It is my understanding that members of the Law Enforcement Community have a license to kill whenever they feel their lives are being threatened.
Apparently it doesn't matter whether the threat is real or just imagined.
The founders of our nation were believed we were all to be treated equally under the law and no one had the right to take another person's life without justification; not even a police officer with a badge.
By granting a license to police officers to use deadly force whenever they feel threatened, we have created a special class of citizens with the lawful authority kill people while depriving them of their due process. When a police officer has this power, he becomes the judge, jury and executioner.
I believe when a member of the law enforcement community uses deadly force to end someone's life they should be put on trial. If the jury determines the use of deadly force was justified the officer should be exonerated and if not he should be prosecuted.
Perhaps police officers would be less inclined to use deadly force if they knew in advance they would be held accountable for their actions.
I also believe that the labor unions representing the law enforcement community prevent justice by shielding police officers from accountability. I don't think there is a more important job than protecting the lives, liberty and property of the people.
I think we need to pay our police officers substantially more and should give those officers who do their job without using deadly force an annual cash bonus.
Our county has become a rogue cop. Our government has appointed itself as the world's law enforcement agency and treats other nations as criminals and uses the threat of violence to get them to do our bidding.
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I think your onto the solution, but here's a way to stop such abuses of authority.
Let's require that every Police officer be required to purchase their own public liability insurance, called a surety bond, and make them carry sufficient coverage of say $1 million in coverage for a minimum, and each year they must pay for their own Bond to cover the risks they pose to the public at large.
After all, no one made them take on that job, and they did so freely of their own volition, just as they did their oath of office. This way the tax payers don't end up paying for their bond, and the Police officers then carry the insurance policy on their own. If an officer has a claim against their insurance bond, they are suspended until there is a public review of the claim, and a decision is made as to the validity of the claim is decided one way or the other. If the officer looses, he's out of a job and then is handed over to the courts for a trial just like the rest of the general public. It's called equality; and the way it is right now across this Country, the public pays for the Police officer's Bond and until this practice is ended, the public are the ones who pay for these officers mistakes in the end, and in far more than one way.
It's an idea whose time must be seriously considered. If the Police don't like it, then that's a sure sign that the officers who object to this notion are the ones who are basically unfit for public service. It's time to really start holding them financially responsible for reckless use of deadly force, or for the injuries they can cause while acting out with the unreasonable use of physical force. Putting a video camera on each officer is a way of containment of their liability.
It's a way of restraining them from the use of excessive force such as was the case in New York of the man who was literally choked to death with the use of a sleeper hold for selling single cigarettes on the street. That action was a clear-cut case of excessive use of force and we need to hold these rogue officers accountable for their actions and not require the public at large to pay for their official sins committed in the line of duty. The same should be applicable to all public employees who have an oath of office.
That's what's meant by a "Police State".
The short term solution is the video camera on every officer. This will go a long way to sorting out the truth in deadly force incidents.
Long term, our Military and Police forces have to be well versed in our Constitution with periodic exams in order to maintain employment and advance in rank.
Your solution, like mine, will do much to stop this use of deadly force or even non-deadly use of force, but it doesn't reduce the public's liability for a few rogue cops run amock at the public's expense. So until they have to shell out for their own liability insurance, we the people are still paying for their liability bonds.
When they have to buy their own bonds, it will end up being them who pays for their insurance policies each and every year. This would place them in a position of having some "skin in the game" and regulate their behavior better than any internal affairs department could ever do.
And; let's require every police department to certify to the ISO 9001 or better category of standards with outside audits and annual reviews by independent third party auditors who owe no loyalties to the departments they audit. With rotating independent auditors who won't be allowed to audit the departments each year in succession. Just trying to keep them clean and to a higher standard of care, that's all I am proposing here.
Yes 5 WAR, as long as it's THEIR EXPENSE. We the People can do this, and it's totally Constitutional as well, just as it is with forced health insurance according to the Supreme Court. Let's not forget the D.A.s and Court Clerks and all who have an oath of office, the same rules would apply. Just keeping them honest...JKTH if you get my drift.
All very good comments so far. I'd like to offer an observation. Maybe it's just me, but when did the police forces of America stray away from the Andy Griffith stereotype and create the new and improved Terminator attitude?
There are still instances where our police "protect and serve" the public that hires them. But more often than not, they appear to be more of a corporate collection agency for the townships and states. How does that serve anyone?
As for taking a life. There are very few excuses for it today. The police have radios, cameras, and many options to surround an alleged criminal. So unless actually fired upon or in a hostage situation, there's no reason to push the issue.
Also, why are our local police being given military toys AND training? Gives a whole new meaning to "Police State". Are they at war with the citizens they proclaim to be protecting? I'm confused.
I don't wish to stray off topic. Just wish to keep these observations in mind as we contemplate solutions. It's a complex problem.
Law enforcement, in the days of Wyatt Earp had a specific meaning and function. Today, unfortunately the lines have become blurred since the word COP was used denoting Constable On Patrol.
There was a time when the constable would rough one up a bit or smack one along the side of the head and the matter was settled. I will be the first to admit there are many decent men and women in uniform who take their oaths seriously.
On the other side, there are sociopaths and psychopaths in uniform. The ranks in Law Enforcement are being filled with combat veterans who are unable to differentiate enemy from civilian. Giving these officers more pay does not seem to offer society a plausible panacea to the problem.
This behavior has been going on for at least 40 years or so and all this aggression is being encouraged by none other than the boys in DC with the Department of Justice at the helm. The public has to become proactive, not passive and let the local, State, and Federal authorities know that this type of reprehensible behavior will no longer be tolerated.
In the words of one courageous individual, we have a choice; the ballot box, the jury box, or the cartridge box. Hail Caesar!
Russel,
I believe it was Ambrose Bierce who said;
"Justice always comes from a box. First the Ballot box, then the Jury box, then when those fail, the cartridge box."
The cartridge box is the only truth I see.
Police pull guns on 11 year old building tree house!!!
Police shoot homeless man camping in alberquerquie NM
Abraham lincoln did say the people have the right to overthrow a corrupt govt, and suggested it should be done.
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