Fear of the Law

Do you fear the cops? Apparently they want you to - at least the ones in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Police Get Black Uniforms to Instill Sense of ‘Fear’

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Springfield’s men in black are returning.

The city’s new police commissioner, William Fitchet, says members of the department’s Street Crime Unit will again don black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence.

Fitchet’s predecessor, Edward Flynn, had ditched the black attire as part of an effort to soften the image of the unit. Flynn left Springfield in January to become the police chief in Milwaukee.

Sgt. John Delaney told a city council hearing Wednesday that the stark uniforms send a message to criminals that officers are serious about making arrests.

Delaney said a sense of “fear” has been missing for the past few years.

So it’s no longer about protecting and serving, now you want us to fear you too? Is this really the best image/message they could be sending? The Only One in the news story claims they’re targeting criminals, but I don’t buy that. Don’t criminals already fear the law? The only ones this is going to instill a sense of fear in is the public, and the message is clear.

*sigh*

I’ll post some later, it’s almost Hog Feeding Time.

(h/t) Sharp as a Marble

Share/Save