Taft should sign anti-porn bill

Computers have become widely used tools for conveying ideas and communicating with others. But because the Internet is relatively new, it is not on Ohio’s list of media through which pornographic images targeted to children cannot be transmitted legally.

The Ohio House of Representatives and Senate have passed an anti-pornography bill that would update the current law and add computer images to the materials that could contain pornography. Adults could send pornographic images to each other via the Internet, but they would not be able to send such messages or pictures knowingly to children.

Gov. Bob Taft should sign this bill into law. The current sex-offense law includes books, magazines, newspapers, prints, pictures, images, motion-picture films and music records. To keep the law applicable to the technological age, it is logical to include images appearing on a computer monitor, transmitted via e-mail or recorded on a hard drive or floppy disk.

If people are not allowed to send pornography to children through books or magazines, they should not find a loophole in the Internet.

Because prohibiting pornography in other media has not been found unconstitutional, this law will hold up under the scrutiny of those who say it violates First Amendment rights. Sending pornography to children crosses the line from free speech to obscenity.

 

Filing reports would help reform efforts

The notion that Cincinnati police officers are trigger-happy might change if the city requires them to file a report every time they draw their guns and aim at someone.

Opponents of this recommendation made by the U.S. Department of Justice say it will force officers to keep their guns holstered in legitimate danger for fear of filling out paperwork later. This is not the intention of the rule, though. It is a way to track how officers are responding to situations. Besides, if an officer in danger has time to think about filling out paperwork, he or she probably is not in legitimate danger.

A section of a regular police report could include questions about whether a gun was drawn, and smaller forms could be printed for instances where a formal report is not necessary.

Such a step would show Cincinnati residents the police department is serious about reform and is concerned for their safety, as well as the officers’. Although this measure alone will not stop crime or officers’ inappropriate behavior, it is part of reforming the police department.

Drawing weapons should be a last resort when responding to a call or coming across crime while on patrol. If officers take their duties seriously and act as they have been trained, they should have no problem filling out a report explaining how they aimed a gun. These reports help officers defend their actions later and prove they acted rightfully.

If reviewers find officers did not act properly, they can discipline them and make sure they are retrained. Officers have reason to fear these reports only if they are acting inappropriately or are inexperienced, in which case they should not be on the streets.

By taking the justice department’s recommendation seriously, Cincinnati will start to reform the police department’s practices that have tarnished the city’s image.