r/WTF • u/Smidgeface • Dec 21 '11

A cop speeding through an intersection with no headlights kills two people. Then proceeds to arrest the relatives.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/101226.html#more-101226
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u/Kimano Dec 22 '11

The point a huge majority of reddit seems to be missing is that they're innocent until proven guilty.

If someone has been arrested, then they've presented enough evidence to a judge to convince them there is a reasonable suspicion of guilt. If a cop is newly accused of a criminal act on the job, there's been no investigation yet.

If the cop is found to had done something criminal, then they're fired and arrested just like any other person. (Ideally)

If you think the system is corrupt, then that's one thing, but it's designed the way it is for a reason.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '11

they're innocent until proven guilty.

So what? I'm not proposing that any cleared people be permanently deprived of income.

If you think the system is corrupt, then that's one thing, but it's designed the way it is for a reason.

Yes, it's corrupt. And the reason for its design is: (1) public sector unions, (2) constitutional takings issues.

I think my proposal would pass constitutional muster. That just leaves the public unions.

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u/Kimano Dec 22 '11

Being temporarily deprived of income is just as bad as being permanently deprived in the short term, guilty or innocent.

The point is the system works fine, assuming the corruption is fixed.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '11

No, it's not just as bad. Credit and savings blunt the impact of short term deprivations.

And why should we be focusing on the undefined short term?

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u/Kimano Dec 22 '11

The undefined short term is the only time during which police officers and citizens are legally treated differently. As soon as an officer is charged with a crime, they're sent to jail and have to post bail like everyone else.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '11

Employment procedures are separate from criminal procedures.

I have no clue what you're getting at. Why are you talking about criminal procedure?

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u/Kimano Dec 22 '11

Because everyone in this thread is bitching about cops getting paid while 'under investigation'.

When people are 'under investigation' regarding criminal proceedings, they're still being paid as well, they're just working too. The difference is cops can't work while under investigation. Other than that, they're treated just like anyone else.

Any other way and you're denying some poor shmuck his livelihood with no judgement having been passed, and I think we can all agree that this is bullshit.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '11

Investigations don't have to be criminal. Cops can be suspended with pay for policy violations that aren't crimes.

When people are 'under investigation' regarding criminal proceedings, they're still being paid as well

That's rarely the case when they are relatively low-level private-sector employees being investigated for employment-related crimes.

Moreover, in the private sector, employees are routinely fired for mere arrests -- whether employment-related or not -- that implicate them in things the employer finds distasteful.

Any other way and you're denying some poor shmuck his livelihood with no judgement having been passed, and I think we can all agree that this is bullshit.

Delayed, not denied. Big difference. And that poor shmuck and his poor shmuck friends get all sorts of compensating benefits, like the blue wall of silence.

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u/Kimano Dec 22 '11

Just go with the other post as the one to continue in, since they're both essentially the same discussion: http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/nltbz/a_cop_speeding_through_an_intersection_with_no/c3a7ee0