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by Dr. Carl Mumpower
Op-Ed
Asheville Citizen-Times
July 31, 2005
An
articulate gentleman once described a policeman as part of the "thin
blue line" standing between you and me and some very bad people. That
blue line in Asheville is more thinly spread than most realize, and it
must be nurtured with the truth and support for those charged with
upholding public safety. There is an important place of community
fairness found between blind faith and reactive cynicism that is
crucial to the morale and effectiveness of the men and women of the
Asheville Police Department.
Recently, our thin blue line broke.
A citizen was tased under circumstances that poorly supported the use
of this new and unique law enforcement tool. The details have been
highlighted in articles and editorials illuminating an unfortunate
incident with rippling impact for all involved. Harm has occurred, and
now it our job to insure that harm lays a foundation for learning and
improved service over denial or paralysis.
It has been suggested
that the APD and our City's leaders have failed the community through
delays, cover up, and indifference–that we should have acted "more
swiftly and openly." Such accusations are poorly researched or
supported in fact and do little more than artificially feed community
apprehensions. Informed media knows that a majority of the personnel
laws that guide employee disciplinary actions are set in Raleigh and
not Asheville. Those legally mandated procedures take time, and when
ignored, lay a foundation for legal action by mistreated employees that
can cost city taxpayers and generate additional headlines about system!
fail
ure.
Those same legislated controls impair the ability of
APD to discuss personnel matters - an unfortunate restraint that
unfairly generates assumptions of cover ups that are more accurately
described as following the law. City Council members are statutorily
charged to develop policies that are operationally implemented by our
City Manager and staff. Elected officials sometimes do raise
operational concerns, but only in a measured and responsible fashion
when we note patterns or breakdowns - not on whim or when a citizen
needs a convenient trump card.
It is easy to assume that elected
officials operate in a position of power and omnipotence, but this is
not today's reality. To intentionally step into legal issues,
operations, and internal affairs is an abuse of powers, through
different means, not unlike the tasing incident in question.
In
this tasing case there is no pattern, and the system did not breakdown.
An officer misused his powers and is no longer an officer. This is
serious consequence reflecting accountable management and standards.
As
regards the use of tasers, I can speak personally to their
effectiveness when properly applied. To learn more about APD's new law
enforcement tool, last January I asked for the opportunity to observe
and participate in one of the taser training exercises. All APD
officers who carry a taser must undergo training which includes being
tased. From a five second personal exposure, I can share that it hurts,
but also that the recovery is immediate with little or no lingering
effects and that no deaths have been directly attributable to this tool.
Tasers
are about temporary incapacitation when words are no longer working–a
decidedly better alternative to the use of asphyxiating chemicals such
as mace, a blunt force weapon or a firearm. We can take comfort in a
police department that h!
as inten
tionally sought out a new resource
intended to serve as a compassionate alternative to more deadly force.
Asheville's thin blue line is comprised of extraordinary men and women
who must face a daily parade of absurdity, predatory behavior, and
danger with a complex blend of knowledge, resources, competency and
concern. It's a juggling act that a special few are willing to
undertake. Those few, in turn, need our support to effectively support
our safety.
In a time where authority is often viewed with
indifference or malice, the temptation of uninformed criticism abounds,
and right and wrong are blended into a confusing fog, we need that thin
blue line more than ever. It is rare that we can criticize or attack
anything into being better. Building a life or a community is never so
simple. More accurately we get no better than we earn and we casually
vilify our City's police to our own peril.
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