David Simon: To fix policing in the US, start by ending War on Drugs

"The Wire'" creator David Simon says the War on Drugs and the militarization of police that accompanies it has destroyed quality policing. He goes on to talk about how the focus on arrests has taken the police away from their primary duty of protecting Americans from violent crimes.
#DavidSimon #CNN #News

[@justinmiller1118]

He's totally right. The war on drugs and militarized policing needs to end.

[@user-ij5sw7fd6x]

Yes, let those drug dealers trade freely)

[@reginaldbraithewaite5833]

@@user-ij5sw7fd6x:, No, let's stop killing a statistically vast number of innocent people in the name of stopping "those drug dealers." And let's stop incarcerating mothers and fathers for recreational drug use and sentencing their children to foster care that is often cold and abusive -- all in the name of stopping "those drug dealers."

[@noblejustice19]

Probably the most educated well thought out answer I've ever heard. Too bad he's not in the industry.

[@ronnynoneofyourbusinessgoo7892]

They used to use the WIRE to teach Harvard undergrads in sociology classes, it's so good.. not surprising, aye

[@ArtDocHound]

Hadouken!

[@noaheinstein2369]

Ronny NoneOfYourBusinessGoogle, and it’s no accident that the concept of “community Policing” originated through a Harvard Study on the issue 25 years ago.

[@batboy3746]

"NANDA YO!" - a Japanese police man, watching this video

[@Dee-lm5ov]

@cj p exactly

[@ushgambala1]

The whole point is to incarcerate as many people as possible. 50k a body in a private prison system makes them a lot of money

[@deviantaffinity1626]

The War On Drugs and prisoners for profit are perfect examples of why people have come to loathe capitalism. So much money could be saved, or even spent elsewhere, if human lives were not being traded for capital in this manner. All it serves to do is make the rich richer and make the minorities commodities. One of the worst things about the prison industry is that this was known to be the end result prior to the beginning of the war on drugs, and yet it proceeded anyways, in even more aggressive forms than what was originally planned. Kinda makes a person think that this is exactly what was planed from the beginning. And still, people can be ignorant enough to believe that racism isn't systematic.

[@deviantaffinity1626]

Worse yet is that the cost of incarceration is higher in the private industry than it is in government run facilities.

[@uio890138]

How many private prisons are there? Not many, maybe housing 8% of all inmates in the US. Private prisons defend on government justice system to get inmates they have no say in sentencing or law creation. They get their income from the government and try to run a more efficient prison to make profit. Your statement is whacked.

[@reginaldbraithewaite5833]

Yes, the cost of incarceration increases when prisons are privatized. That is true of virtually every government-run industry or service that has been privatized so far. The cost increases again when privatization is deregulated and contractors/corporations can set higher prices. That's exactly how Friedman-defined neoliberalism works. Neoliberalism isn't pseudo-liberalism, as some believe. It is an economic term for privatization that pays businesses with taxpayers' money when they succeed and covers losses with taxpayers' money when the businesses fail. It's an all-profit, zero-loss business model that is also a zero-infrastructure-profit, 100%-taxpayer-loss model. Neoliberalism was defined and championed by Milton Friedman and has been pursued unanimously by the right since Reagan first became president.

[@Robshere27]

Let's be specific....The whole point is to incarcerate as many "DRUG DEALERS" as possible...the point isn't to incarcerate law abiding citizens

[@ryancombs1959]

End the drug war and let out non violent criminals

[@classyraps1128]

I agree

[@jeffmcclure6347]

He is correct!

[@CrimsonViper38]

He could probably write a show about this or something.

[@salmonline]

When you're a Hammer, everything's a Nail.

[@strangelee4400]

coupled with a sickle, people get mowed down like corn.

[@nonegiven9528]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm4p5iJl6lmh7s

[@jodycollier8012]

@cj p when your a conservative your > those who arent

[@enhaxed7839]

@@jodycollier8012 Ye you better keep saying that, no-one else ever will.

[@salmonline]

@cj p When you're trumptrash, you're always trumptrash, trumptrash😁👍

[@Bunnyboiler5069]

I love the way this guy worded this.

[@daddydubz88]

"instead of a war on poverty, they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me?!" - Tupac Shakur 'Changes'

[@fahadfaraj1822]

Yes "changes"

[@sgtcreasegrease]

George Carlin has a great bit on this.

[@uio890138]

Libs look to profits like Tupac for wisdom, and they wonder why the world sees them as idiots.

[@sgtcreasegrease]

@@uio890138 I suppose you repubes are gonna just solve everything, rite? Please educate yourself before you make ignorant statements. Yeah the world is full of idiots because people respect rappers. NAILED IT!!!!

[@philipdolan2191]

@@uio890138 trust me trump makes us look pretty stupid all on his own

[@tim2nz]

Totally agree with this guy!

[@pfpublius]

The drug war is 1 area where MAGA actually applies. If you're one that pines for what it used to be like with respect to drug use, consider that the vast majority of drug laws didn't exist until starting in the 70s 80s 90s... Nixon announced the drug war despite recommendation against. How did prohibition turn out? Has cannabis consumption reduced since the reefer madness era? Has any of it actually been effective at what your desired goal is? I would agree the answer is repealing the bulk of drug laws & rewriting most of the remaining.

[@pfpublius]

@Don Hardcastle got a link handy? I think i recall what you're saying, would love to refresh my memory.

[@rayalvarez7247]

" Just say no " Nancy Reagan

[@Dee-lm5ov]

@@rayalvarez7247 freeway Ricky Ross remembers that slogan

[@pieterfaber24]

Don Hardcastle Total whitewash - examine his actions not his hollow statements.

[@steelyman08]

@@rayalvarez7247 Indeed! It was really Reagan & George H.W. Bush who went to war on drugs (or the people who use them).

[@TRE45ON.is.Bat5hit.Crazy.U.S.G]

When you train police officers to be occupation forces, this will lead to the inevitably results.

[@sunglassshinpan1352]

Would you rather have UN troops on the streets?

[@usmc187]

Hearts and Minds is what's needed, however, if a person isn't able to do so, cut them out. The military doesn't just plow through a village and harass its citizens in foreign countries. If the military can be trained to provide empathy, then cops should too. But the training starts with whoever has been training them with the same broken tactics. But cops need to learn how to just relax, understand what people are going through. RIP Rayshard Brooks.

[@wilb6657]

YUP. So-one thing we should stop doing, is hiring the friggin' IDF to train our police departments! That could be a start!

[@arthurneddysmith]

Sunglass Shinpan -Imagine being so blinkered as to believe that the only possible solutions are occupying police forces or UN troops. Put down your straw man and pick up a book.

[@albertod6770]

Make every police officer RE-APPLY for their job, with higher standards. To begin with...

[@usmc187]

evaluations for sure

[@johnmagill9496]

Skin color?

[@nessunodorme3888]

@cj p That's called "voter suppression" and it's already being done.

[@LOBOPIX]

@cj p OK let's run with your idea as a 'thought experiment': why don't YOU set out a 'voter reg with higher standards' schema and its putative scoring system. Let's see YOUR list of requirements and questions that 'libtards' need to address: I challenge you to publish them openly together with the ratings needed to pass at your presumptive higher standards. Then take your test, let's see just how well YOU fare under your own system? Would you have to set the standard of the questions/requirements so very low just so you yourself would be able to pass? How far up the ladder will you be looking at all those who'd be waaaay above your score? No matter how you look at this 'libtards' would very likely be smart enough to ace any test you could devise that requires knowledge of real and verifiable data, facts, history, science, arts, sports, society, general and specific knowledge on many subjects together with empathy and compassion. And, in the interests of fairness, then let a 'libtard' also devise such a voter reg standard. Then you take their test yourself and see how well YOU do comparing your scores on both your test and their test together with everyone else's scores on both tests. Can you see how that would pan out? If you are unable to contemplate or visualise the results of such a scenario then perhaps you're not the person to even cognise, let alone recognise, such 'higher standards'? Discuss...

[@WESTSIDEP707]

cj p You do know that statistically the more educated you are the more likely you are to vote with the liberals right

[@melissaa3925]

This drug war was lost years ago.

[@neatznotso7424]

It was lost as soon as it started.

[@briandenapoli3250]

Wars end Reagans were literally retarded

[@Krugzug]

It has always been this way since the US had slavery, what has changed in last 30 years is that citizens all carry video cameras and the ability to share their video globally instantly.

[@Krugzug]

@Don Hardcastle You should spend less time in chat rooms and more time learning police history.

[@joev3066]

Don Hardcastle you cannot permanently fix the a cough without getting rid of the cold. There will be no peace until the root cause is resolved.

[@samlouis4927]

This guy knows what he is talking about but I am afraid it is falling on death ears.

[@bostonianful]

tell that to the hundreds of people that are protesting, or those that are watching it here on youtube or on live tv. believe me, this guys message is getting through.

[@shadowfuture1378]

Sam Louis pretty much

[@shadowfuture1378]

bostonianful maybe

[@zedefes1]

I agree

[@bostonianful]

@@shadowfuture1378 this will get through, their are too many people protesting for it not to.

[@kmktruthserum9328]

should not have any incentive to arrest someone other than that person broke the law

[@uio890138]

@Kuffar Legion Sell someone an addictive narcotic and he then goes and cashes in his family's welfare check to buy more. Yeah no victim there. Good logic.

[@SmashToBits]

@@uio890138 What about your logic? How many people do that? and what about pot? You want to vilify people for smoking something that does less than drinking? Your handle is literally the name of a drug dude....

[@bryanbowen2333]

@@uio890138 go drink case cold beer beat you're wife that so logical c how stupid that sound like everyone the use drugs does that or like everyone the drink beats there wife u people are the reason the cops have turned this country into Nazi Germany over drug war thanks for you're logic it works so good

[@SmashToBits]

@Bacons Strip WHAT? I'm pretty sure all the people in prison for weed crimes have something to say about that. Weed is a drug that is illegal and people get screwed for it regularly here in the US. Tf you taking about

[@SmashToBits]

@Bacons Strip I have no idea why you think pot is not a big issue in society today.

[@aarongraham4264]

I see David Simon, I click. This man is a genius. Truly a great mind and intellectual

[@halhosmer1820]

LICENCE POLICEMEN AND WOMEN. Renewing requirements every 2 years. Hold police to higher standards. Pay police higher standards. In return hold department's to hiring standards. Stop hiring thugs. Weed the garden.

[@nessunodorme3888]

Police already get paid a lot more than others with similar education a work backgrounds. Some cities give them free houses if they deign to live in those cities. We have to radically cull bad cops, yes, but that's only the beginning, there are other changes to make. Pay isn't part of the problem, though.

[@halhosmer1820]

@@nessunodorme3888 possibly you're right. Good thoughts.

[@somemoresomewhere1262]

Reduce the job roles. Social services should call for police help, not regular citizens. Maybe a team of professionals should respond to calls with AN officer. I don't know why but they send riot police to every sitch. I know officers that tie their religion in to presevre with the job. They BECOME fanatic ideologues who grapple with self esteem, worth, and search for forgiveness and strength through prayer. To cope with what they are doing and what they feel they are forced to accept. There is moral injury here too.

[@carlosgarza1758]

Make these bozos graduate from college. Police are generally dumb.

[@cabanissmedia2751]

This man is a FREAKING ROCKSTAR . I'm a "just say no " kid lol BOY WERE WE BRAINWASHED THANKS NANCY REAGAN FOR STARTING ALL OF THIS WAR ON DRUGS WITH YOUR JUST SAY NO BS

[@danielglover1453]

Actually Nixon started it originally. Reagan helped prop it up even more. Biden was also very instrumental in policies that helped further this cause. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZTTgGZobt2Hfas

[@rayalvarez7247]

We're all being played like a drum set.

[@geraldclay6685]

He correct but how about holding officers accountable for their actions

[@CaBdosdos]

We can go for both

[@JesseDanLee]

The thing is, they ARE doing their job right though. They're just lying to us about what their job actually is.

[@ladyfame1430]

@@JesseDanLee interesting!

[@TheMightymo05]

"The drug corner is always hiring." Damn! What a powerful statement.

[@vanbikeskiandfishboilermak1516]

Want out of the hood? Either your selling crack rock or ya got a wicked jump shot

[@rayalvarez7247]

This is the affect, not the cause. Politicians, the ultra rich. The Constitution is supposed to apply to all Americans. #OwnYourBias

[@danielglover1453]

I find it interesting that people believe Biden will change a thing.. After all it was Biden that helped create the very system people are protesting! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZTTgGZobt2Hfas

[@sanaswe5659]

This should be required listening for everyone in this country. The drug war is at the root of this evil.

[@johnchristopherlayton1325]

I AGREE! THANK YOU! ❤️👌

[@keshianixon6585]

And, those “prisoners-of-war” who are incarcerated (enslavement/involuntary servitude) because of the “war” on “drugs” MUST be released.

[@Gugner]

I agree 100%. The rest of the world agrees too..

[@arthurfidas7254]

All you have to do is watch any action movie made in the 80’s to understand the effect that the war on drugs had on policing

[@WilliamMarshall-hf4rg]

Wherever a cop is assigned to police, he should have to live in that same community. Plain and simple. Back in the day we knew the police and they knew us. That doesn't mean that they allowed people to do whatever they wanted without consequences but there was mutual respect if and when we bumped heads.

[@bryanbowen2333]

This dude is so right bout the cops thank God there smart people like him on the news telling the real truth i can't believe CNN let this much truth on air

[@MrTheguywiththemoney]

Government regulating PLANTS is beyond comical

[@alanrosenau6806]

The war on drugs needs to fall to the ATF and focus on large shipments not a user or an addict. The war on drugs was a failed experiment.

[@AliAntarAllahsServant]

This is the first thing CNN has said that makes sense in a long time.

[@charlesmarilynbillington3532]

Test the officers in this country regularly for opiods in their systems!

[@paolovallejo8022]

this guy is such a genius, not only because of The Wire ♥

[@amywjn]

War on drugs: Lessen the demand: 1. Families stay together 2. Train children to behave properly & resist drugs & alcohol 3. Parents promote education in the home 4. Parents be good role models 5. Steer them away from the gangster culture 6. Lift them up, don’t tell them they are victims

[@tony9473]

Best thing I've heard that will actually make a positive difference!!

[@karlkamara9977]

One of the best guest CNN has brought to there programmes. Very professional, calm, not political very bais I agree with his points especially min 8

[@christopherkleinbach5237]

End the war on drugs NOW, it has destroyed family's and the u.s. 😖.

[@blirdy1365]

Finally some sensible talk about the War on Drugs.

[@Jgrayski]

This is a bombshell! I didn’t think I would ever hear someone say this. The war on drugs sustains a fundamental stasis with regards to class, race, sex, violence, and the Hegelian dialectics of master and slave, irrespective of legibility or physiological appearances of individual police and perpetrators and victims...because the drug war erases the problem of interpersonal violence and inaugurates a bifurcation of criminality itself in obscuring the perpetrator of a violence against another person, who is victimized, and the police become the perpetrators of violence against other persons where the so-called perpetrator is actually the victim of policing by fellow countrymen who seem to be arbitrarily “deputized” by an invisible arm or power of an unnamed State apparatus or function of “Nation.” The War on Drugs sustains the status quo, even as people of different races, sex, and across class and educational achievements or intellectual capacity or disability...for example, moving predatory priests (the only common denominator being their clerical state or vows, including those of celibacy and obedience) around the same diocese will not stop predation; that is to say, young men and seminarians would continue to be subjected to sexual molestations and assaults because the same personas still lurk within the boundaries or jurisdictions of this (hypothetical) diocese which is ruled by the same bishop who is the symbolic norm or symbol of “unity (of faith and the works or discipline of faith in his diocese). I may be mistaken in my analogy, and I welcome respectful feedback that contributes to dialogue, but I do agree with this man for the most part...Fascinating, boldly said, and saddening.

[@mommaawareness]

That's real conversation... Thank you, for your truth.. It takes courage and boldness to speak real issues... Thank you, Sir.... Respect to you...

[@jolliebearforchrist5468]

REST IN PEACE MR. GEORGE FLOYD! REST IN PEACE!

[@KCsFunHouse]

It’s frustrating that being the war on drugs isn’t more widely called for. I couldn’t agree more as it absolutely has had huge ramifications and widened the difference between two justice systems.

[@nolove1329]

Best segment on CNN in a while.

[@peterchege5364]

Thank you Simon, for your great ideas, they are worth millions of $. Kindly keep it up and please make sure gets to the right people and that it will happen.

[@halfblood100]

This call is not a call to intigrate but to reorganize police priorities and the resources that is given to them. The same type of things that this very smart man is saying.

[@joshmajors6538]

Require police to live in the community they serve!!! Fire all cops with multiple complaints!!! Abolish the qualified immunity.!!! Make them be held accountable with their own insurance.!!! Get rid of police unions!!!! And YES, I agree the War on Drugs needs to stop!!!

[@ronadams3107]

Our Police and Leaders have to administer justice with the mindset ... There is a difference between being Angry with someone and being Afraid of someone. We should only arrest those that hurt the citizenry.

[@stevecook3717]

OH YEAH - Put an end to police unions as well as police officers associations who lobby !

[@DaKingisDead]

Can't count the number of times I've been stopped and told 'I detect a faint smell of marijuana, do you mind if I search the car?' OR 'there was a break-in in the area and you fit the description.' One year back in the 90's I got stopped 21 times from Easter Monday (they made me lay on the ground in my all white outfit) through December.

[@cbdmiracles3593]

*Portugal has made ALL drugs legal, they have less problems than they had before they were legal.. The sky hasn't fallen.. We need to take their model and use it here..*

[@michaelbrice5169]

Why should government tell us what we can put in our bodies?

[@deep8660]

I think ending the war on drugs is good idea. Put that money on rehabilitation.

[@blinkonceonsunday1325]

I agree that the war on drugs has gone too far. Wasting so many resources on chasing drug users and locking up people for victimless crimes. Protecting victims should be the number one priority. If a guy sits at home and destroys his own health with substance abuses, it sucks but that should be a matter for mental health, not criminal justice.

[@n3roo]

Drugs kill people on so many levels

[@arthurneddysmith]

The Harrison Narcotics Act was passed in 1914. The "War on Drugs" began *LONG* before the 1960s or 1970s.

[@eanmrachel3514]

I love this guy! Please listen up everybody!!!

[@jaymorgan.]

Ending drug war on minor offenses. Get them treatment instead of punish them with a jail term.

[@mattfoley7881]

How about “fixing” criminal behavior. Like not committing crimes in the 1st place, not resisting arrest, not grabbing a cops weapon, not raising a weapon against an armed law enforcement officer, and not running from law enforcement? Just for starters.

[@mattfoley7881]

sennadasilva11 - We’re sorry, but your comment did not pass our Minimal Intelligence Threshold System (MITS) for meriting a response. Rest assured that our blocking algorithm will address this issue. Also, be sure to pick up a participation ribbon on your way out.

[@bodhidharma9363]

@2:50 "my city Baltimore is an African American majority police department for the last 30 years and yet, the brutality has, if anything, gotten worse." No media wants to talk about the elephant in the room.

[@taxfreeenterprise2253]

Thank you sir.

[@carl3ton]

Smart man. I've been saying for years it's not black against white or girls against the boys, it's class.

[@chrisbeecraft]

Drug addiction is a poverty issue, it should never be a war on the citizens. Drug addicts are predominately under-employed, poor, with problems. And when they aren't, a conviction causes them to be, thus creating an underclass.

[@blessedaroma]

Stop the war on drugs!

[@jjupiter1218]

I’m glad someone said it

[@mattphilcarver6218]

Bunny Colvin was speaking David Simon's words, straight up

[@batgirlp5561]

Where's the rest of it?

[@nathanjones5457]

The voice on policing that should have been leading the debate.

[@darknite-vu7sm]

As a former drug addict I say this is fking nuts. End the war on drugs by building the wall into an impenetrable super wall. But never just turn drugs loose on the entire nation that's fucking insanity

[@jkverity]

CLASSISIM

[@richardchase2788]

I can always rewind what you have said

[@heynowls3058]

David Simon did great job on The Wire addressing this issue. Lots of great messages in show. Answers.

[@honeyafun7450]

if recreational drugs were legalised the drug war would end

[@nooralicassim5858]

To fix policing in the US, we need to start by assessing the factors affecting our behaviours and the needs to make changes required through education and training. It is obvious that we must know our neighbors, their diversities, our acceptance of all differences as we expect their acceptance of ours. This can be achieved if we communicate with each other with respect and dignity and to accept differences as positive steps in making beautiful relationships. This is where we start. Police reforms through this media can be implemented. Recruiting must be done adhering to acceptance of following policies and procedures. This is a two way street for citizens and our legal system.

[@vj1294]

I would love to see a critique on how the media contributes and perpetuates these systems and practices

[@jamielancaster01]

You stop the police by voting out all of these District attorneys who don’t have the balls to prosecute cops for their bad deeds. Vote their asses out and elect people who will prosecute cops!

[@1freesoul2another]

Yes Yes and Yes.. End the War on Drugs!!!

[@Ho11ow661]

How does any species of animal live without a police force

[@joecal31204]

He must not have seen what drugs do to a community. Where there are drugs there is a high crime rate and low property values.

[@elephantsneverforget9073]

Absolutely!

[@clandestinekits]

Finally someone mentioned it. About time.

[@maxgaetz7432]

It'd be nice if we had a country with a culture that valued integrity; where we had schools which taught us all how to get into out perfect job so that we all could strive to do our best at work every day - where we all strived to do what we had to do to make society around us the best that it can possibly be. Instead we try and make laws to make it so everyone is treated right

[@dmikulec]

The War on the Poor goes beyond the War on Drugs. The death of ACORN, elimination of abortion access, calls to tax people at the bottom of the economy, and Simon's quotes in this video.

[@irishgreen3919]

Just watch Season #3 of The Wire , which was aired in 2003, and it will show you everything Mr. Simon is talking about. He absolutely knows what He is talking about. Better yet if you have HBO watch the whole series , probably one of the Best shows HBO ever produced.

[@bizzmoneyb]

One big thing that would help would be to rid “arrest quotas.” They exist. A Chief or Captain will tell an officer “you’re numbers are low, get them up this month!” Get that? They WANT more arrests made! So if an officer needs an arrest, what does he do? Find a black person walking down the street and go after him. Officers need serious training on “de-escalation.” They almost always escalate the situations. They need to do better developing personality tests on potential hires to not hire these aggressive, arrogant, disrespectful, power-hungry individuals. And yes, we must end the war on drugs, and stop ruining peoples lives!

[@neatznotso7424]

Thank you! Yes! This has caused so much shit that doesn't need to be, all it does is create prisoners, victims, and crime. This is the first time I've actually heard someone say this recently. It needs to happen, not just in the U.S but everywhere.

[@eanmrachel3514]

Boy did this guy nail it! Yes, yes, yes the war on drugs give cops the notion that the exchange of drugs and use of drug gives them right to find causefor shooting individuals. Meanwhile, violent crimes and other crimes on citizens are less geared towards as far as investing and funding.

[@kissmyassdickhead9346]

The only way to end the war on drugs would be the CIA have to stop shipping cocaine from south America.

[@Yo-ys3kb]

How true!

[@radwulfeboraci7504]

40% of murders go unsolved, 50% of violent assaults go unsolved, 70% of robberies go unsolved, 65% of rapes go unsolved and 86% of car thefts go unsolved. So their job has devolved into chasing down their own pet peeves ... in between doughnuts.

[@wilb6657]

Simons comparison of the way American police departments operate, with an Israeli military patrol is apt: many American police departments receive training from the IDF.

[@karlaharrington1]

finally someone speaks the actual truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Franklin-pc3xd]

The problem Simon doesn't full cover here is how the "war on drugs" actually propagates crime in a way that one thing actually catalyzes the other to an exponential result, which further fuels the war on drugs and feeds the militarized police state itself. He does mention militarization as an issue but it really is an adjunctive offshoot of the military industrial complex, which has come to exist for the purpose of lining the pockets of everyone who participates in it..... including the politicians that take money from police and correctional unions.

[@joshuagharis9017]

Problem is police make money off it, some departments literally choose their narcotics targets based on how many assets they have to be confiscated

[@demondkemp163]

Nobody knows the car like the ones that designed it. And car has broken down.

[@guesswho123babe1]

Exactly what I learned in criminology.

[@avistumpkin8609]

Instead of going after the bad yolks in the highest up industry.

[@raheelvirk5333]

It’s easy harsher rules if they break the rules, second extreme level discipline, third know when to use a gun properly....also teach them hand to hand combat and takedowns 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@richardchase2788]

If you don't mind me asking regarding all that how would you say