Police Accountability
When You Fall Victim to Police Misconduct
One of the most dangerous things to come in contact with is a deputy who has the duty to enforce the law while having a bad day. We are all only human, and a police officer’s job can be very stressful. So, what happens when a police officer cannot make the correct moral and ethical judgment? Police accountability.
We have all seen or heard of different types of misconduct (tampering with evidence, intimidation, threats, and coercing). Let us not forget the ultimate mistreatment, which is officer-involved shootings. When one person has a gun, badge, and distorted cognition, life-or-death situations can sometimes result in tragedy.
Our sworn deputies are held to a higher standard than civilians, both morally and ethically. The officers’ responsibilities are so great that moral character and empathy should be prerequisites to becoming a sheriff’s deputy. Unfortunately, it is not. Some police officers must be better trained or out of touch and may harm you. This is not something that we as a people should not tolerate. The U.S. Supreme Court (DeShaney v. Winnebago County, 489 U.S. 189) has also ruled that police officers have no specific obligations to protect. Only righteous officers can be depended on to uphold the law and protect and serve.
We are here for the victims of police misconduct and their families. We will advocate for, set up events to raise awareness, advocate to change laws and help reprimand those who are responsible. It is the least we can do for the victims of those who are sworn to protect and serve our communities.
An Interesting Query...
Would a police officer help their fellow officers? A large percentage of police officers may be righteous, but they can succumbed to peer pressure when dealing with being accepted by their colleagues. Whether it be within the department and/or community, it is hard to do what is right when what’s right means going against your partner.
What is a partner? What does that really mean? A partner is your teammate, and you want your team to win. Everyone wants their team to win. So, you and your partner are on the same team with the same goal in mind, which is to win the game. If the referee calls a foul on your opponent (but it was not actually a foul), you might want to bite your tongue. Likewise, if your teammate tried to score but committed a foul you have witnessed, you may not want to point it out. In addition, if the referee tried to argue with your teammate, you may want to defend your teammate. Not because they did not do anything wrong (you have clearly witnessed the foul), but because they are your teammate, and you two are on the same side. You and your teammate’s goal is to win the game. It’s counter-productive to go against your partner.
So imagine this concept of partnership in the form of two deputies in law enforcement. How can a person, who has nothing in common with another person, put that person’s aspirations to win in front of their partner’s? It does not make much sense.
Where to Seek Police Accountability?
Here at the Legal Advocacy & Education Commission (LAEC), we speak for those that can’t speak for themselves. There are avenues that can be taken upon careful evaluation and consistency from an organization that is exhausting all administrative remedies to determine a resolution. Furthermore, the LAEC is willing to stand in solidarity for what we stand for and for the escalation of the matter. The LAEC is where a victim of police misconduct / brutality can come to for a voice and for help.