 |
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe the "stop snitching" movement isn't as pervasive as some first believed. That's the impression you get after hearing the Milwaukee Police Department admit its impressive clearance rate for homicides lately can be attributed in part to the willingness of the public to cooperate with police to help solve crimes. Everybody recognizes that most homicides in town are black-on-black crime. But some also believe the frustrating inability to get things under control is linked to the refusal of African-American residents living in violent neighborhoods to help cops put the bad guys behind bars. That's always been an insulting assumption that lumps law-abiding black citizens with jobs and families in the same category as gang members and drug dealers looking to avoid prosecution. It suggests that whenever someone is killed in the central city, nobody in the area wants the bad guys to pay, which is a sad commentary on any group of people. Many cops will admit it can be problematic to find witnesses to solve every crime in the central city, but it's far from a rule of thumb that no one is willing to cooperate. If nobody in the central city ever cooperated with cops, the Police Department's 79% clearance rate for homicides wouldn't be anywhere near that high. Fourteen of this year's 67 homicides remained unsolved as of last week. Capt. David Zibolski, head of the homicide division, referred to the 53 solved cases as "an outstanding number" in a Journal Sentinel interview last week. He also said more residents have been coming forward with information to get wrongdoers off the streets. That would surprise some people, including readers who regularly ask, "Why don't black people ever cooperate with police?" These same people often cite the "stop snitching" movement as proof, but their knowledge comes not from any practical experience but from media accounts or talk show hosts. I don't believe the "stop snitching" controversy was ever indicative of much more than attempts at intimidation by criminally minded folks in some segments of the African-American community, just as the only people who followed the code of omerta in the Italian-American community were mixed up with the Mafia. Media attention on the "stop-snitching" movement began in the early 2000s when black gangs dealing drugs in Baltimore and other cities started using the phrase in a series of bootleg video and rap albums aimed at frightening residents from providing information to law enforcement. In its inception, "stop snitching" was mainly a code between criminals. If you were dealing drugs and were "pinched' by cops, you were encouraged not to turn against other drug dealers in a deal for less prison time. Otherwise, you were labeled a snitch. It's the same as being a "rat" when James Cagney was making gangster movies. It was never meant to apply to "civilians." But many journalists looking to research the issue fell prey to questionable sources of information. "60 Minutes" did an interview early this year featuring a hip-hop rapper named Cam'ron who claimed to represent the "stop snitching" ethos. Amazingly, Cam'ron told a gullible Anderson Cooper that he wouldn't even report serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to the cops if he lived next door. That's a ridiculous statement on its face, but some people believe that kind of thing. Cam'ron later retracted some of his comments. On occasion, cops have used the "stop snitching" movement to chide central city residents who didn't respond to pleas for more information. That seems slightly hypocritical in a city where Frank Jude Jr. was beaten senseless in front of a group of off-duty cops who refused to drop a dime on fellow officers until faced with federal charges. Criticizing black residents for being reluctant to rat out their neighbors while the Jude case was still unresolved always seemed a bit incongruous to me. That's why it was somewhat surprising to hear Zibolski credit the public for helping solve eight of this year's homicides within a few days. A cynic might say he was just trying to persuade city officials to retain a Neighborhood Safety Initiative up for renewal, but sometimes you take what you can get. Through the height of the "stop snitching" hype, former and present police officers told me most central city residents continued to be willing to help bring criminals to justice, particularly when their family members or friends were involved as victims. But central city residents are also practical people. I always remember a call from a reader years ago who said she wanted to report drug dealing on her block but worried that each time she called the precinct, they wanted to send a patrol car to her home. "If they come and park right outside my door, everybody can see who's talking to the cops," she said. Anonymous hotlines help citizens report crime without fear, but brave residents unafraid of simply telling the police what they know about wrongdoing still remain an important part of the solution. Clearly, trust needs to be re-established on both sides so everybody can work with each other. There are plenty of well-meaning "snitches" out there; they just want to make sure snitching isn't hazardous to their health. That's not so much to ask. |
|
We are careful not to duplicate the efforts of other organizations, and as a grassroots coalition of prisoners and social reformers, our resources (time and money) are limited. The vast expertise and scope of the various drug reform organizations will enable you to stay informed on the ever-changing, many-faceted aspects of the movement. Our colleagues in reform also give the latest drug war news. Please check their websites often. |
|
|
 |
