Zero tolerance en politionele diversiteit

[Dirk van der Woude]

Zero tolerance in New Yoirk lijkt in beleidstermen
aardig samen te hangen met 'gebrekkige' afspiegeling
van de bevolkingssaemnstelling in het lokale politie
korps. De meest in het oog springende gevolgen
komen we alhier wel eens als eenkolommer tegen
op de buitenlandpagina's. Voor veel zwarte,
aziatische, homofiele/lesbische, portoricaanse
etc. New Yorkers ziet het er een slag anders uit.
De New York Civil Liberties Union doet van die
dagelijke realiteit verslag.
(http://www.nyclu.org/blame8.html)

Ik denk niet dat in Nederlandse politiekorpsen
sprake is van vergelijkbare excessen. Wel speelt
ook in onze grote steden een hardnekkig gebrek
aan politionele multi-culturaliteit en constateren
ook hier de korpsleidingen een toenemende kloof.
'Zero tolerance' lijkt me in dat perspectief
vooral te staan voor gebrek aan durf, fantasie
en tekortschietend analytisch vermogen vwb de
consequenties van een veranderde
bevolkingssamenstelling (zo niet: ressentiment).

Maar - lees zelf:

The Kerner Commission Report some thirty
years ago noted that "in nearly every city
[it] surveyed, the Commission heard
complaints of harassment ... of social street
gatherings, and the stopping of [blacks] on
foot or in cars without obvious basis.
These, together with contemptuous and
degrading abuse, have great impact in the
ghetto ... Some conduct --breaking up of
street groups, indiscriminate stops and
searches is frequently directed at youths,
creating special tensions" in areas where
youths "spend much time on the street..."

The testimony we heard from residents of
various communities echoed the same themes --
protesting lawless, unbridled, aggressive
policing of the kind that constitutes
harassment of law-abiding citizens. They
wanted more police protection, but they
didn't think it fair that young people should
be fearful of the police -- or that people
should be harassed in their social gatherings
by law enforcement personnel.

<snip>

Moreover, many residents of New York feel
that police abuse (in the form of
discourtesy, ethnic/racial slurs, homophobia,
abuse of authority, and excessive use of
force) is all too commonplace. Whether
perception or fact -- it is a problem in
urgent need of a solution.

Unfortunately, we have concluded that Mayor
Giuliani has not provided the leadership
required for overcoming minorities' and
others' fears and hostility toward the
police.  We do not believe that Mayor
Giuliani or Police Commissioner Safir yet
grasp the nature and size of the problem
underlying police/community tensions and
conflicts. Consequently, changing the police
culture that breeds and reinforces
discourtesy, disrespect, and distrust between
the police and community, will be a daunting
task.
<snip>
The public must be protected from cops who
engage in racial/ethnic and homophobic slurs,
or who use excessive force against
individuals because of their race or minority
status.  Cops who have been socialized into
prejudicial behavior will have to be
identified and punished by the retaliatory
use of stiff penalties -- including
separation from the department. We believe
that the Police Department's policy should be
zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct by
police officers. Ironically, Mayor Giuliani
started off his mayoralty with a pledge to
hold police supervisors accountable for
patterns and practices of police misconduct
under their command. That was more than four
years ago.
<snip>
We also asked for the racial impact data of
shootings by cops of other (i.e.  undercover)
cops, and about the department's processes
for better training and prevention of such
incidents.  We were never provided that
information.
<snip>
Today, we are not as hopeful as we were at
the beginning of this process about the
willingness of the Mayor and NYPD to change
the status quo.  Everywhere and everytime we
looked for the Mayor to advise with us we
were told the Mayor never intended to be
involved in Task Force meetings.  Rather than
working with us and removing the impediments
to our inquiry, the Mayor erected walls n
blocking communication between him and us.
<snip>
Ultimately, it is up to community residents
and neighborhood groups to demand police
accountability and calling for real
institutional reforms.
<snip>
However, Mayor Giuliani also must take the
lead in reducing police misconduct and
instituting changes in NYPD practices. The
racial healing and improving of
police/community relations can begin by
seriously considering and implementing the
recommendations we have presented in this
report.