Impartiality of the law
<p>Why is it harder to complain against a police officer (let alone prosecute) than it is to complain against a civilian (for the same crime)?</p>
<p>If a civilian so much as yells at me, I can call 911 and an officer (or more) will wake him up and question him.</p>
<p>If a police officer does the same (yelling or using foul language) or detains/arrests me for no justifiable reason, there is no one that I can call that would look at the body cam and do something about it. The only option I'd have is a lenghty complicated process that is bound to put many obstacles in front of me along the way.</p>
<ol>
<li>The complaint would have to be filed with the same people I am complaining against (someone within the PD) which is counter intuitive. (and gives rise to conflicts of interest).</li>
<li>The complaint has to be in writing with my physical address (which is not very easy when you are away from home, if you don't have an address or if you want to keep it hidden from the accused officer ).</li>
</ol>
<p>I received the following from a PD in Texas.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>... I am sending you a complaint from attached to this email. This from has to be filled out if you want an investigation conducted on a police officer as required by Texas Govt. Code as listed below. Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 507, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Sec. 614.022. COMPLAINT TO BE IN WRITING AND SIGNED BY COMPLAINANT. To be considered by the head of a state agency or by the head of a fire department or local law enforcement agency, the complaint must be:
(1) in writing; and
(2) signed by the person making the complaint. &quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Is there really a difference between classes? If there is, can we still talk about an impartial legal system?</p>

<p>Any society that makes rules will make rules that generally favor the people in power. </p>

<p>Police are an essential component of a system that is built to maintain power for the people who are powerful, and there are few incentives for politicians, prosecutors or judges to punish them for maintaining order, even when they do so in ways that most people would think are not civil.</p>

<p>Anyone involved in creating the law therefore builds systems to protect themselves -- and each other -- from accountability. The police fail to meaningfully investigate themselves, the legislature erects barriers to accountability (<a href="https://casetext.com/statute/texas-codes/government-code/title-6-public-officers-and-employees/subtitle-a-provisions-generally-applicable-to-public-officers-and-employees/chapter-614-peace-officers-and-fire-fighters/subchapter-b-complaint-against-law-enforcement-officer/sec-614021-applicability-of-subchapter" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sec. 614.022</a>, for instance), and the courts routinely provide them immunity for their wrongdoing.</p>

<p>So yes, there is a difference in how our legal system treats law enforcement and how it treats everyone else. I don't know anyone with any experience in the law who would even try to pretend otherwise.</p>

immunity equal-protection