Police unions should use money for conduct reforms

On March 6, Los Angeles government officials and the LAPD union reached an agreement on salary raises. According to the Los Angeles Times, “the agreement would grant raises in the last three years of a four-year contract,” and starting in July 2016, “officers would see a 4 [percent] pay increase followed by 2 [percent] increases in 2017 and 2018.” A better healthcare package would also be provided for police officers. Though these conditions are rightful compensations for public service officers, other things must be considered before the city goes through with this plan, or there should not be a pay raise at all.

It is pertinent for police officers to be fairly rewarded for their hard work. My uncle is a police officer, and I’ve seen him work through nights and holidays. There is no day of rest for real-life superheroes. One of my favorite movies is End of Watch, an emotional depiction of the harrowing journeys drug-busters endure. But then I think about revelations like the the string of recent thefts in January at Los Angeles International Airport -— one of the largest incidents of property theft in the airport’s history. The LAPD was accused of careless work in their detection and arrests. Of course, I also think of the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Gardner. Needless to say, not all police officers are good cops.

Perhaps, the solution to the present dilemma is the development of a system to get rid of the bad cops. According to David Brooks of The New York Times, a small portion of police officers actually commit these abuses. There are, however, incidents in which police officers kill civilians and are reinstated to the force. In 2007, Officer Hector Jimenez of Oakland, California, shot and killed an unarmed 20-year-old man. Less than a year later, Jimenez killed yet another unarmed man. Most alarmingly, Jimenez was able to appeal to his union, who reinstated him with pay. The police union, in protecting members such as Jimenez, stagnates police reform.

Brooks says that intricate detection of officers such as Jimenez can be a complicated ordeal. When officers have exhibited “clear incompetence,” their investigation process is much more lenient than that of a civilian. They also have access to resources that would strengthen their case, such as accuser names and testimonials. A mandatory two-day cool-off period also gives officers time to develop a response to refute their accusal.

Even with those conflicts in the justice system, however, there are certain measures that can be implemented by the police union itself. First, as Brooks detailed in his article, officers can wear cameras on their uniforms in order to present an accurate account when needed. Also, court mandates in New York have banned antiquated practices, such as stop-and-frisk, which unfairly targets minority men. Police union leadership should seek funding to implement these practices. An agreement regarding what constitutes proper police behavior needs to be determined before considering salary raises.

So, before the fuzz becomes the dust in our eyes, we must urge the police to consider putting the community’s needs before their own. Before the agreement is solidified between the LAPD union and Mayor Eric Garcetti, a better allocation of funds has to be implemented.

Danni Wang is a sophomore majoring in psychology. She is also the editorial director of the Daily Trojan. “Point/Counterpoint” runs Tuesdays.