...and a cop could arrest you for any trumped up charge he wants if you're walking down the street, pull you into an alleyway and beat you with a nightstick for resisting arrest. However, the stories of super-trumped up charges for ANY misdemeanour are few and far between. The rumours are running riot though.
Common sense prevails.
Alright, I realize this is nearing dead horse status, but I'm going to apply some of this 'common sense' you keep speaking of. In specific, I will use your example.
Even
if false accusation of traffic violations were as uncommon as random police brutality (which is not even close to true, but we will assume that it is,) here's the big, huge, GIGANTIC difference:
When a police officer injures any civilian, the SIU will investigate. Assume you are walking down the street with a clean record, no prior criminal charges, etc.. you get dragged into an alleyway and beaten on some trumped up charge, the SIU investigates because the circumstances are extremely suspicious!
In fact, even when the circumstances ARE NOT suspicious, the SIU often investigates. Case in point, a rider crashes and the OPP happen to be in the neighbourhood, they get investigated:
http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/150880
Now, in the case of you getting beaten with a nightstick for no reason, what happens?
- SIU investigates, likely finds there is no reason for the attack or violence
- Officer is disciplined, possibly relieved of duty
- You will likely win compensation with a half-decent lawyer
- The media and general public will shame the police
Okay. Justice is preserved. You still got an asswuppin' you likely didn't deserve, but the law did its job and things should feel 'just'. To some degree.
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Now, let's go back to a rider. Let's make his accusation as improbable as the first situation - this rider gets falsely accused of street racing for simply accelerating slightly quickly (a trumped up charge.) He has no outstanding charges and a clean record.
Here's where the differences matter:
- The SIU will not investigate. Nobody will, except if you hire someone.
- There will be no compensation to falsely accused victims.
- The officer will not be disciplined, even if you are falsely accused.
- The media and general public, if they pay any attention at all, will shame the rider.
The bottom line is that when you give that amount of power to any law enforcement agency, there needs to be checks and balances. This is a tenet of modern free government. Where is the check/balance in some officer pulling you over and costing you $1k in impoundment fees, even if you are innocent?
Now, obviously you are going to say, "Well most of these people ARE guilty." That may be true. That does not mean you get to skip a step in the justice process simply because MOST people are guilty..! That's what the law is there for! To protect the innocent!
:snorting:
