| Police abuse is a national problem with officers over | | | | they are not available to do the job they were hired |
| stepping their bounds and deliberately doing harm to | | | | to do. It adds to the response time, which could be |
| the people that they have sworn to protect. The | | | | the difference between life and death for the victim |
| country doesn't need more police officers. It needs | | | | of an actual crime. |
| to set a higher standard for the officers to meet. | | | | The changes need to happen on every level--local, |
| They need to have a clear understanding of the law | | | | state and federal by holding law enforcement |
| and their role in society, so they can protect without | | | | responsible for their actions. Either by executive |
| infringing on Civil Rights. However, it is not only | | | | order or legislative initiative, the Sovereign Immunity |
| ignorance of the public's rights that causes abusive | | | | needs to be rescinded and the individual officers held |
| situations, but the officers attempting to secure their | | | | responsible for their actions. It would not only force |
| jobs by inflating the crime statistics and personal | | | | the abusers to take personal responsibility for their |
| satisfaction of having power over others that are | | | | actions, but it would give the ethical officers the |
| the root causes of the abuse. With statewide budget | | | | reason to break through the blue wall and expose |
| cuts, every government job is at risk. However by | | | | the abuses. Instead of depleting the law enforcement |
| inflating the crime statistics with unjustified arrests | | | | ranks, it would open the opportunities to officers |
| and unreasonable traffic stops, they insure the law | | | | who are willing to work within their legal limits. |
| enforcement system will be immune to pay cuts and | | | | In addition, independent civilian review boards with |
| lay offs. In addition, individual officers have learned | | | | the enough power to be effective need to be set up |
| that they won't be held responsible for their actions. | | | | in every community. With the existing systems, a |
| Most officers are ethical and honorable. But there are | | | | person has to file a complaint with the very people |
| those who intentionally inflict harm on those in our | | | | who did them harm. Frequently, those who attempt |
| society they see as vulnerable. They also target | | | | to file complaints are threatened and harassed into |
| those who have lifestyles or points of view that | | | | silence. |
| differ from their own. | | | | Thirdly, local authorities need to be pressured into |
| The cases of abuse, misconduct and bigotry are | | | | investigating the current abuse cases and following up |
| increasing expediently, because no one in the | | | | with the appropriate disciplinary actions and retribution |
| government willing to address the root cause. One | | | | for the damage done to individual. |
| only has to Google--police abuse or police abuse of | | | | Also, public service campaigns that inform the public |
| power to learn how severe the problem has become. | | | | of their rights and responsibilities will do much to |
| Officers get away with it because they can. Victims | | | | eliminate confusion and help the public understand |
| can sue the law enforcement agencies but the | | | | what they need to do when confronted with an |
| individual officers are never held accountable for the | | | | officer in order to remain safe. A well informed |
| harm they cause. Sovereign Immunity is the legal | | | | person is more capable of dealing with an abuse |
| doctrine that states the sovereign or government | | | | situation. By knowing their rights, they can not only |
| and its agents cannot be legally prosecuted for harm | | | | prevent the situation from escalating, but also save |
| they cause. By definition, Sovereign means monarch, | | | | themselves legal entanglements and remove most |
| the ruler or permanent head of a state, especially a | | | | excuses officers use to detain individuals. |
| king or queen. Law enforcement officials are neither; | | | | Individuals should be compensated for their pain not |
| they are public servants, not public masters. | | | | only by the law enforcement agency, but the |
| However, instead of serving and protecting society, | | | | individual officers as well. If the abusive officers and |
| they are rapidly become a bigger threat to the public | | | | all those who protect them can loose their homes, |
| than the criminal element. At least with the criminal | | | | cars and everything they have worked for, they will |
| element, you can defend yourself without additional | | | | have more of an incentive to follow the rules. |
| criminal charges being added. To merely touch an | | | | The public has to also stay involved by reporting |
| officer is to be guilty of a crime, yet they are | | | | abuses, filing complaints with the Attorney General of |
| capable of searching your person and property if | | | | your state, and speaking out in the media. With the |
| they have the faintest suspicion you have possibly | | | | popularity of cell phones with cameras, it is very easy |
| broken a law. They no longer need proof a crime, | | | | to document the abuse and share it with the world, |
| just the mere illusion is enough to support a search. | | | | thereby exposing the abusive officers in a way that |
| They feel entitled to harass and intimidate those | | | | cannot be disputed. How many more people have to |
| they find objectionable because of lifestyle, political | | | | be harmed or killed before the abuse of power is |
| affiliation, religion or skin color. | | | | addressed? Civil rights are not optional, yet they |
| In addition, the abusive actions of law enforcement | | | | frequently ignored and those who are different or |
| does not make the public safer. When an officer is | | | | weaker become victims to bigotry and ignorance. |
| actively involved in harassing an individual or group, | | | | |