posted on Jan, 15 2008 @ 02:06 AM
If anything we should be enforcing much stronger standards of conduct on our police officers.
Here's what I'd do: I'd contract with Apple to create the "I-cop": Basically a beefed up I-phone with the best available video and audio
recorder, GPS, and enough memory and battery life for 12 hours of continuous recording, as well as wi-fi capability, allowing it to be accessed in
real time by police dispatchers and other officers in the field.
You make those standard issue, have every cop wearing one securely clipped on his chest, and teach the cops how to get the most use out of them, for
avoiding false allegations, for recording indisputable evidence, and for coordinating operations to give themselves a tactical advantage in dangerous
or confusing situations.
From there on out, there should never be any question as to whether or not the use of force was justified.
Furthermore, consider the fact that police forces are essentially paramilitary organizations.
If a soldier conspires with the enemy, that soldier can be executed for treason. If a soldier is involved in an operation against his own countrymen,
other than on appropriate orders in case of rebellion, he can be executed for treason.
Sounds like a precedent for dealing with dirty cops if you ask me.
I understand that cops make mistakes, and failing to see any proof to the contrary, I'd like to assume that most cops are basically decent people.
I'm not saying a cop should hang if I resist arrest and I get my arm broken when he puts me on the ground- if I'm dumb enough to do something wrong,
and dumb enough not to just keep my mouth shut and call my lawyer, then maybe I should write off the consequences of my actions as a learning
experience.
But when a cop abuses does willfully does something wrong, and is not acting in the appropriate discharge of his duties, then he's not a cop. And if
he's not a cop, he's an armed felon. On top of that, he's in deriliction of duty, and depending on the case, possibly a traitor to the society he
is supposed to be serving.
Police brutality does not need to be endorsed- it needs to be dealt with in the strictest manner that is conscionable to our society when it happens,
and before it happens it needs to be prevented with appropriate training and oversight.