Transparency is not a passive word, rather it is a term of action. Looking, from my perspective as a tax paying citizen, at the more egregious examples of police misconduct and racial bias, I am aware of the cost to taxpayers; not only the loss of faith in our public safety officers, but at the financial damage to budgets when legal settlements are reached. It is therefore critical for uniformed officers to be equipped with, and consistently use, body cameras at each and every interaction with the public. The citizens involved, their legal counsel and the press, should be guaranteed unfettered access to the footage upon request, and without delay. If this requires federal law, and federal enforcement, so be it. If a public safety organization will not be transparent willingly, then yes, the federal government should help them make the needed changes.
This is the first, and most crucial, step to transparency. I understand there will be reluctance on the part of some communities to make the necessary expenditures for equipment and training; those costs are minimal compared to the expense of million dollar plus settlements. So, you can kiss that shadow argument goodbye. Next up is the old fallacy that the public doesn't understand policing and law enforcement. No, the public understands that everything public safety officers do should be clean and above-board. Asking the public to believe that police always do right is akin to belief in the tooth fairy. Demanding they accept it is a step towards fascism. If you are afraid of what the footage will show, then don't do it.
Contiguous to the use of body cameras is the modification, or dismissal, of qualified immunity. No one, not even police agencies or individual policemen, are or should be above the law. If an act is illegal for the average citizen, it should be illegal for a policeman, and the penalties for violating the law must be equal. Don't misunderstand or misquote me: the use of deadly force, when required, is part and parcel of police work, but it should always be a last effort, not a first response.
The work of a free democracy requires the people, through their elected representatives, to make laws for the common good. The task of the public safety officers is the equally enforcement of those laws. Transparency in that enforcement is a major factor in the checks and balances required for good government.
So, what can we do to bring about transparency? We can let our elected officials, local and federal, know we support police reform that includes transparency and accountability.
Thank you for reading, as always your comments and opinions are welcome!
RM "Bob" Hartman