I have a lot to say regarding what the police are and why they are there but thought I'd start with a story concerning the amazing lack of murder charges and convictions. http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-02-15/news/17187934_1_police-officers-bart-police-dangerous-job
This article explains why that may be http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/05/how-the-police-get-away-with-murder/
This is tough to debate. I agree that a cop that murders someone should be sentenced and imprisoned accordingly. But you can't lock up every cop that kills someone on the job as soon as it happens. They are trained from day one to be prepared for people trying to harm them. There really isn't a black and white way to handle these situations. Take the situation above where the cop states the woman came at him with her car. In your mind, when a cop is telling you to get out of the car, do you get out of the car an put your hands on your head? At that point the woman knew that her actions would have consequences. Should it have been death? You would have to leave it up the a jury. Based on the evidence, the cop was protecting himself, which is what they have the right to do. We choose the police to uphold the law and do what we chose not to. When a man shoots another in the head we must assume it's murder. But when a cop shoots a man we must assume it was justified, because of what he was hired to do. Now if a cop did in fact murder someone maliciously, then they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This where you can blame our judicial system, not the police force. There are more people walking free or have shortened sentences on plea bargains that don't have a badge. I don't think you can compare a cop shooting to a citizen shooting when one is is expected to enter that type of situation and the other isn't.
It can be compared if we do the appropriate handicapping (even outside the way the cop is protected from killing to trial) How many cops have ever been found guilty of murder?
I don't know, that's a good question. But that's why we have to blame our judicial system which is flawed all around
I got interested and came up with some wiki that's interesting it's a super long list so we'll start with the B's B Charles Becker (July 26, 1870 – July 30, 1915) was a New York City police officer in the 1890s-1910s and who was tried, convicted and executed for ordering the murder of a Manhattan gambler, Herman Rosenthal in the Becker-Rosenthal trial. Becker was the first American police officer to receive the death penalty for murder. The scandal that surrounded his arrest, conviction, and execution was one of the most important in Progressive Era New York in the 1890s to 1910s. My notes: legitimate but a mob hit type thing as oppose to on-duty killing (not to mention it was a hundred years ago) Laurie Bembenek(August 15, 1958 — November 20, 2010) was convicted of murdering her husband's ex-wife, Christine Schultz, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 28, 1981. Her story garnered national attention after she escaped from Taycheedah Correctional Institution and was recaptured in Canada, an episode which inspired a TV movie and the slogan "Run, Bambi, Run". Upon winning a new trial, she pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and was sentenced to time served and ten years probation. For years after, she sought to have the sentence overturned.[1]Bembenek was a formerMilwaukeepolice officerwho had been fired and had gone on to sue the department, claiming that it engaged in sexual discrimination and other illegal activities. She worked briefly as a waitress at aLake Geneva, Wisconsin,Playboy Club. At the time of her arrest, she was working forMarquette University's Public Safety Department, in downtown Milwaukee. My notes: doesn't count; fired cop and falsely convicting her was more likely than protecting her
C Richard Crafts My Notes: Mistake Not a cop...I only put him here so it didn't look like I was downsizing the list Frank James Coppola(February 25, 1944 – August 10, 1982), was a police officer from Portsmouth, Virginia who was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1978 capital murder of Muriel Hatchell, although he maintained his innocence until his execution.[1] According to reports,[which?] a co-conspirator with Coppola disguised herself as a flower delivery woman to enter her home, the woman pulled out a pistol from amidst the floral display which she was carrying, allowing cover for Coppola and others to rush into the home. Hatchell was bound with Venetian blind cords and then had her head slammed repeatedly into the floor, allegedly by Coppola, until she died. The group fled with $3,100 in cash and some rings from the crime scene. On September 26, 1978, Coppola was convicted of first-degree capital murder and sentenced to death in Virginia's electric chair. He waived his appeals and was executed on August 10, 1982,[2] the first person executed in Virginia since the Supreme Court reinstituted capital punishment in 1976. He was also the first person executed in Virginia since 1962. My Notes: off duty cop being robber Michael J. Corbitt (March 17, 1944 - July 27, 2004) was apolice chiefofWillow Springs, Illinois, and an associate ofChicago Outfitmobsters such as Sal Bastone,Sam "Mo Mo" GiancanaandAntonino "Tony," "Joe Batters" Accardo. He became a cooperating witness after being convicted of aiding in the murder of Chicagoan Diane Masters, by her husband, Alan. Corbitt has authored a book about his experiences entitled,"The Cop Who Was a Mobster." My Notes: another mob type murder
D Sidney DorseySidney Dorsey (born February 23, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia) served as sheriff of DeKalb County, Georgia from 1996 to 2000. Dorsey was the first African-American to serve as sheriff of DeKalb County and was married to Atlanta city councilwoman Sherry Dorsey (1954–2006). He was defeated in a 2000 runoff by challenger Derwin Brown, whom he had murdered shortly thereafter. My Notes: he put a hit on the guy...so far through the D's and no one doing a line of duty murder
I dont want to take the conversation too off topic but one thing i have always found interesting... The military is often (not always) restricted by rules of engagement. Threats that are up to interpretation can not be retaliated against. Actual bullets need to be flying from an identifiable target for the military to shoot back. That this restriction exists for our soldiers in uniform at all, while Cops in this country are not similarly restricted, boggles my mind. Perhaps I am overstating some of the restrictions involved in rules of engagement but that has always been my understanding.
E Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa Doesn't count...mobster and mobster cop who were convicted but later got off on technicalities
