Fellow officer breaks the law to help someone, what do you do?

It is an officers job to serve and protect so there will be instances when some laws like speeding will be broken. It really depends on the situation and I don't think that those minor laws are a big deal as long as no one was hurt.
 
Yep, but speeding isn't exactly breaking the law because they are allowed to, but I agree with that perspective.
 
I think you should always operate by the book. That being said, I would give the officer in question the opportunity to come forward himself, that would lessen the impact of whatever the event was.
 
I'm not an officer (yet) but I can put myself in the man's shoes and can honestly say I would do the same. Not because of some disrespect for the law, but rather because of a respect for moral values that are higher than written law. It's what many theorists have called "natural law".

The man was helping someone in need, that shouldn't be breaking the law.
 
I agree, I think it's fairly easy to criticize, but when we want to help we just do it, it's an impulse that make us act like that.
 
Well, if a cop is driving by a residence and notices a man hitting his wife in their home. Is it wrong of him to force entry in the house to prevent further harm? I would say that he did the right thing by stopping that guy from hurting that women any further.
 
sillylucy said:
It is an officers job to serve and protect so there will be instances when some laws like speeding will be broken. It really depends on the situation and I don't think that those minor laws are a big deal as long as no one was hurt.
Click to expand...
Police officers are basically allowed to speed and they have to in instances where they have to catch up with a suspect who is fleeing. They have to be able to maneuver the police car at those high speeds so people would have to get out of the way. I would not call that breaking the law this the job.
 
PhilA said:
I think you should always operate by the book. That being said, I would give the officer in question the opportunity to come forward himself, that would lessen the impact of whatever the event was.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, but facing an urgent situation we need to make urgent actions, even if these don't follow the law. As long as it is a good action, we should do it.
 
I think that it all depends on what law has been broken. If there was no serious injuries or death then I think that the officer should be let off with a warning. Also, you have to look at the fact that he was helping another person. If the crime was something that would cause a non officer citizen to be arrested and punished then I think that the officer should be punished.
 
I think common sense should prevail under these situations, we all follow the law, but sometimes other values are more important.
 
I think it is always okay to let it sliip as he is actually helping someone by breaking the law and not harming anyone. I do not think that breaking the law is such a great crime as long as you help others and be good to others.
 
Nobody is above the law regardless of his/her standing on the society. This is especially so for law enforcers who are supposed to uphold the law and see to it that the law is followed to the letter.Therefore no officer should break the law even when defending a fellow officer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top