why do police officers violate civil rights so often?

Question

they think they can do anything they want

Answer 1

You have to realize that a lot of cops don't even go to college. They violate them because they may not be aware that they are. If you ask me, I think all cops should have some sort of law degree.

Answer 2

Ok... let's qualify this statement.... your words "so often" are not really all that often. If you think about hwo many police-citizen encounters there are every day, most of them do not violate your civil rights. So what you're really talking about here are the few occasions which this does happen. Now remember, the news media would rather report negative news than positive news because that's what people want to watch... so what you'll see on TV is all of these violations and none of the positive stuff cops do.

Let me go on by saying that there are a lot police officers in the USA and the majority of them do the right thing all the time. There are a few that, for whatever reason (whether it be improper training, getting caught up in the moment, or whatever) do make mistakes.


But let's think about this for a second... what if police officers couldn't do the things they do (which you may consider a violation of your rights). Let's consider some specific examples:

1.) Restricting your freedom of movement
---> Could a police officer really do his job if he wasn't able to do this? I can see it now...a criminal is running away from a police officer. Oh well, that bad guy doesn't really deserve to go to jail anyways and since the police have no right to detain (restrict the freedom of movement) of anyone, it's no big deal! (sarcasm)

2.) Right to Privacy
---> What about legally obtained search warrants? Don't you want police to be able to raid the crack house down the street and put drug dealers in jail?

3.) Freedom of Speech
---> Someone yells "FIRE" in a crowded theater, people get up to run out and some children get injured or trampled to death in the process.... I guess it's good that everyone in this country can say whatever they want and nothing can be done to the person who yelled this! (Sarcasm) (NOTE: every State has a law that makes this type of behavior a crime. Some specifically call this out and others just include it in the Disorderly Conduct section)


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Now keep in mind.... let's imagine this.... (God forbid) that something really terrible happened to you... say someone broke into your house and did some really terrible things to your children and spouse... leaving you as the sole survivor. Any normal human being would want the police to do whatever it takes to find the person that did this--no matter what! Now, let's say that the police pulled up as the criminal was running/driving away. If the police didn't have the ability to detain (restrict the freedom of movement) of the person running away, that criminal would most likely get away. If the person was driving away and we can see (in plain view) some of the items that are reported stolen, but weren't able to seize that vehicle or the driver, well then the criminal will do what criminals do: ditch the car, sell the stuff and deny everything. At this point, the odds of succesfully proving (beyond a reasonable doubt, in a court of law) that they were the one that did these things drops significantly... but that's OK because nobody was inconvenienced and nobody's rights were ever so slightly infringed upon! (sarcasm)

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Please be careful with what you're saying. The extreme majority of police officers are out there every day doing the right thing to protect you and your loved ones. The majority of the crap they receive from the public is undeserved.

Answer 3

Power in the hands of those who are not able to be leaders/role models is a dangerous commodity. We live in an imperfect world with imperfect people and sometimes, power gets into the wrong hands because they seek out positions where they can have and abuse power. What is the motivation to become a police officer? For some it may be more altruistic than for others. But even good people can make mistakes, be lead down paths they wished they never walked. We can feel and empthasize with the type of police officer who would regret bad decisions, who would change bad behavior and who would lead by example to demonstrate that people can change and do the right thing. Why do police officers violate civil rights so often? I don't think they do - not any more than anyone else - they may be seen as doing so but only because of their higer profile and because they expection is higher for them.

Answer 4

Possibly they have watched one too many Dirty Harry movies. Maybe these criminals are getting away with so much that they feel this is the only way to even the odds. I'm sure abuses happen but for some criminals who commit severe crimes I am not as critical about the police violating "civil rights". I believe if you act bad enough you by default have forfeited your civil rights. This is not to say Police officers haven't done bad things. About any crime you can think of has probably been committed by a police officer at one point or another. But I'd like to believe most of the Police are out their for our own good. I hope I am right.

Answer 5

Lots of stupid awnsers here, as to be expected.

Law Enforcement officers don't often violate civil rights. They are using their judgement and training to solve a problem. They have an absolute right to detain someone and search them for THEIR safety. Please don't take that ability from police.

People need to understand that police officers are in great danger, no matter what they are doing. Their livers are on the line and one mistake can cost them that. So, next time they detain you don't get mad at them but understand they are trying to stay in control of the situation and protect themselves.

An officers number one objective is their safety and the safety of those around them.

Sure, there will always be bad cops but a majority of officers are just doing what their doing to protect themselves. So what if they stress you for a while, at least their alive.

The media has really exagrated the idea that all police are violating your rights and on a power trip. Its simply wrong.

Most people just don't and can't understand the stress a police officer has to go under.

Answer 6

Well, we don't get to do everything we want. We don't violate civil rights, we just try to serve and protect, and if some psycopath just went on a murder spree and shows no remorse, yet screams like a girl just because a cop gave him a dirty look, it's his own problems. If you think you're going to have your rights violated, the solution is simple--- stay on the the right side of the law, otherwise the only rights you will have are to silence and to an attorney and one phone call.

Answer 7

Which police officers are you talking about? The one's portrayed in movies like Crash, or have you actually seen this taking place? My friend's brother is a cop, and he is a very good person who does not violate civil rights.

Answer 8

Cops violate civil rights on a regular and systematic basis. You can watch police brutality, murder, corruption all day on youtube. Image how much happens with no video cameras to catch them. They do it because THEY CAN. They know prosecutors will not prosecute so they really don't give a crap about your civil rights because they don't have to. They are above the law and they know it. Cops have complete contempt for the Constitution. The grand jury system is a farce. It's a rubber stamp for prosecutors who always covers corrupt cops asses.

Answer 9

I think that's pretty ignorant of you. I have had MANY experience with the police, ALL BAD, I deserved most, some I didn't deserve what so ever. But how can you blame them most people they "profile" are blacks and Mexicans depending on the town, mine is Mexican, but still if your in that neighborhood and most people in that neighborhood are thugs and gangstas up to no good, then they think your one of them. Its not the fault of the cops, its the fault of the people around you being uncivilized and disrespectful towards everyone for no reason. I'm not a cop sympathizer either I've done things that could have landed me in prison, but then get hassled by the cops for an hour because I forgot to put my new reg tag on my car. I dont respect them because they do "profile" but I dont hate them because they "profile".

Answer 10

my opinion... just because they know they can. Through out time they have found so many different ways to get away and cover up, or get the smallest punishment for so many things. Now that they are cops and have built a relationship with the government and the important people EX: judges, they feel as if they are god, and what they want to do they will,,, you know how human egos are,.. especially in men.So there are a lot of hot air, big headed, uniforms out there ready to flex there new found world advantage, instead of (god forbid) actually being around to really and genuinely help the public people.

Answer 11

I feel the cops violate our civil rights because some citizens have committed crimes and some innocent people get caught up in the process of apprehending the guilty ones. But when law enforcement deliberately falsify a report to get a innocent person convicted of a crime they couldn't have possibly have committed that is what is alarming