"BROKEN TRUST" Policing Replaces "BROKEN WINDOWS" Policing

Once upon a time, "broken windows policing" theory was applied, first in New York City, and then in Los Angeles. This theory held that broken windows left unrepaired, and graffiti that is not painted over, gives out a message that no one cares. Neighborhoods and cities then decline and crime rises. The solution was to strictly enforce misdemeanor laws against littering, vagrancy, turnstile jumping, defacing private property, public urination, and public indecency. Violators suddenly were being arrested, booked and prosecuted. And lo and behold, crime went down, including serious, violent crime, streets were safer and cleaner, and cities prospered.

Then came the Progressives, who declared that this type of policing discriminated against the poor, homeless and minorities (even though they are most often the victims of crime). New, enlightened policies replaced "broken windows policing." Law enforcement officers were ordered by mayors and judges to tolerate vagrancy, public urination and defecation, public indecency, and camping on the sidewalks. Streets were not repaired and garbage piled up, to the joy of rodents. Street crime returned, escorted by filth and disease.

Call it "broken streets policing"; or "broken trust policing."

Segregation Comes to Minnesota

The City of Minneapolis has scheduled "Sacred Conversations with City Staff" to commemorate, of all things, the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first African slaves at Jamestown, Virginia. The City has arranged separate meeting times for "Black Bodied Staff" and "White Bodied Staff." To me, it is clear that a City cannot sponsor segregated public meetings--surely if Brown v. Board of Education means anything, it means that.

This segregated meeting also is an insult to the memory of the soldiers of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, at a critical moment when the Confederate assault threatened to push Union troops off Cemetery Ridge, General Winfield Scott Hancock ordered the regiment to assault a much larger enemy force, telling regimental commander Col. William Colvill to take the enemy's colors. The Confederate brigade outnumbered the Minnesota regiment by a ratio of 5:1. There is no question that these veteran Minnesota soldiers knew what they were being asked to do.The fateful charge bought the time needed for other forces to be brought up to bolster the gap in the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge. During the charge, 215 members of the 262 men who were present at the time became casualties in five minutes, including Col. Colvill, and all but three of his captains. The unit's flag fell five times and was raised again each time. The 47 survivors rallied back to General Hancock under the senior surviving officer, Captain Nathan S. Messick. The 82% casualty rate stands to this day as the second-largest loss by any surviving military unit in U.S. history during a single day's engagement.

On that day, the Minnesota troops lived up to the words of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, "As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free." 156 years later, the City of Minneapolis should be ashamed at its betrayal of that heritage.

powerlineblog.com

Segregation Comes to Minnesota

It has often been observed that progressives are re-segregating some areas of the country, especially college campuses. But Minnesota has never been segregated, so our progressives are boldly venturing to segregate our citizens by race for the first time. The City of Minneapolis has scheduled a seri...