RETIRED SGT BETSY BRANTNER SMITH JOINS DAWN LIVE! BETSY EXPANDS ON THE STATE OF POLICING IN OUR CITIES, AS WELL AS THE PURPOSED SKI MASK BAN HERE IN PHILADELPHIA - BETSY REPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS...
(The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Philadelphia City Council is poised to ban the wearing of ski masks in certain public spaces this week, a move that police say could help them solve more crimes and stop more pedestrians they suspect of being involved in criminal activity...
The bill allows the city to fine people $250 for wearing ski masks in parks, schools, and on public transit. There are carve-outs for religious expression and “First Amendment activities” like protesting...
The ACLU says it could violate free expression rights and be misused by officers stopping and frisking pedestrians — a controversial but legal law enforcement tactic that’s been embraced by Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker...
(Bill author) Councilmember Anthony Phillips... said during a hearing on the bill earlier this month that several recent shootings were committed by people in ski masks. He cited the September 2022 shooting at Roxborough High during a football scrimmage, when 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde was fatally gunned down. Several of the shooters were seen on surveillance footage the same day, but their faces were obscured by ski masks.
Several states, including Virginia, Florida, and Georgia, have similar bans on people wearing facial coverings that are intended to disguise their identity.
The Police Department is supportive of the legislation, but its leadership says enforcing the rule and issuing citations may be complicated given the exceptions. Read more.
For perspective on whether banning ski masks would help law enforcement, turn to a 29-year law enforcement veteran who now trains officers around the world.
(New York Post)
New York’s Finest continue to bolt from the job at an alarming rate, according to new data obtained by The Post — and some cops worry the exodus will only get worse because the city plans to cancel the next five Police Academy classes, shrinking the nation’s largest police force to the smallest its been in decades.
A total of 2,516 NYPD cops have left so far this year, the fourth highest number in the past decade...
The number of cops quitting before they reach the 20 years required to receive their full pensions also skyrocketed from 509 in 2020 to 1,040 so far this year — an alarming 104% increase, the data show...
The drastic cuts will reduce the department to just 29,000 cops by the end of fiscal year 2025 — the lowest level since the mid-90s. Read more.
NBC News notes that communities across the nation are struggling to retain and recruit law enforcement officers:
America is in the midst of a police officer shortage that many in law enforcement blame on the twofold morale hit of 2020 — the coronavirus pandemic and criticism of police that boiled over with the murder of George Floyd by a police officer...
Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) is spokesperson for National Police Association, a non profit that supports law enforcement officers across the U.S. She began her career as a police dispatcher at age 17 and has held positions in patrol, investigations, narcotics, juvenile, hostage negotiation, crime prevention, K-9 and field training. She has been a law enforcement trainer for over 20 years
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