Murdered Brooklyn boy

[dandave]

The last has nothing to do with the issue we're discussing, the first I don't see having any relation to not trusting the police. They didn't know what happened, they called the local volunteers, same as someone might call their community guard if they think their kid is just messing around at the pool at the rec center and etc.

As for the middle - I don't think that's "not trusting the police" particularly either. The quote you pulled talks about not trusting authority in a general sense and that people go to their community volunteers first. People will ask a Guardian Angel first too, doesn't mean they don't trust the police, necessarily, it could mean the cops are busy, the GA is there and eager to help and know the people and neighbourhood better than whichever cop may respond if you call. I'm not saying it's not possible they in particular don't trust the police, I'm saying that I don't at ALL think it's some function of the community that in general they don't trust the cops, any more than people in areas with a community watch or GA don't trust the cops.

Cops like those groups, because they do fill in where the cops can't always be, and know what the cops don't, because the volunteers are there all the time and know the people.

Then I'll just have to disagree with you. The articles that I quoted you were very clear, to me.

 

[JenM]

Then I'll just have to disagree with you. The articles that I quoted you were very clear, to me.

They made sense to me too.

Those neighborhoods are are entirely different culture than what we're used to. Not a bad neighborhood, but very different. A child wouldn't have had a cell phone, and it would be totally acceptable to ask another Jewish man for directions. Poor Leiby just asked the wrong person.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

It's not that they don't trust the Police, it's that they turn to their own first, and then call the Police if they need assistance. They have their own way of dealing with things, within the religious frame of reference, and prefer to not involve secular Police, if possible. I once worked for an Orthodox Jew - not as strict as Hasidic, but close. Sometimes I think he lived in a parallel universe. Among the rest of us, but not part of the culture. If you haven't seen it up close, it's difficult to imagine. I have no doubt that Leiby approached this man with no hesitation because he was taught to ask another Jew for assistance. He and his parents assumed one of their own would never hurt him.