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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins (Post 8317567)

We need a drastic change in our relationship with our police. There is simply not enough individual responsibility assigned to them, wherein we hold them personally liable for the decisions they make while on the job. We hold other license holding professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc.) personally liable, so why do police get to hide behind their departments? It's time for that to come to an end. I think if we can ever succeed at holding police to the same level of professional responsibility and liability as the rest of us, we might just see a drastic change in their behavior.

You could start by enforcing their own driving regulations when not on an emergency. I had a police car with no blue lights lights on pass me without using a blinker, at somewhere around 75MPH.

A core, is that we've restructured as a society, there is less personal reliance to problem solve without getting the government involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tervuren (Post 8318348)

I've had 'em blow past me at 90+ on the interstate wtih lights on, just to see 'em exit, turn off the lgihts, and pull into McDonalds....

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaSteve (Post 8317983)

Who would take he job? Do firefighters have such liability? Ambulance drivers? ER docs?

I'm all for body cameras and such, it keeps everyone honest. But this idea has tons of rooms for abuse, buy the wrong people. Remember those people last week that were videotaping the cops and mouthing off and the cops broke the window? All those people that like to say "you work for me..."

It has so many bad implications with lawsuit $ on the other side.

ER doctors very much have that kind of liability. So do ambulance drivers who are licensed EMTs. I'm not sure about firefighters, but their interactions with the public are far different than the rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey (Post 8317983)

Not all cops work for cheap.

Seattle is currently hiring, and has posted billboards to recruit new cops. These billboards advertise a starting salary in the $70k+ range. I'm not sure where the image of poor underpaid cops comes from. That, and I believe it requires at least a two year degree.

At the end of the day, however, it matters not one whit how much they are paid of how "smart" they are. We trust them with a great deal of authority - far more, really, than we trust any other profession with. With that should come a demand for personal responsibility and liability. That alone would have a dramatic affect on how they serve the communities that hire them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins (Post 8318390)

.... These billboards advertise a starting salary in the $70k+ range. I'm not sure where the image of poor underpaid cops comes from. That, and I believe it requires at least a two year degree.
....

Obviously it varies widely depending upon location. Privy to the info on two LEOs I've had for tenants. One, retiring after 20+ years on the force, made less than 50K, the other "in his prime" pulling in 40K....moved here from another state because they didn't pay nearly as well :rolleyes:. Now before one jumps to any conclusions about "this area", I earned more than most local Police Chiefs before I "retired". Similar pay for teachers while school administrators' salaries approach 200K (and there are a LOT of administrators) :eek:

you don't have to be smart to get away with..
murder, assault,fabricating evidence,

you just need to work for the Police dept.

Rika

Quote:

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer (Post 8317550)

Trained professionals all of them.

It's a good thing that problems like this bank robbery + hostage aren't handled by the people. Vigilantes might over react. ;)