BARR: I’m just saying that just because we don’t use that particular tool in every instance doesn’t mean that we’re not doing something about it. Actually, I think what’s happened in the past is that politicians can check the box by slapping a consent decree on the department. We’re not interested in gestures. We’re interested in getting real results and working with police chiefs and- and- and public safety directors and mayors who really do want to change the system. But we’ve never taken this off the table. We- we- we have that power. We will use that power. We just say that, you know, you have to be selective in how you apply it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think there should be some tweaking of the rules, reduced immunity to go after some of the bad cops?
BARR: I don’t think you need to reduce immunity to- to go after the bad cops, because that would result certainly in police pulling back. It’s, you know, policing is the toughest job in the country. And I- and I frankly think that we have generally the vast, overwhelming majority of police are good people. They’re civic minded people who believe in serving the public. They do so bravely. They do so righteously.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But the bad cops.
BARR: I- I think that there are instances of bad cops. And I think we have to be careful about automatically assuming that the actions of an individual necessarily mean that their organization is rotten. All organizations have people who engage in misconduct, and you sometimes have to be careful as for when you ascribe that to the whole organization and when it really is some errant member who isn’t following the rules.
Full interview:
