Editorial: Police Excessive Force Complaints a National Crisis

[mike_c]

5. the most fundamental tenant of U.S. justice is that punishment is the best deterrent....

That notion is the foundation of conservative thought regarding our justice system-- that it exists to punish criminals, and that punishment deters others from committing similar crimes.

It's a particular irony that we seem to not apply that logic when it comes to law enforcement itself, where the lack of any meaningful punishment for routine abuse of authority seems to foster greater and greater reliance on excessive force and authoritarianism. The solution, I think, is to punish police who abuse their authority, clearly, unambiguously, quickly, and reliably. In other words, apply the same philosophy that swift and sure punishment is the best deterrent of criminal behavior.

Until we routinely throw cops in jail for it, they will continue to routinely abuse their authority. In most jurisdictions, simply defending yourself from illegal police abuse is itself illegal, and therefore justifies their abuses.