Tough Love for Law Enforcement Requires Reform

American Thinker.com ^ | December 2, 2020 | David Safavian and Zoe Taylor

[Kaslin]

Every parent has had to dispense some “tough love” -- a course correction to make sure a child grows up to be the best person possible. The same is true of our criminal justice system. Over time, getting the results we want sometimes requires a course correction. If we don’t hold police and prosecutors accountable when they err, the public loses confidence in the law enforcement system, making their jobs not only more difficult, but more dangerous as well.

Conservative criminal justice reforms are not about defunding the police or abolishing prisons. Those who swear an oath to protect and serve are heroes. But one important thing we can do for the people who put their lives on the line every day is to bolster public confidence in law enforcement. Unfortunately, a recent survey of perceptions about our criminal justice system shows that confidence in our police has fallen to the lowest level in two decades. Blind deference to law enforcement by policymakers and judges only makes things worse. If we are to re-instill faith in the heroes who make up the “thin blue line,” legislators need to change our approach to policing and rein in the excesses that make headlines all too often.

Take qualified immunity, for example. It was created by the Supreme Court to protect police officers from frivolous lawsuits. However, it has become a shield that regularly prevents real accountability in egregious cases of misconduct. Officers have been given immunity from lawsuits in clear-cut cases of theft, assault, and even death, creating public outrage and cynicism. When citizens cannot hold government officials accountable for credible allegations of wrongdoing, the Constitution becomes just another piece of paper. If that becomes the case, our liberty will exist in name only.

[Socon-Econ]

Officers have been given immunity from lawsuits in clear-cut cases of theft, assault, and even death, creating public outrage and cynicism.
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How common are the real cases of officer misconduct, as distinguished from the hands-up-don’t-shoot lies? Right now it’s the police officers who are the victimized class. If we give up an inch of their protection, the cop hating black lawyers will take a mile.

[VicVanleeuwenhoek]

This guy points out a lot of problems that are not the Police.
The problem is the local government, prosecutors and Judges.

The Police problem goes to the 20 or 30 years of social justice hiring policies.

Too many Police Officers don’t belong on the streets and when officers who can’t handle the dangerous calls, on the job, have to show their daily call log it’s padded with traffic tickets and violations to ordinary citizens that
a professional Officer would have probably given out a warning.

I believe enforcement in many areas is necessary but when traffic tickets now days result in fines that can run into hundreds of dollars this just creates a public against Police.

Look at the news stories where a mob marches thru an area and the Police hold back or are no where to be seen then watch the same city where someone marches for “Life” or does not where their “covid” mask and they are rushed by the Police and dragged away.

The Police have become, in some cities and states, just a tool of the Government and not the protectors of the public as they were meant to be.

I support them 100% when they use reason and common sense
to take criminals off the streets but if you want real reform start with the Police Officers who don’t belong there, the ones who follow bad orders and bad administrators.

After WW 2 we didn’t let the German High command get away with the excuse “ we were only following orders” and we shouldn’t let our Police do the same.

[magglepuss]

How common are the real cases of officer misconduct, as distinguished from the hands-up-don’t-shoot lies?

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How many hair salons would be open but for threat of arrest?
How many bars and restaurants would be open but for threat of arrest?
How many people would go visit loved ones in a nursing home, but for threat of arrest?
How many people would go to church every Sunday, but for threat of arrest?

What power do these little dictators have, if not for the police?

Currently, we have seen cops standing down while actual criminals loot and riot. At the same time, real American non-criminals have been arrested, or threatened arrest.

If you don’t like getting rid of QI, that’s fine, but then come up with another idea, because our police officers are the first line of defense to upholding the Constitution. They are also LAW enforcers. They should have never been reduced to being the hall monitors for the deep state.