the police are "working to the book" - a form of unofficial slowdown, when you follow the rules exactly. its a protest against the lack of support municipal and community leaders have shown them recently.
its happening here in Baltimore too. Working to the book means:
- not stopping cars on "hunches" or suspicions of wrong doing. just ignore it.
- no stop and frisk
- no 'off duty" officers rushing to a crime scene. let the poor guys ON duty handle it, even though they're further away
- no pursuits, foot or automobile, if there's the LEAST chance of a bad outcome
- police dogs no longer sent in alone into darkened/abandoned houses, to sort out the guys hiding there
- each arrest, when one actually occurs, is accompanied by fully completed paperwork, even if it takes the entire rest of the shift.
