The Mayan calendar abruptly ends on December 21, 2012. Many people believe this indicates the end of
the world as we know it. There are a
variety of theories on how the world will end.
Some people speculate earth will be struck by an asteroid or another planet. Others believe a natural disaster such as a
tsunami or an ice age will bring doom to earth and all its inhabitants. Yet others believe this date will bring about
the Apocalypse or an alien invasion. I
am not here to argue what will happen on December 21 or even if anything will
happen. I do, however, believe December
21, 2012 will ultimately come and go as all past winter solstices have. On the other hand, I do think there are
many believers of the end of the world who will create havoc for law
enforcement agencies as well as to the general public. My question to you is how will police agencies
as an organization deal with the possibility of riots on December 21,
2012?
Talk of a “dooms day” has influenced many people over the
years. The fear of death is a strong instrument
that has been used to take advantage of people throughout history. Thousands of earth ending predictions have
come and gone during the past two-thousand years. Last year alone Christian radio host Harold
Camping predicted the world would end both on May 21 and October 21, yet here
we are (1). The internet is plagued with
thousands of blogs and websites dedicated to the countdown to December 21. The website December212012 is dedicated
to teaching and persuading its viewers to the truth of December 21. The site contains information on all the
possible ways the earth will come to an end.
The site also includes tactics which should be used in order to survive
the devastation. The site lists a number
of supplies that should be stocked up on and plans that should be in place by
the time December 21 rolls around (2).
It is easy to see how individuals can be swayed by sites like this along
with attention given to the predicted crisis by the media. Mexico has also been using the attention as a
way to draw in tourists. Millions of
tourists are traveling to Southern Mexico this year to view the area where the
former Mayan civilization once ruled (1).
“Remember the Y2K scare? It
came and went without much of a whimper because of adequate planning and
analysis of the situation” (1). It was
predicted that Y2K, January 1, 2000, was going to be a destructive day because
it was believed computers were going to reset to the year 1900, instead of
2000. Adequate government planning
resolved most issues that could have occurred back in 2000.
An example of a learning
organization was the Seattle Police Department in their preparation for
Y2K. Earlier in November of 1999 the
World Trade Organization protests, known as the “Battle in Seattle,” lead to
nearly 20 million dollars in losses in the Seattle area. The police also dealt with riots after the
1992 acquittal of the four LAPD officers who beat Rodney King. In preparation for Y2K the city of Seattle
created a plan over an eight year period following the King riots. Seattle learned from the WTO protests that
they did not use enough resources or officers.
On December 31, 1999 Seattle sent out 850 officers and implemented a new
crowd control plan that successfully kept the public in check (3).
December 21 is less than nine
months away I am sure many police organizations have specific plans in place if
anarchists or the general public decide to riot and go on a crime frenzy. King County, Washington’s Sherriff’s
Department spokesman John Urquhart stated prior to Y2K, “You have to plan for
the worst-case scenario and be ready for that” (3). I can only hope and believe that most law
enforcement agencies are relying on an organizational plan that will be used to
deter any possible serious criminal act on December 21. I am confident that December 21 will be
another day and hope we are all celebrating the holidays and enjoying the next
chapter of our lives after graduating with CJS degrees from ISU. How do you feel law enforcement agencies will
or should approach December 21, 2012?
[Reasons why people believe 2012 will be the end of the world]
References
You know one funny fact that people aren't taking into account is leap day/year. The Mayan calender doesn't account for this because it was invented way later by Ceasar. If you don't count the leap days according to the Mayan calender today is sometime around August of 2013 so it looks like the calender just ends, not the world.
ReplyDeleteLaw enforcement agencies should approach December 21 with caution, especially because people will go crazy during this day. Im curious why people make such a big deal about this issue. Just because the Mayan calendar ends December 21, 2012 does not mean the world is going to end, it just means they were done with that calendar. If something does happen then it happens but I don't think people should make it a huge issue.
ReplyDeleteI think it's ridiculous that we're still talking about the end of the world in December. That date is gonna pass along with other every other December 21 in the past. I find it hilarious that people are blowing their life savings just to by supplies to prepare for it so they can survive whatever might be coming. These people seriously need to be put in a mental institution. These people are extremely naive and gullible.
ReplyDeleteI just visited Mexico (Cozumel) over spring break and was able to see some of the Mayan ruins while I was there. The tour guide that showed us around and gave us a history of Mayan culture said that those that are advocating the end of the Mayan calender indicates the end of the world are just uneducated and have not done their research. The Mayan calender was only set up to cover 5,000 years. After such time, the Mayan calender resets, which does not indicate the end of the world, only that a 5,000 year cycle has ended. Those that have used this to fabricate a story in which the end of the world is on its way are only doing so for their own gain. When I began the tour, I expected to hear the tour guide spout out a bunch of garbage about the end of the world, but it was refreshing to hear that those at ground zero have not drank the Kool Aide that some of the idiots around the world have drank.
ReplyDeleteWelp, people that truly believe the world will end that day can stop wearing condoms this month, I guess.
ReplyDeleteBut every other sensible person will continue living their lives according to their plan. December 21, 2012 will come but so will December 22. . I think people just like talking about the "end of the world" and how sick their "end of the world" parties are going to be. I think it's ridiculous that some people actually believe the world will end that soon. Oh well. I'm fortunate to have a functioning brain.
I think law enforcement will have a really hard time controlling the riots that will happen on December 21, 2012. I feel there will be a lot of crime days prior to this because people didn’t buy their supplies and a panic will occur. I think this is all a mental and psychological hurdle that people will have to get over. I can honestly say, I am looking forward to December 22, 2012 just so people can stop talking about this.
ReplyDelete