Our country is witnessing an awakening of sorts. Our eyes are more open to the power that we have given to those whose job it is to protect and serve, the police. Before squad car video recordings, body cams and citizen made cellphone recordings, what happened during a police encounter or investigation came down to the citizen’s word vs the officer’s. Anyone familiar with trying to fight a traffic ticket knows the hopeless feeling that “they’ll just believe the cop.” Did you know that in the criminal justice system, the law has always been that “police testimony is to be given no more weight than a regular citizens”? But how has it been applied? Is it applied or often ignored and at what costs?
Neil Rockind tackles the timely subject of police witnesses in this episode. He shares his experiences and how society and the system could truly benefit If we really applied that rule – give officers no more benefit of the doubt than anyone else.
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