In general, under police powers, the police may ignore numerous misdemeanor behaviors in the performance of their duties. For example, an officer may speed to catch a speeder. An officer may commit trespass to catch a burglar. Therefore, an officer may drive around without his lights at night to enable him to sneak up on wrong doers. At the same time his liability if something goes wrong is much higher because of his choice to ignore the law. That isn’t the issue here.
Where is the supervisor who is supposed to review these dashboard Cameras? An officer has an obligation to treat citizens with equal respect. Dirt-bags and Bank Presidents deserve the same services. The demeaning language alone, without the threats, should have been enough to have the officers fired. Watching the officers try to trump up some charge because they aren’t able to provoke an angry response from the citizen is enough to charge them criminally.
Police are a conduit for the ethically challenged to enter the Criminal Justice System. “Protect and Serve” is a very misused piece of propaganda. Police must never be permitted to be the judge or arbitrator of what is right and wrong otherwise we really don’t need courts.
Excellent comments!!!
I agree with your statements, unfortunately there has been a “brain drain” from law enforcement, much as has occurred in the public schools. People who are seriously interested in good, ethical police work go for elite services such as the FBI, DEA or Secret Service, or go to law school and become district attorneys. So, local departments get more thuggish steroid heads, just as public schools seem to have more than their share of slutty teachers...