Article from For Liberty by Norm Leahy.
A Pew Charitable Trust survey on law enforcement reform shows broad public support for limiting qualified immunity – the court-created doctrine that shields public officials, including law enforcement, who violate an individual’s constitutional rights– from personal liability.
Two-thirds of Americans (66%) say that civilians need to have the power to sue police officers to hold them accountable for misconduct and excessive use of force, even if that makes the officers’ jobs more difficult. Just 32% say that, in order for police officers to do their jobs effectively, they need to be shielded from such lawsuits.
Congress has yet to decide what, if anything, it will do regarding qualified immunity. A Congressional Research Service report noted that because “qualified immunity is a product of statutory interpretation, Congress has wide authority to amend, expand, or even abolish the doctrine.”
Overall, the Pew survey showed a majority (58 percent) of people still believe law enforcement des an ”excellent or good job.”
The same poll also showed strong support for maintaining or increasing spending on law enforcement:
A 73% majority say that spending on their local police should stay about the same as it is now (42%) or be increased from its current level (31%). While Black adults are more likely than whites to favor cuts in police budgets, fewer than half of Black adults (42%) say spending on policing in their areas should be reduced. That is double the share of white adults who favor cutting funding for their local police (21%).
There also are sizable age differences in views of funding for policing. Among both Black and white adults, those under age 50 are far more likely to support decreased funding for police in their areas than are those 50 and older.
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It has been abused. There’s a story where the cops went after a shoplifter. He held up in someone’s house. They ended up destroying the house. Shots through it, hit it with vehicles, big stuff, etc. House was a total loss. Police said – Not on us, qualified immunity. Don’t owe you a cent. Courts upheld that which is absurd. For a shoplifter? That makes everyone upset at cops.
On the other hand in the case of that criminal that was out for covid in Atlanta and shot at the cops with their own weapons – sure. They should be immune to that crazy man. He really didn’t want to go back to jail. Then there are the lies out there about that incident. We have it all on video so we know they’re lying. Immunity where it makes sense. Not a blanket they can do whatever they want immunity.
The problem is, in our present day world of who said what, and who they represent, the truth often becomes distorted, false, and blown out of proportion. The real facts never reaches the public in true form. Especially if it’s the people that are full of hate, anger, corrupt agendas, like you find on CNN, MSNBC, and the democratic party. I only write the truth here.
I don’t believe those numbers at all
“BLUE LIVES MATTER”
(criminal lives not at all)
If I see a cop in trouble I will have his 6
Who would want to become a law enforcement officer. This logic should apply to Congress men/women and Senators, not law enforcement personnel.
Never believe anything that comes from any so called polls. They can’t be trusted. If anything, didn’t we learn from the 2016 elections ? They can’t be trusted about anything they survey.
Go Trump 2020 !!!
Officers should remain indemnified.
I just wonder how many of the cops who for years have silently played revenue collectors for sleazy politicians are rethinking their loyalties now that those same sleazy politicians are throwing the cops under the bus? “No such thing as quotas!” said the cop after writing his 10th ticket on the last day of the month.
The vast majority of this country will vote Trump and GOP. The Democrats know this and they are scared to death.
I just don’t believe these polls…..
Don’t defund them. Train them more thoroughly. They put their lives on the line every day, for us. Don’t punish them for mistakes, make it mandatory they take more training.
Individual responsibility, nothing less will suffice. That goes across the board.