Cato Relaunches Police Misconduct Tracker, Assuring Regular Online Diet of Face-Stomping, Groin-Crushing 'Professionalism'

This week marks the official relaunch of the National Police Misconduct Reporting Project under the auspices of the Cato Institute, taking over for the now-defunct Injustice Everywhere blog.

David Packman, operator of Injustice Everywhere (a police abuse news feed that was a frequent source of tips for Reason.com), had announced in April that his blog was struggling. After mulling over his options, he announced in a goodbye blog entry last week he was handing the site and the duties over to the Cato Institute. Injusticeeverywhere.com now redirects to Cato's site.

Tim Lynch, Cato's director of their Project on Criminal Justice, is overseeing the blog now. The project's Twitter feed (@NPMRP) is the best way to keep track of new abuse report links. This morning they have a link to a story at The Jersey Journal about a $185,000 excessive force settlement. They've got a form to report any misconduct reports they might have missed. They'll also be compiling all the incidents into quarterly and annual statistical reports.

Below: Reason.tv on the outrage in Fullerton, Calif., by residents over their officers' violent beating of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas and his subsequent death.

Comments

[sloopyinca]

God bless David Packman and all the great work he did. I hope Cato, with it's greater resources, continues his work at the level we all were accustomed to at Injustice Everywhere.

[Mongo]

One of the reasons why I'm libertarian: years and years of the GOP and Dems - and even secondary parties like the Independent and Reform parties - sucking the pigs' dicks.

[Res Publica Americana]

Personal uber-hope: Paulites utterly conquer Republican Party, Jeffersonian republicanism is reborn.

[Stormy Dragon]

My personal uber-hope is to win the Powerball jackpot, but then I guess I'm just more of a realist than you.

[Episiarch]

You should also post links to all the TEAM BLUE outrage that Cato is the group hosting it. It tends to point out, very clearly, that they care as little about police abuse as TEAM RED.

[Res Publica Americana]

Makes you think they're all pissed off about it because they know Cato's going to be consistent in reporting police brutality, and that the feed probably isn't just going to go dark for weeks/months at a time.

Tough shit, pinkos and fascists. Tough shit.

[John]

Is there really such outrage? If so, I would love to read it. Not doubting you, just wondering where I can find it. I like train wrecks.

[tarran]

Radley Balko had a link to a great example: You Know What's Worse Than Bad Cops Who Beat, Shoot, and Kill Innocent People? Libertarians.

[John]

Thanks. Not surprising. At some point people need to realize, if it means giving in on their economic and central planning ponies, liberals will never support civil liberties.

[tarran]

This has been a point I've been hammering for years up in MA.

And, yes, you are absolutely right, most 'liberals' would give up social freedoms before accepting the state allowing economic freedom. It's really amazing how their minds shie away from allowing people to be truly free.

It's the Jim Crow mentality all over again (we must give up freedom rather than extend it to black people).

[sarcasmic]

officers' violent beating

As opposed to a nonviolent beating?

Don't forget to put your PIN number into the ATM machine.

[CockGobbla]

Is this the same project that Annie, over at Balloon-Juice, tried to sabotage?

[sloopyinca]

Yes. And their readers did everything in the world to make sure they won the "poll" David ran in good faith, just to make sure the union cops' violence went unpublished and to make sure Cato didn't get to be the ones reporting on a fairly important topic.

When the whole thing went down, there were a couple of good candidates, but Cato's resources and their nonpartisan (read: not Team Red/Blue) made them far and away the best option.

[wareagle]

interesting that liberals would put team loyalty, as in backing union cops, above the reality that news-grabbing displays of police stupidity often involve leftist victims. Interesting, not surprising.

[John]

Really? Wow.

[SugarFree]

Balloon Juice encourages it's readers to troll Balko and Hit'n'Run. They are vile.

[Heroic Mulatto]

What the hell is a "Balloon Juice"?

[SugarFree]

Very loose santorum.

[Res Publica Americana]

Scott Shackford's becoming far too uppity. What a disrespectful civilian fiend he is. STOP RESISTING, MR. SHACKFORD, OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD PETS GET IT.

Is there a single place in this country with a population of over 100,000 whose law enforcement hasn't been militarized? Serious question.

[sloopyinca]

I live in Visalia, CA, and they honestly don't look militarized here (equipment-wise at least). They do have a SWAT team, but I've only heard of them being used once in the 4+ years I've been here. And during that standoff, they got it resolved peacefully (and the only heavy gear was brought in from Fresno's SWAT team).

Seriously, I only been given shit by a Visalia cop once, and that was when he almost ran my kids over with a motorcycle before a parade. He skidded up to us and yelled for them to get out of the street because they were sitting on the curb. I told him he better slow down and another cop came up and apologized to me.

All of the shit I see from cops around here is either from Fresno PD or CHP. And aside from not being too good about open carry 2A Rights, one can still get a CCW pretty easily in Tulare County.

California is a shit sandwich when it comes to LEO's. But Visalia at least has lettuce and tomato on their part of it.

[Kaptious Kristen]

OT: looks like you're on my dream road trip Vegas-to-Vegas loop, which might take place in the next coupla years when I learn to drive a motorcycle. Beers?

[Kaptious Kristen]

P.S. Why does Visalia have a weird red line around it on Google maps?

[BakedPenguin]

Because you typed it in as a search, so it's showing you the city limits. If you just go to Google Maps and zoom in, it won't show.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Aahhhh...that's weird - never noticed that before.

[perlhaqr]

It's fairly new, I think. I just started noticing it myself. They do country outlines in Europe, too.

[John]

Kristen, if and when you ever learn to ride a motorcycle tell me. I have no other bike friends in this city.

[Kaptious Kristen]

John, can you recommend a good starter bike that is reliable and cheap used? I'm still not satisfied with the information I have gathered so far (I think it's just that there's too much info and I can't sort through it all).

[John]

I would look at a BMW F 650 or a Suziki V Storm 650. Buy a used one that is a few years old. But don't buy a super low milage one. The problem with buying a bike that someone bought to talk about rather than ride is that the seals go bad from sitting. Low millage bikes have a terrible habit of burning and leaking oil. I would rather buy a five year old bike that has been ridden, say 20K miles than one that has sat.

A lot of it too depends on how tall you are. Sadly a lot of bikes just are not ridable for some women. I know you can get the F 650 lowered. And it is super light and easy to handle. Great commuter bikes. Same with the V Storm. Both are great starter bikes.

If you don't like either of those two or can't find one reasonably priced, here is my general advice.

1. No matter what get a bike that fits you ergonomically. What is wonderfully comfortable for one person is not for the next.

2. Don't be afraid to buy as big of a bike as you can comfortably handle. I bought my 1150 as my first bike. People thought I was crazy, but I was comfortable on it and still haven't outgrown it.If you feel comfortable, don't worry. You can grow into a bike.

3. Don't worry about buying something with massive horsepower. They are all fast enough to kill you. And all fast enough to have plenty of fun on. While it is okay to buy a bike you will grow into, it is probably really dumb to buy a high end sport bike as your first bike.

[John]

4. Buy something you enjoy riding. Don't let anyone talk you into a sport bike or a cruiser or a Harley because they look cool. Better to have a bike that you enjoy and have fun riding than something that looks great but is uncomfortable or too heavy to enjoy riding.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I don't give two craps about brand. I just want something I can ride and afford. In fact, my contrarian nature would probably prevent me from getting a Harley just because they seem so "popular" and "trendy".

[Kaptious Kristen]

But I admit I would love a Honda Gold Wing - I don't care if I would look like an old lady.

[John]

By a small bike and then get yourself a gold wing after you get better riding. You can get a used one cheap. And like all Hondas they never break down.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Cool thanks - horsepower is something if am definitely wary of, at least out of the gate.

Now, how does one actually learn to ride a bike without killing oneself? Same way it's done with manual cars - in a parking lot?

[John]

Go take the motorcycle safety courses. They cost a few hundred dollars. They last a weekend. And they are great. They give you these little 250 Honda Nighthawks in a big parking lot. And you start off from the beginning, like how to get on the thing. And then you move up to power walking it. By the end of the weekend you are doing cones and curves and such at 25 or 30 mph. Don't buy a motorcycle without taking one. They are totally worth it.

And I think you said your b/f rides a bike. Trust me, it is much better for your relationship if you have someone else teach you how to ride. I could never teach my wife how to ride and still have her speaking to me at the end of the day.

[Kaptious Kristen]

His nickname in his motorcycle club is "Danger Dave", so he won't be teaching me 😉 And I also won't be riding pillion with him (that's why I want to learn).

[John]

My wife loves to ride on mine. We are total Washington yuppies. You should see the looks we get when we tell people that. We look like we fell out of the 1950s. It totally shocks people when they find out we own a motorcycle much less both ride on it.

[John]

One last point Kristen. Whatever you buy make sure it has ABS. Most motorcycle accidents are single bike accidents. And the biggest cause of those is when people panic and hit the rear foot break too hard and cause the rear wheel to lock up causing the bike to slide out from under them. An ABS bike won't do that. They are much safer as a result.

[Karl Hungus]

While it is okay to buy a bike you will grow into, it is probably really dumb to buy a high end sport bike as your first bike.

Excellent advice. Still, there's something hot about a woman on a sport bike. The body position demanded by the bike's ergonomics - bent over, ass out, legs slightly apart - are a wonderful thing to behold.

[John]

You are a girl on a bike. Everyone will love you no matter what. Chicks can ride Vespas and look cool.

[sloopyinca]

My last bike was an old Triumph Bonneville. A great small-ish bike. Get something like that and you'll always be comfy on a bigger, heavier bike.

And yes, when you head out here, we'll go and get royally drunk on some homebrew.

[perlhaqr]

I think you could reduce the number to 10,000 and still have the same question. Seems like every podunk town in the country is getting a Bearcat and a crate of M-16s.

[BakedPenguin]

Maybe they can come up with some good info graphics. For example, compare states on a 1-to-5 scale using these as counters.

[Another David]

Man, look at that resistance to legitimate police work. All the officer wants to do is put his foot on the ground, and that asshole is resisting it with his face, just because he hates police.

[sarcasmic]

And look at that blood he's putting on the poor officer's shoes!
That's assault with bodily fluids!

[Almanian...still]

STOP RESISTING!