Do you think that law enforcement should receives the highest sentencing when they break the law?

Question

Why is It when a police officers is found guilty for a crime, they receive the minimum sentences or in some cases desk duties with pay. They suppose to up hold the law!

But when you or I break the law, it's a whole different ball game, if we ever see the light of day. Not fair!

Answer 1

They receive desk duty with pay when they are being investigated, not when they are convicted.

As far as giving them a harsher punishment, that is unconstitutional. Police have the same Eighth Amendment protection as anyone else.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, the asker is correct.  Want facts, I have facts.

In 2003, 21 law enforcement officers and one local government official in Kent County, Michigan were charged with a variety of s*x crimes.  All were either found guilty at trial, or plead out.  One did time in jail, one year for the local government official.  None of the law enforcement officers were sentenced to incarceration of any type.  Two Sheriff's deputies were terminated, one State Trooper was promoted and transferred to Lansing (the capital) and one was transferred to another post for six months then returned and was promoted to Sgt., none of the remaining 19 officers were suspended.  All received convictions for lesser charges that did not require registering on the public registry.

In 1999, a Sheriff's deputy from Mecosta County, Michigan was suspended for soliciting s*x from women to whom he had written bogus tickets.  He admitted his crime and was permitted to resign but no charges were ever brought against him.  The week following his resignation, he took a position as a state corrections officer with the DOC and became the union steward at the facility where he worked for $20K more annually than he made as a deputy.

Should they be held to a higher standard? No.  Cops are no different constitutionally than any other American citizen.  Should they be held as accountable?  At least.  Sadly, though, cops rarely do time.

Answer 3

They should be punished MORE than everyone else. They are supposed to uphold the law not break it, and besides they put so many innocent people in jail and let so many child molesters and bad people go that some of them deserve to be there anyways.

Answer 4

While the Bible specifies teachers and priest, many religions and moral codes of conduct call out that “Keepers of the Law” are held to a higher standard of accountability.

When a fox is in the hen house, only a fool would try to call it a guard dog and go on as if nothing is wrong.  

A game warden poaching, a banker embezzling, a diet counselor gorging on deserts, a track coach smoking, a teacher plagiarizing, a fireman arsonist.  When someone is hired to do a job and does the opposite, it is just wrong.

Answer 5

Just every law enforcement officer hears from every suspect when they arrest someone, "I'm gonna git my lawyer.  This is bogus, I'm innocent".  Cops are afforded the same innocent until proven guilty as everyone else.  

There have been murders, rapists, robbers, burglars and the like that have received less than 2 years in prison and/or are let off on a technicality.

I do not condone or support any police officer that chooses to break the law.  And am a firm believer that those officer should be locked up like everyone else.  But putting them away forever while a person with over 50 or more arrests gets out on bond for arrest 51, is truly not fair.

Also, keep in mind that even non criminal offenses can get you placed on desk duty or fired.  When was the last time your employer told you your getting 2 or 3 days off unpaid because you were in a car accident?

Answer 6

Yes, they should!

Anybody who abuses the public trust, cops or politicians, should always get the maximum sentence for any intentional crime.  

Answer 7

Any officer found guilty of a crime will NOT just receive desk duty with pay! Maybe during the investigation, which is more than fair. Officers that are "convicted" of illegal acts are fired and given criminal records and made to pay for the crimes like anyone else. Example: An officer that used to work for my department was charged and convicted of getting perscription drugs via forged percriptions, he lost his job and he and his wife are still serving sentences in jail.

** You have formed and incorrect, uninformed opinion.