At what point does a police officer become morally responsible for enforcing unjust laws?

Question

those of you saying it is not up to the cop....are you then saying the law enforcement officials who were told to enforce n**i idealogy after Hitler took power have no moral repsonsibility for breaking down people's doors and dragging them off to death camps so they could be marched into gas chambers merely because of their ethnoreligious affiliation. it is all ok because they are merely following orders? Many of these law enforcement officials were the same people who enforced the law when Germany was a civilized and just country before Hitler was democratically elected so its not liked they volunteered to joined Hitler's idealogy, but you are saying they have no moral obligation to object the killing of innocent people when they realized what was going on. The principal remains the same for law enforcement officials in all countries today. With that said, can you answer my original question.

Answer 1

Unjust to whom, you?  Why should we feel bad about enforcing a law that you disagree with?

Answer 2

You mean there's a higher authority than The Law?

Answer 3

Police officers enforce the law. They DON"T get to choose which ones to enforce.

Enacting or ammending a law, is the task of the elected representatives.

Jim B. Toronto.

Answer 4

You are responsible for unjust laws. You vote in the officials that make them, you allow them to continue. Police Officers are the servant of the public, YOU. So officers don't get to chose which they will uphold for you or which they will not.

I will give you an example.In California speeding in a construction zone is a $1,000.00. In my opinion that is ridicules. Wouldn't $500.00 do the trick, or slow people down? Not my call though. If you don't like the laws or a particular law, change it.

Answer 5

A few examples are warranted here I think. You went from a fairly innocuous statement to Jack-booted thugs under Hitler killing people in pogroms.

This is kind like explaining the "Letter of the Law" to the "Spirit of the law". Those distinctions are usually used by someone that didn't agree with an arrest or a defense attorney.

Getting caught for breaking a law does not mean it is unjust or immoral. Really need some true life examples here.

Answer 6

what laws do you consider unjust? please be more specific.....call your senator or congressman and complain. don't hold law enforcement responsible for doing their job.

if you are refering to an officer enforcing the law outside the proper procedures set forth in his training, then he is responsible forhis actions.

If he acts accordingly within guidelines set forth by department regulations, then he is merely doing his job.

Answer 7

Theres no morality in law enforcement...lol...Seriously, officers do not have the right or authority to decide what laws are moral or unjust as that would be a matter of personal opinon.

Police, do not have the luxury of expressing individulaistic ideas or opinions in thier work.. They do what they are told to do, when they are told to do it and how they are told to do it...Laws are written and passed by politicians not by police. We just have to enforce them. If something is deemed unjust that is for the court to decide not for the officer.

Answer 8

The instant that they recognize the laws are unjust.  They have the responsibility to bring these issues before their supervisors and work within the system to change the laws.

Answer 9

A police officer doesnt get to judge if a law is right or wrong.