Amidst the protests and unrest over police brutality across the United States, President Donald Trump has recently expressed his intention to provide legal and financial protection for law enforcement officers. More specifically, in a June 2020 address, Trump vowed to “indemnify” police involved in wrongful actions while on the job.
This promise has met with much opposition from critics, who argue that such measures legalize the already rampant culture of impunity among law enforcement officers, and further condone police brutality. But proponents of the move point to the fact that, in many U.S. police departments, officers are already de facto indemnified from legal repercussions for misuse of force.
Experts on police practices warn that existing legal and financial rules around police misconduct already create a culture that protects officers and deters accountability. Legal experts have pointed to the Fraternal Order of Police — the police department’s union — as one of the primary sources of the de facto impunity that currently plagues U.S. police forces. Many argue that the F.O.P. tends to fight legal complaints against officers from civilians, citing excessive force and misconduct, rather than ensuring accountability within the force.
Critics are also worried about the broad scope of Trump’s “indemnification” proposal, which seeks to protect police officers from personal legal and financial repercussions due to an officer’s actions. For one, while officers should have the legal protection to defend themselves and their departments, some fear that this measure could allow officers to operate with impunity and to exercise power with no regards to legal accountability.
Indeed, Trump’s proposal for protection and indemnification of law enforcement officers has all the characteristics of a classic move towards normalizing institutionally-tolerated impunity — a plight already faced by many of the United States’ own police forces. A major challenge for the U.S. will be putting policies in place that ensure accountability in police conduct, without trampling on the legal rights of law enforcement officers.
Amidst the protests and unrest over police brutality across the United States, President Donald Trump has recently expressed his intention to provide legal and financial protection for law enforcement officers. More specifically, in a June 2020 address, Trump vowed to “indemnify” police involved in wrongful actions while on the job.
This promise has met with much opposition from critics, who argue that such measures legalize the already rampant culture of impunity among law enforcement officers, and further condone police brutality. But proponents of the move point to the fact that, in many U.S. police departments, officers are already de facto indemnified from legal repercussions for misuse of force.
Experts on police practices warn that existing legal and financial rules around police misconduct already create a culture that protects officers and deters accountability. Legal experts have pointed to the Fraternal Order of Police — the police department’s union — as one of the primary sources of the de facto impunity that currently plagues U.S. police forces. Many argue that the F.O.P. tends to fight legal complaints against officers from civilians, citing excessive force and misconduct, rather than ensuring accountability within the force.
Critics are also worried about the broad scope of Trump’s “indemnification” proposal, which seeks to protect police officers from personal legal and financial repercussions due to an officer’s actions. For one, while officers should have the legal protection to defend themselves and their departments, some fear that this measure could allow officers to operate with impunity and to exercise power with no regards to legal accountability.
Indeed, Trump’s proposal for protection and indemnification of law enforcement officers has all the characteristics of a classic move towards normalizing institutionally-tolerated impunity — a plight already faced by many of the United States’ own police forces. A major challenge for the U.S. will be putting policies in place that ensure accountability in police conduct, without trampling on the legal rights of law enforcement officers.
