Category: Peacemaking

Old? Autistic? Deaf? Mentally ill? Don’t call cops

Armed officers are a danger to people who are mentally ill or autistic. Anyone who cares for someone with a developmental disability, as well as for disabled people themselves [lives] every day in fear that their behavior will be misconstrued as suspicious, intoxicated or hostile by law enforcement. —Steve Silberman, The New York Times By […]

Police ethics rules require ‘respect of constitutional rights’

Chattanooga police department officers in a huddle. (Photo Wdef.com) But commoners would fear the officer’s approaching cruiser less if they could learn about the ethics rules he swore to uphold — and trust that he would obey them. And possibly remind him, as he reaches for his citation booklet or his club, of his oath. […]

Berke cops reject constitutional rule to Mirandize all arrestees

David Roddy gives one of many interviews as Chattanooga’s chief of police. (Photo Newschannel9.com) Chattanooga police department in its policy for traffic stops omits a significant element of public protection against arbitrary state power and poisons relations between the Mayor Andy Berke administration and members of the public, especially those traveling on the public right-of-way. […]

Judge frees Gaddy as city accepts engineer report giving house 100% grade

Stephen Greer, city attorney, fought to obtain access to private property though no criminal warrant has been filed in a 2 1/2-year-old fight against two elderly homeowners instituted by Dunlap, Tenn., mayor Dwain Land outside regular legal process. (Photo David Tulis) Carol Gaddy was freed Friday from jail after having served 14 days on a contempt […]

Churches should create own courts, offer justice

The Christian church, with God’s grace and God’s law generously granted it, is the natural repository of godly wisdom and justice. Why not, then, consider the creating of church courts to handle disputes among Christians, and others, as well? The authority is 1 Corinthians 6:1 ff. “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, […]

BearCats, other war gear to flow again to area cops

Chattanooga police in 2010 obtained a six-ton F$1.1 million Lenco armored car that can carry 12 SWAT team members on cushioned seats enroute to serve a warrant for TennCare fraud or other threatening activity. The vehicle was paid for entirely by Uncle Sam. (Photo Lencoarmor.com) “If we’re training cops as soldiers, giving them equipment like […]

Roddy’s 1st temptation: Re-militarization of police under Trump

The group Concerned Citizens for Justice expressed alarm over police militarization prior to the naming of David Roddy as Chattanooga police chief. (Photo Concerned Citizens for Justice) The seeming commitment of the Andy Berke administration toward police reform comes under a temptation days after city council voted to approve the nomination of David Roddy as […]

All education is selective, not comprehensive

Strong support for Tennessee’s defeated marriage interposition bill came from Rev. Matt Trewhella, a man rich in children and author of the book The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate. (Photo Matt Trewhella) I spend much time out on university campuses preaching. I often have some of my children with me when I do so. The […]

Berke cites life-saving de-escalation as police ideal in naming Roddy

David Roddy is tapped as the chief of the Chattanooga police department. Mayor Berke is at left, and city council member Darrin Ledford is at right. (Photo WDEF.com) Mayor Andy Berke, heeding growing public interest in reform, tells of an encounter between a drunken husband and an officer that in times past might have ended […]