How about this hypothesis on Law Enforcement, Culture and Legislation?

Question

What police are expected to do begins in the legislature.

When laws are relatively few and more carefully chosen, the pool of people who would find themselves able to serve *in good conscience* as an officer of the law is greatly expanded. Conversely, the number of law enforcement job openings is relatively low.
The result is an excellent police force that people generally respect, as only the best candidates are chosen from a large pool.

When laws are more numerous and chosen with less care, fewer people will agree with them and fewer people will find themselves able to serve as a law enforcement officer, in good conscience. At the same time, demand for officers to enforce the more numerous laws will be higher, and departments will have to hire more people from a smaller and potentially less desirable pool.
Not only will this cause the police to lose respect among the citizenry, but the distorted police image will compel the wrong people to join the force for the wrong reasons.

I don't think that most of the U.S.A. is at either of these extremes, although it seems to have been more like the first situation when our country was younger.

(This is aside from paying LEO's well, which is much easier to do in the first scenario and is essential in any fight against police corruption.)

Answer 1

I'm reminded of what the Elliot Ness character in "The Untouchables" said when asked by a reporter what he would do once Prohibition ended. He thought for a minute and said, "Probably have a drink".

Police don't enforce the law because they necessarily agree with it. They do it because it's their job. Much the same way a soldier will fight in a war, even if he disagrees with the war. I'm sure there a lot of soldiers in Iraq now who doesn't agree with at least some parts of the management of the war; but they fight without question. In the same manner, I enforce laws that I do not particularly agree with.

An example would be if a racist organization wanted to stage a rally in my community. I would much rather them not to, but the Constitution gives them that right and I must support that right as a law enforcement officer. I must protect them just as I would anyone else.

I think that the shortage of quality police officers has more to do with the fact that there is a rising crime rate due largely to an increase in drug addiction which leads to other crimes (such as theft, burglary, gang violence, etc.). Departments must increase their size to combat these problems. A high number of departments have had to double or triple their number of officers in the last few years as a result of this.There is also stricter criteria today to become a police officer (physical agility, more intense training, etc.), and much higher civil liabilty. I know of no other profession that demands so much, and pays so little.

This is a very interesting hypothesis of yours, and one that definetly deserves an alalysis. We all know that there are certain types of people that are drawn to certain professions. Some bloody serial killers have been known to gravitate toward the medical professions. Some pyromaniacs want to be firemen. Some people with criminal tedencies gravitate toward law enforcement. By no means are all medical professionals potential killers, or firemen pyromaniacs, but inevitably a few get by the screening process. In the same way a few potential criminals get through the screening process of police agencies. It may be relatively rare, but it does happen. As agencies struggle to keep up with the ever increasing demand for officers, it becomes easier for them to sneak through. By no means are all police officers crooked; in fact extremely few are, but when one is caught it becomes highly publicized.

I wish I had the solution to this problem, I wish it was as easy as making fewer laws, but I'm afraid it isn't. Now some may say here that if we would legalize drugs, that would cause the crime rate to drop, thereby proving your hypothesis. I disagree. People would still steal, rob, or kill to support their addictions. Even though pain killers such as Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, and Demerol, are legal prescription drugs, people still commit crimes to support their addictions to these drugs. the prices are still too high for them to buy them without insurance and they will do whatever it takes to get them.

Answer 2

disagreeing with some of the laws isn't going to keep alot of people from pursuing a career in law enforcement. I think that idealism takes a back seat when things like benefits and pay are on the line. Also, who says that the more laws you have the more cops you need on the street.

Answer 3

That sounds good in theory, but you don't lower the standards just so you have a larger population of people to choose from when hiring. That's just an excuse for people that can meet the high standards required to be in law enforcement.