If the police have no duty to “protect” the public, shouldn’t the taxes we pay for their “services” ...?

mikeysco

You're right, of course, as to our legal duty to protect. Hopefully, some of the articles you posted explain why we don't have that duty (because there's no way we could possibly protect everyone who thinks they need it) but I didn't read any of them just because I know it's true.

But while we don't have a legal duty in most cases, we consider ourselves to have a moral and ethical duty to protect - and I'd suggest that for the VAST majority of us (despite what you or others may think), those duties are far and away more compelling than anything codified in the law.

Law enforcement provides a number of services that do not involve handing out tickets. When you need to be fingerprinted for a job, you go to law enforcement. When you need a permit for a function where alcohol will be furnished, you go to law enforcement. When you need someone to come to your house in the middle of the night to find out what that noise is in your garage, you come to law enforcement. When your family member has overdosed in the middle of the night on enough cocaine or methamphetamine to become dangerously psychotic, you come to law enforcement. Those, and the literally hundreds of other things we do besides hand out tickets, would not be available if they were not funded by tax money...and you sure as heck wouldn't get them anywhere else.

You do realize that you actually pay firefighters to sleep, right? During their one or two days a month that they're at the firehouse, they get to sleep while "on duty." I don't think you're going to find many law enforcement agencies that allow that. I'm not begrudging firefighters, just trying to point out to you that firefighters are not all work 24x7 as you would seem to think.

Why do you pay taxes to pay for law enforcement services? I really don't know, other than to say that I wouldn't want to live somewhere where those services were not available. Perhaps you'd prefer to?

Bobby D

Sounds to me you have an issue with the police. They have a duty to protect the public, and do a fine job.

Robert D

How about you just stop breaking the law, and you will be fine.

the b-i-s-h

I protect my community. Think what it would be like without cops totaly anarchy.

SirWilliam

...are you a "bad boy" who is always getting in trouble with the police; who enforce the Laws that our elected Legislators have given to society to maintain order for those of us who want to live in peace...?

starr

First, I'm confused by your comment that police don't "protect" the public. That is their job. They respond to scenes where people are in danger and they get them out of that danger. Granted, most of the time they're just handing out traffic tickets, but that is still to protect that driver from himself and to protect everyone else from that driver.

Also, postal workers give us mail. They do not "protect" us. So why would you rather pay them than pay police men?

We pay police men so that if there is a domestic disturbance, car accident, robbery, murder, or anything of the nature, they will be able to take care of it.

wykedguy

Let's be honest. If you saw what Fire Fighters did the other 23 hours of the day... you wouldn't want to give them money either.

gomanyes562

The police have a duty to protect the PUBLIC, not INDIVIDUALS.

wfsgymwear

After you are done wiping "man" off your chin I will explain.

Police enforce laws...

Do you think that most police officers will let something happen to someone in their presence? I would beg to differ.

And yes I do speed. However, I have never written a speeding ticket either.

I just love to answer ignorant questions after a night of work that involves a foot chase with a felony stalker, a stabbing, and 10-50 rollover...What did you do today?

backslashyourasterix

I shall mention two things- a documentary called America- From Freedom to Fascism*, about how the 16th amendment about taxes was never really ratified.. and that cops have a periodic quota to fill. If a cop isn't making a certain amount of arrests, his superior officers assume he's not being effective. Meaning the lower the actual crime rate, the more criminals he has to "make" via speed traps, petty arrests, so on..basically, the more innocent people are arrested. How is that just and why should I be paying for some surplus of cops to be busting j-walkers instead of stopping real dangers to the public. You know, like politicians.

Max

But I have always thought that they do have a duty to protect the public.

tgoreddevil

we pay the police to protect the wealthy,,,and why do we pay the police to protect the wealthy is because they dont want to pay themselves,,who do you think a cop is gonna pull over a law abiding hard working poor man in a beat up car,, or a wealthy coorperate tax evading scamming theif in a 2008 cadillac... if you say the rich man you are ignorant or plain stupid...than people say just stop breaking the law and you wont get harrased well policing is a billion dollar industry,, and the state, county city etc.... get major tax dollars by arrests made and by convictions and it is much easier to get those from a poor person with no money to fight the corrupt police forces in the united states...

sirbobby98121

You're right; I've said this before:
the cops, by Supreme Court ruling, are not obligated to protect you. That's the LAW.

You recognize this, good.

The tax money is gone- get over it...no one on the planet
will ever get meaningful tax reform laws passed.
Plan on protecting yourself, within the confines of your
local,state and federal laws.

Copgirl

We DO protect the public. Next time you need assistance, call a crackhead!

GlitterRiver

The officers are not good like once ,But this trail of sidewinding will lead you straight to the white house, It is terribal that they have actually Basterized the Constitution of America , and Ignoring the fore fathers before them . I know that I have never been in trouble and by the mouth of a convicted felon I was raped of my rights , falsly accused and my name was defamed , and the Lawyer did not even help , He was for the DA, Yea , dismissed but why drag a person through that , I was never informed of one thing . and i am disabled as well as my son .It is a bad system , and this is why they are creating cop killers and then they dare to say this was a good man , Right ! 95% of Americas police are unworthy and in their heart they know it , And if they think you are a little up on your rights they can cover there azz's so good . It is sickaning. I think the people in Mexico should get these jobs . they would do as well if not better .less pay to .Imagine the possabilities !!

I DO NOT like them who are above the law.

onesickchick

the police are of some help sometimes,but even a crappy employee gets a payday

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