The unjust power of police unions

After Eric Garner, it's time for police reform

Patrick Lynch.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Drew Angerer/Getty Images, REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton, Benjamin_Lion/iStock, str33tcat/iStock)

To hear Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch tell it, New York's rank-and-file are the real victims in the Eric Garner case.

On Monday, Officer Daniel Pantaleo was fired from the New York Police Department. An administrative judge earlier this month ruled that Pantaleo was reckless when he used a chokehold to subdue Garner in the summer of 2014. Garner's death was caught on viral video, as were his complaints that he couldn't breathe as police brought him down. Pantaleo's firing, after five years of investigations and inaction by city leaders, struck many observers as long overdue.

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.