It’s no secret that law enforcement officials often operate under a code of silence. We’ve all seen the movies and TV shows that depict officers covering up for each other, even when they know they’re in the wrong. But what is it about this code of silence that makes it so difficult to break?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the origins of the code and discuss some of the ways it affects law enforcement officials and the communities they serve. We’ll also talk about how civilians can work to break the code of silence and create more transparency in law enforcement.
The storyline of the We Own This City
The podcast series began with a question: how do we make Baltimore safer? We knew that part of the answer would come from the people who live here. We also knew that to get at the truth, we had to go beyond the statistics and numbers to look at the real-life experiences of those who experience crime and violence every day. So we went to Baltimore, a city that has been struggling with high rates of crime and violence for decades. We talked to more than 100 people, including residents, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and others who work within the criminal justice system.
Names of the characters in the We Own This City
Here are the celebrity’s names mentioned below:
- Jon Bernthal as Wayne Jenkins
- Wunmi Mosaku as Nicole Steele
- Jamie Hector as Sean Suiter
- Josh Charles as Daniel Hersl
- McKinley Belcher III played as Momodu ‘G Money’ Gondo
- Darrell Britt-Gibson as Jemell Rayam
- David Corenswet as David McDougall
- Dagmara Dominczyk as Erika Jensen
- Don Harvey as John Sieracki
- Larry Mitchell as Detective Scott Kilpatrick
- Delaney Williams as Kevin Davis
- Lucas Van Engen as Leo Wise
- Ian Duff as Ahmed Jackson
- Anita Moore as Police Officer
- Ken Arnold as Charlie Gibson
- Rob Brown as Maurice Ward
- Robert Harley as Detective Marcus Taylor
- Seth Hurwitz as Donald Stepp
What we found was that there is a code of silence among many in law enforcement?
We found that there is a code of silence among many in law enforcement that contributes to the cycle of violence and creates an environment where misconduct can flourish. This code of silence takes many forms. In some cases, it is willful blindness to misconduct by fellow officers. In other cases, it is a failure to report known or suspected criminal activity by police officers. And in still other cases, it is a reluctance to cooperate with investigators or prosecutors who are trying to hold officers accountable.
This code of silence is not unique to Baltimore, but it is particularly pronounced here. We believe that this code of silence is one of the factors that has contributed to the unrest in Baltimore and other cities across the country. If we are going to address the problem of police misconduct, we need to start by breaking the code of silence. We need to create an environment in which officers feel comfortable reporting misconduct, and in which they are not retaliated against for doing so.
The step is to create an independent mechanism
The first step is to create an independent mechanism for investigating allegations of police misconduct. We need a system that is transparent and accountable, and that has the trust of the community. The second step is to change the culture of law enforcement so that officers are encouraged to report misconduct. These are just a few of the changes that need to be made to create a more just and effective law enforcement system. We owe it to our communities, and to ourselves, to make these changes. We can no longer tolerate a system that fails to protect us, or that actively works against us. We deserve better. We demand better.