretty lightly considering his behavior.
When convenient, you believe everything you read on the internet. Besides, what's that got to do with anything? I was talking about the nonsense that you guys continually dish out about police chiefs' opinions on gun control being worthless because they're nothing more than political hacks.
DeleteOf course they "rise up through the ranks". Nobody said they are born Police Chiefs.
ReplyDeleteNo, but what you guys have said repeatedly is their opinion is worthless because they're just political hacks. Now all of a sudden it's "Of course they "rise up through the ranks"." which would be to say their opinions are extremely valuable, based on long experience and not just to pay lip service to the political machine.
DeleteWho ever said you can't rise through the ranks to become a political hack?
DeleteI don't jump too hard in these discussions on what cops think. They are people just like anyone else, and their opinions on any subject are going to run the gamut. I just find your argument here kind of strange.
My argument is that your argument is nonsense. Why do you find that strange?
DeleteAnd My argument is that Your argument is nonsense.
DeleteProof by vigorous assertion--We both win! Yay!
Notice that McCarthy has been in departments in cities with the worst gun laws of the nation? And Chicago specifically and Illinois in general already has strict gun control, so he should recognize that if a lot has failed, more isn't likely to do any good. Fortunately, at the end of the interview, he does name things that will actually work.
ReplyDeleteBut Mikeb, since you reject the evidence that you've been shown regarding the opinions of rank and file officers, why do you expect we'll accept what you say here?
Rank and file officers for the most part agree with Chief McCarthy. You've been shown that.
Deletetwo things MIkeB. where have we been shown that rank and file officers agree with McCarthy? we have surveys of verified sworn officers that show that a large percentage of rank and file don't agree with him, and you simply blow it off as being as biased as it gets. Second is that we don't say that chiefs have never been rank and file officers, rather they are not rank and file from the departments they become chiefs of. If you understood the process of selecting a chief you would know that they are selected by the city councils and mayors, IE politicians and they are far more likely to be representative of the politicians that appoint them instead of the officers they are appointed over. Even in smaller agencies chiefs tend to be transplants from larger metropolitan agencies. With the larger pool you have from opening it up to transplants the city government is more apt to find one that represents their beliefs. Whether it be liberal or conservative. The fact that the Chief has more connection to the governing powers than they do to their officers is one of the reasons that Chiefs are not part of the POAs in the majority of jurisdictions.
DeleteMikeZ
You're forgetting the difference between claims and proof again.
DeleteYeah, right. Bogus telephone interviews are proof but common sense thinking counts for nothing.
DeleteCommon sense is the term people use to describe a lack of facts and logic.
DeleteGC,
DeleteAre you saying common sense describes stupid people?
So interviews and surveys of sworn law enforcement officers, citizens, a rational reading of plain English are not proof, but "common sense" IE your bias and agenda are proof? Common sense has to come from the evidence and data, anything else is biased wishful thinking
DeleteMikeZ
I wonder how many police officers keep personal weapons at home while they are off duty?
ReplyDelete