Who Watches the Watchers?
Mar. 12th, 2008 02:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackofallgeeksSo, I generally have a pretty high regard for responsible authority. What I
can stand, though, is when that authority is abused. I respect, for
example, Police officers in general for putting their lives on the line and
protecting average citizens from violent criminals. I'm less sympathetic
when they're enforcing what I consider to be generally arbitrary laws, such
as speed limits, but I'm still respecful of the officers. The fact of the
matter, though, is that they are in a position of power, and when that power
is abused to harrass rather than protect the citizens it needs to be called
out. I'm infuriated whenever I see a patrol car tailgating, or speeding
without it's siren on, or any other small infraction -- let alone the big
ones. I've commented on those sorts of things before, but I don't have
access right now to provide links. Police officers MUST be held to a higher
standard that regular citizens because they have higher authority and
executive powers than regular citizens.
Anyways, I bring this up because there's news
regarding a site called RateMyCop.com which, like other RateMy- sites,
allows people to lodge complaints against police officers when they feel
they were mistreated by them. (Arguably you could give officers a pat on
the back when they do a good job, too, but let's be cynical and assume that
will never happen.) Certain Police Officers have complained about the site,
saying it's a violation of pravacy or something, and there's been pressure
to shut the site down. (As a point of fact the original domain, GoDaddy,
did shut it down without notice, but the owner has found a new provider.)
Some people have commented championing the case of the police officers,
saying a lot of things from claiming the site could be used maliciously to
defame a good cop with sock-puppeteering enemies, to the fact that exposing
Police abuses undermines confidence in the police force and the laws they
uphold.
Now, there may be some truth to concerns regarding malicious use of the site
to defame this or that officer, but I think it's unlikely and, with an
amount of rationality, it can be accounted for. The site itself has no
bite, and I would expect that any repercussions based on the sight ought to
be properly investigated: you shouldn't be able to oust a guy because 100
anonymous people give him low marks, but if you can get twenty actual
citizens with real complaints then that says something. Some have noted
that there IS a way to file complaints against police officers, but it's
kind of a conflict of interests: you file complaints on the police WITH the
police, and call me cynical, but I imagine they have motivation to keep
their proverbial noses clean. Complaints aren't made public, and there's
definitely an Old Boys Club attitude in a lot, if not all, police
departments.
And yes, Police abuses undermine confidence in the police force, but
*ignoring* the problem doesn't make it go away. In fact, I might point out
that simply by resisting this sort of a checking system they are already
undermining confidence in themselves. As the enforcers are often quoted as
saying, "if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear."
can stand, though, is when that authority is abused. I respect, for
example, Police officers in general for putting their lives on the line and
protecting average citizens from violent criminals. I'm less sympathetic
when they're enforcing what I consider to be generally arbitrary laws, such
as speed limits, but I'm still respecful of the officers. The fact of the
matter, though, is that they are in a position of power, and when that power
is abused to harrass rather than protect the citizens it needs to be called
out. I'm infuriated whenever I see a patrol car tailgating, or speeding
without it's siren on, or any other small infraction -- let alone the big
ones. I've commented on those sorts of things before, but I don't have
access right now to provide links. Police officers MUST be held to a higher
standard that regular citizens because they have higher authority and
executive powers than regular citizens.
Anyways, I bring this up because there's news
regarding a site called RateMyCop.com which, like other RateMy- sites,
allows people to lodge complaints against police officers when they feel
they were mistreated by them. (Arguably you could give officers a pat on
the back when they do a good job, too, but let's be cynical and assume that
will never happen.) Certain Police Officers have complained about the site,
saying it's a violation of pravacy or something, and there's been pressure
to shut the site down. (As a point of fact the original domain, GoDaddy,
did shut it down without notice, but the owner has found a new provider.)
Some people have commented championing the case of the police officers,
saying a lot of things from claiming the site could be used maliciously to
defame a good cop with sock-puppeteering enemies, to the fact that exposing
Police abuses undermines confidence in the police force and the laws they
uphold.
Now, there may be some truth to concerns regarding malicious use of the site
to defame this or that officer, but I think it's unlikely and, with an
amount of rationality, it can be accounted for. The site itself has no
bite, and I would expect that any repercussions based on the sight ought to
be properly investigated: you shouldn't be able to oust a guy because 100
anonymous people give him low marks, but if you can get twenty actual
citizens with real complaints then that says something. Some have noted
that there IS a way to file complaints against police officers, but it's
kind of a conflict of interests: you file complaints on the police WITH the
police, and call me cynical, but I imagine they have motivation to keep
their proverbial noses clean. Complaints aren't made public, and there's
definitely an Old Boys Club attitude in a lot, if not all, police
departments.
And yes, Police abuses undermine confidence in the police force, but
*ignoring* the problem doesn't make it go away. In fact, I might point out
that simply by resisting this sort of a checking system they are already
undermining confidence in themselves. As the enforcers are often quoted as
saying, "if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear."
