Reply to Moderates- Eleich or Blair

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Blair all the way. The crime is out of control. And part of the reason is elrich doesn’t support his police department.

Where is his praise of their excellent police work apprehending the three juveniles who were shooting at police in Bethesda? Police took them unharmed. Elrich is quick to condemn them in officer involved shootings but silent when they do it right. Unbelievable. [/quote]

Oh yeah, let's give the police a huge pat on the back for DOING THEIR JOBS and not murdering people while arresting them.[/quote]

Acknowledgement for their good work is appropriate. Do you not appreciate it at your job?

The police are minimally staffed right now because of this council. [b]They have made MCPD so unattractive to recruits that the academy classes can’t even begin to replace the officers leaving the department.[/b] Riemer has been one to lead the charge against the police department. He claims he wants to improve public safety and policing, but he can’t (won’t?) admit he is large part of the problem. The fact MCPD operates as well as it does in spite of the current council is astounding. [/quote]

How have they done that? Specifically?

Or is it more likely that increase awareness of police violence against civilians nationwide has diminished public confidence in the institution of policing?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/08/12/americans-confidence-police-falls-new-low-gallup-poll-shows/3352910001/[/quote]

Yes, it is understandable that public confidence in policing has diminished nationwide. My concern is that more vocal members of this council have used nationwide data and applied it directly to MCPD, which has historically been a very well-run and well-regarded department. It has often been considered a strong example for other departments, and MCPD often sends their officers to be chiefs elsewhere. Instead of looking at the strengths of our current department, council members took the easy road and decided to paint MCPD as in need of desperate reform. Yes, reform is GOOD and improvements can always be made, but not when it is hastily considered without input from people who actually have experience with the job. I have been paying attention and haven't heard anything from Riemer or Elrich about attending the citizen's academy, doing ride-alongs, etc. It appears to me that they don't think they can benefit from learning more about the MCPD experience. Therefore, officers suffer. For example, the council-driven Reimagining Public Safety Task Force calls for a 50% reduction in policing in Wheaton and Silver Spring, two areas that are already severely understaffed. Police officers are being asked to do more with severely less right now and it has taken a dramatic hit on their morale. Reducing the number of police does not reduce crime in those areas.

Things that used to make MCPD very appealing no longer do. The word is out that MCPD does not have the support of the council and yes, that is hurting recruitment numbers. We can also see this in salary. MCPD used to be among the highest paid in the region, and now we are 2nd to last. Recruits who would have considered a career here are now turning elsewhere, to counties that compensate better and treat their officers better. It's cutting off your nose to save your face. If you want a strong police department, you need to support your officers instead of tearing them down.[/quote]

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