Accountability Lacking for Law Enforcement
Police have tough jobs, no doubt about it. They often deal with dangerous criminals and have to make weighty decisions in the blink of an eye. Second guessing their actions has become a national pastime for some, and cell phone footage accompanies virtually any police action these days. The pressure on good cops to serve and protect is phenomenal. But what about cops who are not-so-good? We’ve all seen the videos and heard the tales of officers who brutalize their fellow citizens, often with little or no consequences for their actions. Why do so many cops get away with mistreating people of color, people with mental health disorders, juveniles, and other individuals who pose minimal risk to the officers? Many authorities on the subject believe that immunity and modern politics play a big role.
No Financial Accountability
There are always situations in which officers face civil penalties for their actions. But one study showed that over 99 percent of the cash doled out in lawsuits going back to the 90’s were not paid by the officers themselves, but by the government—meaning your tax dollars covered the settlement. That’s true even in cases where officers lost their jobs or were otherwise disciplined. Financial accountability is just not a reality for officers, even when they are found guilty of engaging in wrongful conduct. That is largely because of indemnity policies protecting officers.
Police Accountability in Today’s World
Under the current administration, police enjoy greater access to legal resources and to indemnification when facing accusations of brutality or misconduct. Additionally, public officials have been warned off from getting in the way of officers who may be guilty of abuse of power, making it more difficult to hold errant officers accountable. To make matters worse, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has given up on fighting for civil rights relating to cases involving police reform efforts and settlement agreements for local police departments, and they’ve eliminated all efforts into detecting and reducing police violence. Additionally, individuals in law enforcement who’ve been found guilty of criminal activity—including obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and second-degree murder, find themselves increasingly likely to be considered for a presidential pardon despite their actions. Finally, the federal database designed to keep track of federal officers found guilty of misconduct —from the FBI to ICE and Border Patrol officers– has been completely taken down, giving rogue officers easier access to transfer across agencies and to escape any checks on power.
Fighting for Your Rights
In a world where protecting officer’s rights is getting more juice than protecting the rest of us is, it’s more critical than ever that anyone facing criminal charges has a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney focused on protecting your rights. That’s what you can count on at Lobo Law. To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation in our Las Vegas office today.
Source:
justicebolt.com/how-police-indemnification-can-go-wrong/
