There are things that could be done to reign in questionable behavior by police and other public officials.
1. Eliminate both “absolute and qualified immunity” for ALL public officials. If public officials (yes, this includes police officers and their administrators, firefighters, prosecutors, court officials and all other “public servants”) knew that they could be sued personally (and possibly lose everything they own), they would tend to behave themselves. Require all public officials to purchase and maintain "malpractice insurance" as a condition of employment. Insurance companies would be unwilling to "pay out" for a "questionable situation". Insurance companies would be more efficient in "weeding out" the "bad apples" as not doing so would affect their "bottom line".
2. Establish and enforce an “video audit trail” when...ever there is interaction by any public official with the public. In the case of police and firefighters, no “video audit trail” would mean the inadmissability of “evidence” as well as censure and immediate dismissal with loss of pension for failure to assure that this “video audit trail” is present. “Equipment malfunction” would not be a valid excuse. A “video audit trail” works both ways and would also do much to eliminate the possibility of frivolous lawsuits by the public against public officials as well as assure that public officials “behave themselves”. This is especially true in police interrogation rooms where police-coerced “false confessions” occur with alarming frequency.
3. Prosecutors should be subordinate to the grand jury. Grand juries should be able to indict without needing the prosecutor’s “permission”. Of course, there would be NO absolute or qualified immunity for prosecutors or grand jurors.
Police agencies should not be allowed to “investigate themselves”. Outside, disinterested agencies should do the investigating.
4. Civilian police review boards should be mandatory–they should exclude anyone who has a police background or relatives of police from serving. Civilian police review boards should be able to bring up charges against corrupt police officials and officers as well.
These changes would put the public on an equal footing with our “leaders” (who are actually supposed to be subordinate to us citizens).
There have been many cases where people who have been legally recording police (mis)behavior have been harassed by police, their equipment damaged or destroyed, and charges brought against them. Severe punishment should be meted out to those public officials who interfere with lawful recording by citizens.
So-called "law enforcement" has become out-of-control...and an entity unto themselves, where they have become judge, jury and executioner.
1. Eliminate both “absolute and qualified immunity” for ALL public officials. If public officials (yes, this includes police officers and their administrators, firefighters, prosecutors, court officials and all other “public servants”) knew that they could be sued personally (and possibly lose everything they own), they would tend to behave themselves. Require all public officials to purchase and maintain "malpractice insurance" as a condition of employment. Insurance companies would be unwilling to "pay out" for a "questionable situation". Insurance companies would be more efficient in "weeding out" the "bad apples" as not doing so would affect their "bottom line".
2. Establish and enforce an “video audit trail” when...ever there is interaction by any public official with the public. In the case of police and firefighters, no “video audit trail” would mean the inadmissability of “evidence” as well as censure and immediate dismissal with loss of pension for failure to assure that this “video audit trail” is present. “Equipment malfunction” would not be a valid excuse. A “video audit trail” works both ways and would also do much to eliminate the possibility of frivolous lawsuits by the public against public officials as well as assure that public officials “behave themselves”. This is especially true in police interrogation rooms where police-coerced “false confessions” occur with alarming frequency.
3. Prosecutors should be subordinate to the grand jury. Grand juries should be able to indict without needing the prosecutor’s “permission”. Of course, there would be NO absolute or qualified immunity for prosecutors or grand jurors.
Police agencies should not be allowed to “investigate themselves”. Outside, disinterested agencies should do the investigating.
4. Civilian police review boards should be mandatory–they should exclude anyone who has a police background or relatives of police from serving. Civilian police review boards should be able to bring up charges against corrupt police officials and officers as well.
These changes would put the public on an equal footing with our “leaders” (who are actually supposed to be subordinate to us citizens).
There have been many cases where people who have been legally recording police (mis)behavior have been harassed by police, their equipment damaged or destroyed, and charges brought against them. Severe punishment should be meted out to those public officials who interfere with lawful recording by citizens.
So-called "law enforcement" has become out-of-control...and an entity unto themselves, where they have become judge, jury and executioner.
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