Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 19:18:18 -0000
From: erik@ybol.com
Subject: [lpaz-Pima] Cops and Mingling
To: lpaz-Pima@yahoogroups.com
Reply-To: lpaz-Pima@yahoogroups.com


To me, cops mingling is a no brainer.

How could the cops have handled the 4th Avenue
situation (and smilar situations in the future)
better? There were about 1500 celebrators and
about 500 cops. We're talking no more than a three
block area.

Say instead their were 20 cops on each block, 60
cops total, no intimidating riot gear. Some kid starts
pulling down a stop sign. The nearest cop says,
"knock it off." The kid keeps it up. Two more cops
join the first, and take the kid away. Situation
resolved...

Another person starts a fire. Since the cops are in the
crowd they notice it quickly. The nearest cop gets on
his radio. Calls over 10 reinforcements. Three of them
put out the fire, and seven track down the arsonist.
Situation resolved... Tension remains low, property
damage kept to a minimum, 47 cops still just walking
around high-fiving the celebrants.

In 1997, the police presence was much more integrated.
The cops were actually smiling, chatting, and high-
fiving celebrators. The crowd never did get unruly. Only
after the cops got frustrated at not being able to use their
riot gear toys, did they decide to tear gas the remaining
small group of dangerous dread-locked stoners.

It is my personal experience that a group of cops in riot
gear are far more likely to cause trouble than a group of
drunken college kids.

Mingling not only keeps people in the crowd from doing
things it may otherwise do if the cops were two blocks
away, but it allows the cops to deal with problems in a
quicker and less intimidating manner. And, maybe even
more importantly, it keeps the cops from forming their
own dangerous group.






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