Codepending with the Cops

May 17, 2015 — co-depending, cops, ethics, TPD, Tucson

TPD

In a co-dependent relationship each side wants the other to be different.  One striking example today is the relationship between the public and the cops. Police departments across the country are found to be engaging in all kinds of costly and illegal practices that are not in the best interest of the taxpayers.  One such practice is the use of public safety disability systems to pay off and retire problem (and criminal) cops. We foot the bill for all the retirement and disability payments retired cops are given, whether they are valid or not.  Obviously we want to protect, heal and compensate those who are legitimate victims of on the job injuries. To do otherwise would be irresponsible and thoughtless.

Since this system is so easily deceived by bogus medical claims it only makes sense to examine the system for fraud.  Tucson has unreasonably high disability figures compared to the national average for cops, which drains our coffers in an unsustainable way.  Either we are really doing something that injures our employees more than other cities, or we are being taken for a ride much more than other cities.  I sense that it may be a little of each.  If they do nothing to take care of themselves they will not be healthy as they go through their careers.  Obesity, drug addiction, depression, mental health issues, and low back problems would naturally arise from a work life sitting in a patrol car all day or wearing a bullet proof vest to compress the spine.  There are significant risks to health besides getting shot or killed.  I think this problem needs to be addressed.  They have direct exposure to the worst of general public all day, every day.  None of us could do that without experiencing a loss of optimism and bliss.  PTSD is as real for the cops as it is for the people who go to war.

In Tucson our police department is drastically understaffed by the city council.  They loose more to retirement and atrophy then they can replace by training because they are so far behind in the process.  The lack of personnel leads to highly impaired service.  I hear people say they can’t get through to 911 after holding for 5 minutes to report gun shots next to their home.  I don’t try to call 911 because I have never had a response, and am not expecting that situation to improve by itself.  I do report and send in pictures of suspicious activity and crime I see on a phone app.  This is a way for me to contribute to better law enforcement without wasting my own time.  I think most of the crime in my neighborhood goes unreported.  People have no faith that there will be a response or a solution.

To provide protection under the law for our city Tucson needs:

• Engagement- Citizens and cops need to work on the same side to improve our neighborhoods
• Evidence- Citizens need to know that they are being heard and that evidence we provide is being considered and used to stop crime
• Ethics- Taxpayers need to know that our law enforcement budget is spent with return on OUR investment in mind.

TPD