Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
In January 2013, police raided the home of a Cleveland drug dealer, saying in a search warrant that an informant had recently bought crack cocaine there.
But the drug dealer had surveillance cameras that proved the officers were lying. He gave the tapes to his lawyer, who showed the FBI. The feds then worked to uncover a massive scandal of a rogue street-crimes unit that robbed and framed drug suspects who felt they had no choice but plead guilty to fraudulent charges.
Four years later, authorities are still unwinding the damage.
Three cops who worked for the city of East Cleveland are in prison. Cases against 22 alleged drug dealers have been dismissed. Authorities are searching for another 21 people who are eligible to have their convictions tossed. On top of those injustices, there is a slim chance that any of them will be fully reimbursed, because the disgraced officers and their former employer don't have the money.
Source: NBC News
(Score: 4, Insightful) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday March 28 2017, @04:40PM (3 children)
My huge beef with law enforcement is they way they are looked at and treated as a different class of people. Law enforcement personnel are no different than any other person. Theconcept of a superior, an enforcer so to speak, creates the exact atmosphere needed to foster corruption. "I am the law! Who's gonna stop me?"
What needs to happen:
* You're only a cop when on the clock. Its just a regular job.
* No special treatment for off duty cops. You're a regular schmuck like the rest of us.
* No off duty carry permits unless your state allows open/conceal carry and you apply for a permit like every other person in said state.
* Harsher penalties for violating the oath you took to uphold the law. No more desk duty slap on the wrist bullshit.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday March 28 2017, @04:57PM (1 child)
One day in the future, imagine this . . .
Police: I pulled you over because you were driving eratically.
You: But this is a self driving car, and I was busy with other things.
Police: I think you didn't hear me correctly. I said, I pulled you over because you were leaving a known crime area full of non white people. You look suspicious. You better get out of the car.
You: why do I need to get out of the car.
Police: for resisting arrest.
You: my self driving car has lots of camera telemetry, even when pulled over in a traffic stop. Probably more and better footage of every angle than your body camera which is turned off.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 29 2017, @12:52AM
Not when the car was zapped with the anti-drone, EMP gun. We've already had car versions for years, they just aren't used often (helicopters used to use them during car chases).
(Score: 3, Informative) by urza9814 on Wednesday March 29 2017, @04:56PM
The problem is it's not just how they're looked at anymore, it's a codified legal reality. They ARE a different class of citizen, they ARE entitled to special rights and privileges. Look up your local "Police Officers' Bill of Rights" for example (nearly every jurisdiction in the US has one...special rights for cops that us regular citizens aren't entitled to.)