Police Officers Should Pay Compensation Pay-Outs Not Tax-Payers

Just wanted to raise the point of tax-payer bailouts for crooked cops.

Million-dollar payouts: The high cost of police brutality
www.mathaba.net...
(Just one site of many with examples of tax-payer bail-outs.)

On Feb. 4, the Los Angeles City Council authorized a $12.85 million settlement to demonstrators who were injured when officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) used excessive force to break up a peaceful May Day rally in MacArthur Park last year.More than 300 claims were filed against the city.

That same day in Oakland, Atty. John Burris filed a $1.5 million claim against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and former transit officer Johannes Mehserle.Mr. Mehserle shot and killed 22-year-old Oscar Grant, III in the back while he had apparently been subdued.

Yes there are many fine & decent police officers out there trying to do the right thing by do the serve & protect role.

This is about the small minority of crooked cops that commit crimes & literally get away with it, yes again some loose the job & a lesser amount go to goal but what about the others.

I talking about the cop that uses police brutality then when it finally goes to court & the victim is awarded a pay-out at tax-payer expense.

I think in these cases the victims should be payed out of the actual cops wages, maybe then he will think before using police brutality/corruption.

If I assault/defraud/rob someone & then go to court & get ordered to pay compensation to the victim out of my own pocket, so why not police officers do the same?

Until this happens there is no real justice system of equality. (not that there really ever has or will be)

If the Police are going to be subject to the same lawsuits as any other business, they should be required to carry insurance. This may seem like an odd idea but the insurance company would sniff out the rats/liars and force people who claim brutality to have a solid case.

Of course the insurance should be paid by revenues generated by the police dept. from real crimes, not traffic tickets.

Just a thought......

reply to post by sheepslayer247
Good idea on the insurance because this would also soon get the crooked cops out, when insurance companies had to many claims against one particular cop.

Doctors must have malpractice insurance so why not require the police to have insurance as well?

Anyhow, though I agree the taxpayers should not be covering the bill for these types of settlements the fact is that if insurance were required our taxes would go up to cover these premiums; the unions would make sure of it. So maybe the solution is to hold the officers personally accountable for their actions. Problem there is in general, the employer is legally responsible for the actions of their employees while on the clock so I don't see that happening.

So realistically, how does one solve this?

Insurance may be one annswer but if you hit the officer where it personally hurt, in their own wallet, maybe then some good may happen.

[edit on 20-8-2010 by acrux]

Seems like regardless the tax payer still gets screwed.

Just like the malpractice insurance cost for doctors is present in our medical bills the cost to have cops carry insurance would be paid by taxpayers.

Even if no monetary award is given and the cop just looses his job he's going to go on the dole paid for by tax payers.

Being a cop is a lot like being a politician. You can rob rape and murder and you might lose your job and maybe you might lose your pension and benefits but regardless of the outcome the taxpayers still fund your existence. The very people you robed raped and murdered.

As long as it's funded by our extorted funds there can't ever be justice.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

Being a cop is a lot like being a politician. You can rob rape and murder and you might lose your job and maybe you might lose your pension and benefits but regardless of the outcome the taxpayers still fund your existence.

If this wasn't so sickenly true it would be a hilarious quote.

[edit on 20-8-2010 by acrux]

reply to post by acrux


I think the cops should pay for their mistakes also. I know, I know, some cops are good. But as one who is old enough to remember the 1960s, I saw cops beating people nearly every day on TV for demonstrating against an unpopular war and a criminal president. I watched as National Guards, ordered by cops, took aim and fired on American students in Ohio. Not all cops are good cops, some are on a power trip. Knowledge of the law is one defence, but the lawsuit is another. I personally know that every police officer is ordered to have a surety bond to cover any "mistakes," but very few cops have a bond anymore. Make them pay personally for what they do, it is not the taxpayer's job to pay.