"A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being, or to advocate or delegate its initiation. Those who act consistently with this principle are libertarians, whether they realize it or not. Those who fail to act consistently with it are not libertarians, regardless of what they may claim."

L. Neil Smith, Publisher [email protected] John Taylor, Editor [email protected]

Vin Suprynowicz, Honorary Editor [email protected] Ken L. Holder, Webmaster [email protected]

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Editor's Notes
by John Taylor
[email protected]

          On May 16th of this year, Vin Suprynowicz wrote a column entitled "A DIFFERENT SET OF LAWS FOR OUR KILLER COPS". The article apparently generated a large quantity of negative responses -- as one might expect -- from cops. One such letter, with Vin's response, is reproduced as the last of our LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (see below -- fairness compels me to point out that there were some positive law enforcement responses as well).
          When I left the service, I left for a reason, just as I enlisted for a reason. A few years later, I worked for the Public Safety department in a medium-sized city in the South. I left there for a reason also. Those reasons had to do with this very subject.
          Cops are susceptible to human emotions, as are you and I. The temptations on the job are great. There are innumerable chances to use and abuse the power of the office, usually with less risk than would be experienced by the average citizen under similar circumstances. To be blunt, the negative consequences of misbehavior are nil in many cases, perhaps most. Let me give you s few examples.
          Police have access to information which, while not extraordinarily private, is not as accessible to you and me. The temptation to "gather data" on a good-looking woman (or man) is easily gratified, and the risks of censure are non-existent. Officers "working traffic" can and do stop and question citizens to whom they are physically attracted; this is not a bad technique, and its success rate is better than average -- even without the threat of a ticket. "Gratuities" are almost impossible to avoid. The inoxicating perfume of "fraternization" is always in the air.
          So are all cops corrupt? No ... not unless you're a Puritan. Is law enforcement a rarified atmosphere in which the sense of right and wrong is easily distorted? You bet your Miranda it is! We should not be surprised, therefore, when we hear stories of police officers "crossing the line" ... stories that are exceeded in their distastefulness only by the ease with which such occurrences are "swept under the rug" in many cases. In fact, just the number of instances, minor and major, of which you never hear anything would astonish you.
          Even the cops who are trying to do the right thing fall prey to the siren song. It's way too easy to accept the "us against them" mindset that goes along with wearing the uniform. The fact is, oftentimes the citizenry is outright hostile to you, and distrustful under the best circumstances. Who's to say which "distrust mentality" came first?
          Solution? Clear. Abolish the police. Likelihood? Non-existent.
          We are no longer a nation of hardy, self-reliant individuals. We collectively believe we need government, its parenting, and yes, its discipline. As long as we so believe, we'll have the police. As long as we trust them, they'll abuse our trust. Just like politicians. Ignore ... disrespect ... feed ... tolerate ... rely on either group at your own peril.

Table of Contents

1. They're Just "Closing the Last Loopholes", See
                  by Vin Suprynowicz

2. History, Latin, and America
                  by Jonathan Taylor

3. Letters to the Editor
                  by Our Readers

4. Candidate for the Millennium
                  by Ed Lewis

5. Death of a Small City
                  by Michael W. Gallagher

Back to The Libertarian Enterprise 1999 Issues.