9 Police Officers Shot since September

**clubboss** · May-01-17, 10:33 AM

8 Police Officers Shot since September:
Appalling number as I'm listening to the live news broadcast of the deteriorating condition of the officer that was shot last night.
Godspeed to the officer shot, and all officers that are recovering from their wounds.
WXYZ is reporting 7 officers
Chief Craig initially gave a number of 9 officers, on 5/2/17, WXYZ noon news: chief Craig stated - innumerable times - 8 officers shot or killed.

Perfect example for death penalty; to anyone convicted of killing any peace officer.

**Lowell** · May-02-17, 09:22 AM

Along with a death penalty this sad state of affairs could also be an argument for more gun control. I happen to disagree with both. Life imprisonment without parole is a death sentence and it is too late for gun control beyond what already exists.

Meanwhile there is a bill in the MI legislature to allow concealed carry available to all gun owners without permit. Imagine that.

**gumby** · May-02-17, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Along with a death penalty this sad state of affairs could also be an argument for more gun control. I happen to disagree with both. Life imprisonment without parole is a death sentence and it is too late for gun control beyond what already exists.

Meanwhile there is a bill in the MI legislature to allow concealed carry available to all gun owners without permit. Imagine that.

Actually, from what I understand is a life sentence in Michigan is generally 25 years.

**Lowell** · May-02-17, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by gumby

Actually, from what I understand is a life sentence in Michigan is generally 25 years.

Not life without parole sentences.

**jt1** · May-02-17, 10:57 AM

For all the people that will wail about how horrible this is and bitch about the city - while commiserating for these officers and complaining about the city, I ask one simple question:

What are you doing to work with at risk kids to reduce the number of people that would consider shooting a police officer? Or is that always someone else's role?

Side note: I agree the shootings are horrible and the pay that DPD officers receive is completely disgusting given the work they do

**hhockey** · May-02-17, 11:56 AM

As a retired Detroit officer, my heart goes out to the officer and his family. Detroit Officers have been underpaid for a very long time. In the early 70's Detroit Officers used to be one of the best paid in the country. Today they are one of the lowest paid. Today if you asked the average citizen if a cop should receive a $10,000 a year raise they would say no. Ask if a sports figure, should get $10 grand more, and it would be a completely different answer. Our priority's are in the wrong place.

**dtowncitylover** · May-02-17, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by hhockey

Today if you asked the average citizen if a cop should receive a $10,000 a year raise they would say no. Ask if a sports figure, should get $10 grand more, and it would be a completely different answer. Our priority's are in the wrong place.

I find that hard to believe...

**Meddle** · May-03-17, 09:13 PM

How many citizens have been shot by police?

Barbaric, medieval governments and terrorist groups in the Middle East execute their citizens. Shouldn't civilized governments be above that?

**Meddle** · May-03-17, 09:17 PM

Industrialized world

Of the countries considered to be industrialized, just four countries continue to perform capital punishment: the United States, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. [[In South Korea, there is a moratorium.)

The European Union holds a strong position against the death penalty; its abolition is a key objective for the Union’s human rights policy. Abolition is also a pre-condition for entry into the Union. In Europe, only Belarus continues to actively use capital punishment.[11]
Russia and former Soviet republics

Russia retains the death penalty in law, but there is a moratorium. The last execution on Russian territory was in Chechnya in 1999. Of the other former Soviet republics, only Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan have not formally abolished capital punishment, and only Belarus uses it in practice. In Kazakhstan, it may only be used in exceptional/special circumstances such as for crimes committed in wartime.
Asia-Pacific
Most executions worldwide take place in Asia. China is the world's most active death penalty country. North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-un constantly uses capital punishment against his opponents. In Islamic countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, the numbers of executions are also very high.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capita...ent_by_country

It's far past time to abolish it permanently.

**lpg** · May-04-17, 04:05 PM

Didn't take long for the thread to change direction to total concern about criminals who kill and their welfare. What about the families left behind to deal with the loss of a loved one ?

**Jimaz** · May-04-17, 04:09 PM

Wait. Now not all lives matter?

**Lowell** · May-04-17, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by hhockey

As a retired Detroit officer, my heart goes out to the officer and his family. Detroit Officers have been underpaid for a very long time. In the early 70's Detroit Officers used to be one of the best paid in the country. Today they are one of the lowest paid. Today if you asked the average citizen if a cop should receive a $10,000 a year raise they would say no. Ask if a sports figure, should get $10 grand more, and it would be a completely different answer. Our priority's are in the wrong place.

Sadly our Public Safety workers are under the same wage and benefit pressures that the rest of the work force. Then there are those who did their duty, retired and had their pensions ripped off.

**detroitsgwenivere** · May-04-17, 10:26 PM

I used to sort of gloat while pointing out to others how Detroit was different because we didn't have a high rate of officers being shot like other cities. That for all of the bullshit the police have put us through over the years, our community has a pretty decent relationship with DPD. When the talking heads get up on their pedestals and complain that the media encourages a lack of support for the police, I roll my eyes because we already have a huge segment of our populace who believe that police should be able to do whatever they want to get rid of the bad guys.

Now it seems like it's open season on the DPD. I'm not a big supporter of the police in general, I think they could be taken down a few notches in many respects. But not this. Not murdering them in cold blood like this is some sort of Mad Max free for all.

Some of my hood friends think that this is just a delayed response stemming from years of systematic brutality, and I know that's not an incorrect assessment. They also say that some of this current generation of hood youth is the most savage they've ever seen, that many more than we'd like to believe wouldn't blink at opening up on anyone for some trivial reason. But I can't help but wonder how much the recent events involving police shootings of the unarmed, the infuriating youtube videos, and the media have played into this. While some are now absolutely terrified of the police, others are so angry at them that they wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire. I worry that this is going to get worse before it gets better.

There are ways to enact the change we want to see in our law enforcement that do not include violence. Police are also our family, friends, and community. That's the word I've been trying to spread as of late.

**Meddle** · May-05-17, 04:14 AM

^^ Haven't learned a lot in the last 50 years, have we? And don't forget the Confederate now playing US Attorney General refusing to hold police accountable.

Let's hope this isn't a particularly hot summer.

**Ray1936** · May-05-17, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Sadly our Public Safety workers are under the same wage and benefit pressures that the rest of the work force. Then there are those who did their duty, retired and had their pensions ripped off.

Thanks for saying that, Lowell.....but to set the record straight, our pensions were not affected in the recent bankruptcy [[not so for general city employees, though). But just as bad, we lost our healthcare package. And many first responders do not qualify for Medicare if they didn't get their 40 quarters of Social Security in.

Hey, life's a gamble. I live in Las Vegas.....don't I know that? LOL