Is it Okay for Police to Lie?
Posted: Friday, June 05, 2009
by Terry Mitchell
http://commenterry.blogs.com
For a long time, police and other law enforcement officials have utilized the tactic of lying to or otherwise deceiving suspects and persons of interest. They are generally allowed to do this with impunity.
However, when anyone is caught lying to a police officer, he or she is subject to stern prosecution. That doesn't seem right to me. Lying is either okay or it's not. It's either right or it's wrong.
It amazes me that some of the folks who are the most vocal about decrying situational ethics have no problem with police lying as a routine part of their "jobs." Shame on these people! Of course, they will claim that if all the cumulative lying ever done by police officers helps get even one bad person off the streets, then it is justified.But if we are going to allow police officers to lie at other times, then those to whom they lie should be allowed one free lie (to the cops) for each of those incidents. That would only seem fair and equitable to me.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)For whatever reason, your article brought to mind a scripture verse in Matthew 10: 16 (Jesus speaking to His disciples) "Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves." Maybe that's what the police think they are doing when they lie to catch a criminal.David, perhaps that's what they are thinking.
My take on police lying is that they will do whatever it takes, just like many other people in many other occupations, to CYA. In other words, police lying is not motivated by noble intentions.Akin to lying is half-truth, where the police report is abused by the prosecutor to paint the worst possible character portrait of the accused.The Miranda, you will note, has nothing to say about "truth". The Miranda is all about incrimination, without regard to truth."Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law."The Miranda does not read:"Anything you say may be used to discern the truth of this case."The distinction is subtle, but important. The Miranda is prejudiced and partial, it has nothing to do with the impartial discovery of truth.
From the outset, the polices officer is tasked with bringing an arrest to conviction, and more complicated facts put a conviction at risk. While it may be true that many bad people are brought to justice, or even escape justice by means of ineffective police work, the unfortunate truth is also the converse, that once he police decide to pursue a suspect and make an arrest, they will defend the arrest, even to the point of omitting facts, and yes, even lying in court.Although I do feel that you are far too negative about police in general, you do raise some valid points. It has always bothered me that police departments will often ignore evidence that points to a different suspect, once they believe they "have their man."
If the ends justify the means then I believe that it is okay for officers to lie. They are lyed to day in and day out so its a habitual revolving door. Maybe suspects should be smarter like police and figure out that they are being lyed to...Your key phrase here is "If the ends justify the means". I think it rarely does.
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