Two Things

There were two minor stories of interest from Friday.

First, from Tennessee....there's a small town which had a number of problems with its cops....and racism.  Things got out of control.....so they fired all of the town's policemen.  They've gone out and hired a new chief of police.  And he's ready to hire new cops for the town, but there's one stipulation.  You have to take a law detector test, and prove you are not racist.

Based on two articles....it appears that there just aren't that many applicants for the jobs.  Most legal experts say it's legal, but they have doubts that it really works like it is intended.

Typically with a lie detector test....if you really believe you are pure and clean....you will pass, but after you get into a conversation.....you might easily demonstrate that you are racist, but you just don't know it or believe it.  So the test might be worthless.

I'm guessing some cops are just fearful they might be other questions, and get into details of their life that shouldn't be discussed in public....like doing drugs or handling stolen property.

Will it catch on?  I'm guessing some people will ask more questions about the test, and discuss the idea of opening it up for real police departments.  Value?  In my book....less than zero.  You could have a whole department pass the test, and discover that every member is Klan member tomorrow.

The second story?  Up in New York state....the schools got all hot for having cops walk the beat in schools.  So in the Highland Central School District....they had this episode occur. A cop was walking within the school's hallway, and his gun went off (accidentally, he says).  So far, the school is in the midst of an investigation....that mostly goes nowhere.

The likely scenario?  The cop probably has a gun with a safety that easily flips from safe to fire.  The cop rounds a corner....bumps the wall...it flips to fire, and with a hair-like trigger....it simply goes off.  Luckily, not hitting the cop or any kids.  Or maybe the cop actually pulled it from the holster and was playing with it (the Barney Fife-trick).  You just don't know.

What starts to get interesting now is that parents are concerned over the safety of their kids in the school.  It was bad enough to worry about some nut.....but you need to now worry about some cop and his gun. You might have to actually pass a law that guns are simply not allowed in a school period....even with the cops.