re: #118 NetworkKed

I’ve had a hard time with this, after a decade of lining up solidly behind unions.

There should be a way to make a police union work, but when a union’s primary function is to defend the well-being of its members, and the work role of those members involves activities which so closely parallel illegal activities (I mean in that use of force plays a part) then I’m not sure how you can set it up to where the union won’t sometimes be on the wrong side of the argument.

Starting from a very strong moral code in the bylaws, maybe? But then you get into splitting hairs and rules lawyering within the union and that’s not going to help… dunno.

Education, yes. Also PAYING officers more. And (ugly to say) not allowing an ex-military monoculture within the force. But those are all prescriptions from outside the union.

Still thinking about this one.

Unions will often be on the wrong side of an issue. So are defense lawyers. Well-run cities have the means to force a balance in an adversarial process.