Good Cop, Bad Cop

Host Derek McGinty is refreshingly open-minded here in his approach to the uncomfortable questions surrounding how much power police should have, especially in the inner city (even if his distinguished panelists are all very predictable in what they say). You'll hear two white men argue that the minimal impact on individual civil liberties is a small price to pay for waging war against street crime, while the other two panelists--one African American, one Puerto Rican--decry the ‘peace at any price' notion that seems to be the mantra of urban police departments. Terms such as "zero tolerance," "ethnic stereotyping," "community policing," "police-civilian modality" and other buzzy phrases abound, and the panelists do their best to be patient with each other, but the sparks do fly when they let their guards down and speak from the heart, rather than the head. This talk-fest probably won't change anyone's opinion or solve any problems, but it will stimulate discussion, especially among high school students. Recommended. Aud: H, P. (J. Carlson)