Police safety

The murder rate for police in 2013 was well below the national average, suggesting that they are not in any unusual danger and should restrain their trigger happy ways. It is a difficult job but not a particularly dangerous one, despite this being a major rationale for their high salaries.

A bigger problem is that they are rarely in danger of facing any consequences for their actions. There is an inherent conflict of interest when a local prosecuting attorney is responsible for an investigation into homicides by the police with whom he/she regularly works. At a minimum, there has to be greater distance between the police and those responsible for investigating their alleged or actual malfeasance. This is just simple commonsense. If the police know beforehand that there will be no consequences for their actions, a perception that recent events strongly confirm, what is their motivation to act in a prudent way when it comes to the safety of their fellow citizens? More discussion here and here.