6 things you should know about police-civilian interactions
While serving as enforcers of the law, police officers are not above the law themselves. When they fail to abide by the rules governing their actions, or infringe upon the civil rights of citizens, they can be held accountable. As an example, if a police officer is guilty of domestic violence, hit and run, or any other crime, a judge can sentence the officer to the same punishments as a civilian would face. The officer can serve time in prison, pay fines, and be on probation. This can apply to an officer’s actions on-duty as well. Arresting a person is a powerful tool for law enforcement. Arrests can be made when an officer witnesses a violation of the law, or [...]