Idea of reform is no assault on police

[marmar]

Idea of reform is no assault on police

By Dianne Williamson
[email protected]


One day, when I was a cub reporter working the police beat, the chief called me to his office and closed the door.

For the next 30 minutes, he proceeded to harangue me and blast my reporting about a controversial incident involving the cops. He told me I was irresponsible and untrustworthy. He said no one in the department would talk with me anymore. He insisted it was my duty as a journalist to portray the police favorably.

Then he dropped the line familiar to any reporter who's ever covered the police: "You're either with us, or against us."

.....(snip).....

Most police officers have fine qualities, but possessing thick skins aren't among them. That hasn't changed from my days on the cop beat, and I sympathize with the bullied de Blasio, who committed the cardinal sin of empathizing with the black community.

.....(snip).....

But to acknowledge that improvements are needed is not akin to turning against the cops. Addressing the ongoing divide, Jon Stewart said it best.

"By the way ... you can truly grieve for every officer who's been lost in the line of duty in this country, and still be troubled by cases of police overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement and still want them to be held to high standards." ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.telegram.com/article/20150110/COLUMN01/301109725/0

[bettyellen]

1. this idea has got to be discarded " "You're either with us, or against us."

things have not changed enough since Serpico's days.