Today's understatement: "... seemingly mega-corrupt arrangement" ~ much more specific information in the "arrangement" live-link below ~ ~ Sooz

Friday, Oct 24, 2014 7:57 PM UTC
A tiny town in Michigan will sell you a police badge and gun permit
For only a few thousand bucks, you can be Johnny law too.
Joanna Rothkopf

Oakley, Mi. is barely a town at 300 people, only one streetlight and, until recently, one police officer. The one cop was good at his job, reports Vocativ’s M.L. Nestel, until he was forced to step down after getting caught stalking a teenage girl.

In 2008, new chief Robert Reznick made some changes: he hired 12 full-time officers and started an enormous volunteer officer program which allowed lawyers, doctors and football players (from other towns) to work toward upholding the law.

One qualifies for this prestigious program simply by paying $1,200 to the police department. In return, you’ll get a uniform, bullet-proof vest and gun. For an additional donation, you’ll get a police badge and the right to carry your gun basically anywhere in the state, including stadiums, bars and daycares.

Nestel has more on the strange, seemingly mega-corrupt arrangement:


Donna LaMontaine, the president of the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Michigan disapproves of the arrangement: “These people drop four or five grand and dress up to look like police. I have a problem with that.” She also has a problem with the volunteer cops having access to data terminals: “In some places, these reservists are allowed to access to the law enforcement information network, where they can run your license plate and find out where you live and look at your driving record. That’s happening.”

Reserve police forces do exist, but seem to offer significantly more rigorous training: the prestigious Los Angeles Police Department Level III Reserve Officers which only perform administrative functions are required to take psychological and physical evaluations as well as complete 144 hours of classroom instruction in addition to 26 hours of basic self-defense training. The Oakley reserve cops complete 40 hours and are only obligated to serve eight hours a month, but get the benefits of their permits year-round.

http://www.salon.com/2014/10/24/a_tiny_town_in_michigan_will_sell_you_a_police_badge_and_gun_permit/

In the new neo-liberal utopia if you can make a buck out of it its fair game.

And when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar the for-profit-prisons make even more money. Rather fitting, eh?

What do you mean? Just make it legal!

There's plenty of other people to stick in jail!