Mental health calls, complaint systems and citizen academies were among the reforms recommended to the Laramie City Council. A civilian oversight board was recommended too, but only just.
It has been clear that Laramie, just like the rest of America, is over policed. The staffing levels are based on the high crime rates of the past and not on the crime rates now. Even as crime has fallen, the legislators across America voted for more enforcement for "crimes" like those that lowered the Blood Alcohol Levels for determining DWI levels to 0.08 and raising the drinking age to 21.
Just like during the lead up to Prohibition, most elected officials did not want to fight Mothers Against Drunk Driving even when its solutions were not based on actual facts associated with impaired driving. So as violent crime went down, enforcement agencies could still keep the arrests and coffers high by hitting drivers with a ton of fines and fancy gadgets that keep the law enforcement pyramid scheme going. Laramie had plenty of young candidates to keep this scheme going.
Police are also in charge of the data about crimes and really do seem to make claims about crime without nuance, nor do they propose solutions that would reduce the amount of people that would be classified as criminals. For instance, we hear of all the increases in Murders across the country, but law enforcement continues to let the narrative imply those murders are indicative of a society gone mad and without them: You Could be Next!
However, it is clear the part of the murder rate increase is due to domestic violence and easy access to weapons. Covid forced families to be together and when things got heated the lead flew. Domestic Violence is the riskiest call a Police Officer has to take, due mainly to the fact it is primarily a mental health issue, which they are really not trained to handle, but that is where society is at the moment. To me if there is a proven Domestic Violence call, even without one party pressing charges, all the guns in the house should be removed from the property for at least 24 hours. Of course Law Enforcement, especially those espousing Constitutional Sheriff hokum, always resist taking weapons, even though the owner is clearly not "well regulated".
Drug Laws are one area where the public/city officials fear to tread, even though it is clear that kicking off the Drug War in America lead to a Worldwide crime wave, just as Prohibition caused the largest crime wave in American history. Again elected officials fear even discussing that the solution to ending the incarceration and ruining lives associated with drug use is still not on the table locally and nationally. A great number of elected officials have so much fear over even considering these issues because Just Say No is easier than dealing with the issue in an intelligent manner.
You do not need to be a genius to see that much of the real violence associated with crime is connected to drug use, but you do need to have some experience to figure out which drugs are actually driving that violence. I will readily admit I have seen drug use up close and personal with people using a wide range of substances. I would contend if one looked closely at violent drug users, it is man made drugs that cause the most problem and should always be illegal or used under a prescription. It is clear to me, but maybe not to society at large, that Methamphetamine is WAY worse than Cocaine and that Fentanyl is WAY worse than smoking Opium. Just read the news out of Cheyenne or watch the First 48 to see the negative effects of Meth, which is similar to the College study favorite Adderal.
If America wanted the world to get better it would seek to end the drug war by making all naturally occurring plant LEGAL and then taxing it based on refining the plant and the risk to society. I would never advocate for importing Cocaine but I would advocate for Coca Leaves to be imported and sold/processed by local people. I would posit far more people will purchase Coca Leaves to chew or make tea than those desiring the leaves to be processed into Cocaine. Even if they do desire Cocaine, the tax will be sufficient to address societal issues, but hopefully not at a level that will drive a black market.
I will also contend that had Wyoming not shut down its Opium Dens 100 years ago due to racism associated with Chinese Americans, the Sacklers would not have hooked Americans on Oxycontin and China would have no takers for its drug overdosing Fentanyl.
When are we going to see that our Drug War has had far greater consequences for Laramie and world than BigPharma will allow our politicians and law enforcement to admit.
Police know that society could take another, better path, but are hell bent on preventing that progress and will obstruct by any means necessary. The best thing communities could do would be to look at the Police workforce and reallocate resources for new hires, while ensuring that those currently on the force could retire after 20 years just as they dreamed. Right Wing Socialism* has its perks and alleviating the workforce of fear of unemployment and loss of benefits as society changes priorities is the key to getting the police to change.
* Remember that Police Unions voted to endorse Donald Trump for President.
It has been clear that Laramie, just like the rest of America, is over policed. The staffing levels are based on the high crime rates of the past and not on the crime rates now. Even as crime has fallen, the legislators across America voted for more enforcement for "crimes" like those that lowered the Blood Alcohol Levels for determining DWI levels to 0.08 and raising the drinking age to 21.
Just like during the lead up to Prohibition, most elected officials did not want to fight Mothers Against Drunk Driving even when its solutions were not based on actual facts associated with impaired driving. So as violent crime went down, enforcement agencies could still keep the arrests and coffers high by hitting drivers with a ton of fines and fancy gadgets that keep the law enforcement pyramid scheme going. Laramie had plenty of young candidates to keep this scheme going.
Police are also in charge of the data about crimes and really do seem to make claims about crime without nuance, nor do they propose solutions that would reduce the amount of people that would be classified as criminals. For instance, we hear of all the increases in Murders across the country, but law enforcement continues to let the narrative imply those murders are indicative of a society gone mad and without them: You Could be Next!
However, it is clear the part of the murder rate increase is due to domestic violence and easy access to weapons. Covid forced families to be together and when things got heated the lead flew. Domestic Violence is the riskiest call a Police Officer has to take, due mainly to the fact it is primarily a mental health issue, which they are really not trained to handle, but that is where society is at the moment. To me if there is a proven Domestic Violence call, even without one party pressing charges, all the guns in the house should be removed from the property for at least 24 hours. Of course Law Enforcement, especially those espousing Constitutional Sheriff hokum, always resist taking weapons, even though the owner is clearly not "well regulated".
Drug Laws are one area where the public/city officials fear to tread, even though it is clear that kicking off the Drug War in America lead to a Worldwide crime wave, just as Prohibition caused the largest crime wave in American history. Again elected officials fear even discussing that the solution to ending the incarceration and ruining lives associated with drug use is still not on the table locally and nationally. A great number of elected officials have so much fear over even considering these issues because Just Say No is easier than dealing with the issue in an intelligent manner.
You do not need to be a genius to see that much of the real violence associated with crime is connected to drug use, but you do need to have some experience to figure out which drugs are actually driving that violence. I will readily admit I have seen drug use up close and personal with people using a wide range of substances. I would contend if one looked closely at violent drug users, it is man made drugs that cause the most problem and should always be illegal or used under a prescription. It is clear to me, but maybe not to society at large, that Methamphetamine is WAY worse than Cocaine and that Fentanyl is WAY worse than smoking Opium. Just read the news out of Cheyenne or watch the First 48 to see the negative effects of Meth, which is similar to the College study favorite Adderal.
If America wanted the world to get better it would seek to end the drug war by making all naturally occurring plant LEGAL and then taxing it based on refining the plant and the risk to society. I would never advocate for importing Cocaine but I would advocate for Coca Leaves to be imported and sold/processed by local people. I would posit far more people will purchase Coca Leaves to chew or make tea than those desiring the leaves to be processed into Cocaine. Even if they do desire Cocaine, the tax will be sufficient to address societal issues, but hopefully not at a level that will drive a black market.
I will also contend that had Wyoming not shut down its Opium Dens 100 years ago due to racism associated with Chinese Americans, the Sacklers would not have hooked Americans on Oxycontin and China would have no takers for its drug overdosing Fentanyl.
When are we going to see that our Drug War has had far greater consequences for Laramie and world than BigPharma will allow our politicians and law enforcement to admit.
Police know that society could take another, better path, but are hell bent on preventing that progress and will obstruct by any means necessary. The best thing communities could do would be to look at the Police workforce and reallocate resources for new hires, while ensuring that those currently on the force could retire after 20 years just as they dreamed. Right Wing Socialism* has its perks and alleviating the workforce of fear of unemployment and loss of benefits as society changes priorities is the key to getting the police to change.
* Remember that Police Unions voted to endorse Donald Trump for President.