Nashville Promised a Crackdown on Mask-Defying Partiers. Then They Arrested a Homeless Man with a Drug and Drinking Problem.
This is what it looks like when you get the police involved in public health issues.
Police
81 Percent of Black Americans Want the Same Level, or More, of Police Presence: Gallup
Growing calls to defund or abolish cops in the wake of police-brutality protests are at odds with what most African Americans actually want.
Another Rogue Cop Just Got Qualified Immunity. The Judge Who Gave It to Him Isn't Happy About It.
"The Constitution says everyone is entitled to equal protection of the law—even at the hands of law enforcement," wrote Judge Carlton W. Reeves.
Kindergarten Cop Is Canceled, Likened to Birth of a Nation
Portland's Northwest Film Center pulls film from summer drive-in schedule after critics say it promotes "school-to-prison pipeline."
Leaked Footage Shows Aggressive Cops Terrifying George Floyd in His Last Minutes Before Death
The fatal encounter demonstrates why police reformers want more departments to train officers in de-escalation.
Auburn University Is Considering Unhiring a Professor for Tweeting a Swear Word
The right also has an affinity for cancel culture.
Connecticut Passes Law Curbing Qualified Immunity - but with Loopholes
The law is a step in the right direction, but has significant limitations, that should be a warning sign for future reform efforts.
Detroit Police Department Settles Another Dog Shooting Lawsuit After Video Contradicts Cop's Account
A 2016 Reason investigation found Detroit police have a nasty habit of shooting dogs during drug raids.
Lots of Talk But Much Less Action on Police Reform
Getting government officials to put their packs of enforcers on shorter leashes is the definition of an uphill battle.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Tells Retailers To Call the Cops on Customers Who Don't Wear Masks
Armed agents of the state shouldn't be enforcing mask mandates.
Federal Cops Are Leaving Portland. But Will the Standoff Really End?
With many of the city's entertainment options shut down, protesting has become a form of nightlife.
After Failing To Quell Unrest, the Feds Will Depart From Portland
President Trump sent federal agents to squash protests, but the situation has continuously escalated.
A SWAT Team Blew Up This Family's Home in Pursuit of a Suspect Who Wasn't Even There
Nor did the suspect live at the residence.
Coronavirus, Protests, and Policing Expose Government Failure at Every Level
The summer of 2020 got a lot crappier over the weekend, according to the Reason Roundtable podcast.
New York Police Unions Partly Succeed in Stopping Release of Misconduct Records
A federal judge gags the New York Civil Liberties Union, but a media outlet manages to collect and publish a database of misbehaving cops.
Miami Police Setting Up 'Mask Traps,' Issuing $100 Fines to People Wearing Masks Improperly
The theoretical case for government mask mandates has to be weighed against the reality of their enforcement.
The Feds Are Still the Jackbooted Thugs We Were Warned About
Government agents brutalizing people are in the wrong, whether or not we sympathize with those on the receiving end.
Dispatch From Portland: The Morning Crew
A tarot card-reading liberal arts major, a Sudanese immigrant, and a former restaurant worker explain why they are out protesting in Rose City.
Where's Republican Federalism During Trump's Urban Invasions?
A president from a party supposedly committed to restraining the federal government is now sending enforcers to cities over local objections.
Dispatch From Portland: The Fire Next Time
The protests continue, as does the tear gassing.
What It's Like To Work in the Portland Jail During the George Floyd Protests
The federal police presence in Portland has enraged demonstrators. It's also taken pressure off the local justice center.
Trump Administration Justifies Federal Police Surge With Fake News
Plus: "learning pods" are an unfair target, COVID-19 reinfections are unlikely, and more...
The Majority of Americans Oppose Qualified Immunity. Where Is Congress?
American voters know what's up.
Trump Deploys Lawlessness Against Lawlessness
The president’s heavy-handed response to protests against police brutality belies his promise of "law and order."
Rand Paul: It's Time To Demilitarize the Police
The line between peace officer and soldier of war has become far too blurry.
Don't 'Abolish the Police.' Privatize Them.
"A lot of people think that law enforcement must be provided by a [government] monopoly," says economist Edward Stringham. But "there are plenty of private examples of people working to create order and safety in society."
Why Are Taxpayers Footing the Bill for Full-Time Police Union Employees?
No one should be forced to pay for officers who spend their days opposing policing reform and defending bad cops.
Sen. Brian Schatz Says 'Libertarians Should Be Freaking Out About Portland.' Where Has He Been?
The Hawaii senator fails to fully consider the causes of bad policing.
John Lewis Was an American Hero Who Battled State Racism
John Lewis' life was a testament to the power of free speech and peaceful agitation.
Feds Send Outside Agitators To Escalate Conflict in Portland
Plus: How H-1B visa restrictions cost U.S. jobs, a woman sues the British health service over hormone blockers, and more...
Want To Reform Policing? Bust Police Unions.
As policy makers consider ways to reduce some of these shocking use-of-force incidents, they need to evaluate the role of unions in protecting overly aggressive officers.
Sluggishness of Police Reform Feeds Frustration
George Floyd's death triggered a long overdue cultural reckoning with race-related issues and inequities. It will be too bad, though, if the policing issues that set off the protests are forgotten.
Joe Biden Isn't Ready To End Qualified Immunity
In attempting to appeal to everyone, the Democratic presidential candidate misses the mark.
All Enforcers Are Cops
Real police reform requires backing off efforts to force people to do things they don’t want to do.
Homeland Security Acting Like 'An Occupying Army' Says Sen. Wyden, After Federal Agents Shoot Peaceful Portland Protester
Plus: Free press threats, marriage licensing woes, Fiona Apple fights for prisoners, Trump spox talk up masks, and more...
This Week in Policing Reform: Hawaii Lifts Police Secrecy, Civilian Oversight Boards Make Ballots in Miami and Philadelphia
And Sen. Tim Scott (R–S.C.) says policing reform in Congress might not be dead after all.
Two People Charged With a Hate Crime for Painting Over a Black Lives Matter Mural
Seeking maximal punishment for a nonviolent offense will not help the Black Lives Matter movement.
No, We Don't Need Harsher Criminal Penalties To Fight the 'Karens' of the World
Politicians appear to have learned all the wrong lessons about over-policing.
In 2020, Words Are 'Violence,' Arson Is Not
The redefinition of the term diminishes actual victims of violence and trivializes why people are protesting.
Body Camera Footage Shows Florida Cops Laughing About Using Rubber Bullets on Anti-Police Brutality Protesters
Scenes from anti-brutality protests are renewing the debate around the controversial use of rubber bullets.
