Just how much power are you giving someone when you give that person a badge, a gun, and the authority to make life and death decisions – to deprive others of their liberty – to use force to the point of death if deemed necessary?

It is a lot more power than you can imagine.

Have you ever seen a cowboy riding a rampaging bull in a rodeo? Those hoofs and horns backed up by 2000 pounds of pure rage could easily deliver serious injury or death. Lose control of that animal and that is exactly what happens. It only takes one small mistake by the rider.

The awesome power which law enforcement officers must keep under control is not much different than that which is furiously bucking underneath the hind parts of a rodeo bull rider.

Law enforcement officers must keep that power under control while walking a fine tightrope. Step off even slightly to one side and severe consequences can occur. A citizen can easily have any number of rights violated and be unjustly subjected to excessive force – to the point of death. Go off balance the other way with inadequate use of power and authority and an officer can lose his own life.

The fact is that the power given to a law enforcement officer - a fallible human being having control over other fallible human beings - is very difficult to control. That much power in the hands of anybody requires complete accountability and transparency – without it, abuse of authority will flourish.

Law enforcement officers have been referred to as the “Thin Blue Line” that separates law abiding society from criminal chaos. Because law enforcement officers are fallible humans, at least occasionally the “Thin Blue Line” becomes a “Blue Wall of Silence” (aka "Code of Silence" ) sometimes with the active participation of police administrators and government officials.

In order to achieve true public safety it is essential that in all aspects of law enforcement, from the cop on the street to top administration, “Blue Must be True.”  Society must be allowed to fully verify that is so  –  and that is no bull.
Karl Mansoor