Every citizen has constitutional rights, pure and simple. Everyone has a right to a trial and a right to stand up and defend themselves. No one should ever make a mockery of that right, no matter what position they are in. Unfortunately, some police officers do just that. They think that the citizen’s right to appeal the officer’s decision is a joke, and should not be taken seriously. That is a completely backwards way of thinking that should not be tolerated in the courtroom.
These select police officers feel like they should be the judge and jury out on the road, and that the defendant is wasting their time trying to argue against that ruling. Not only is this demeaning to the defendant, but it is demeaning to the actual judge and jury whose responsibility it is to deliver a fair and just ruling. Undermining that process is the same as undermining America itself and everything that it stands for. The judicial system is a vital part of the government, and not taking it seriously is simply a misguided move on the part of the officer.
Of course, this does not work both ways for the officer. If his or her family is in some kind of trouble, the right to a trial is a very serious deal. Only when their own lives are in jeopardy do they care enough to respect the validity of the courtroom and everyone in it. What they need to learn is that the judicial system is for everyone, no matter what kind of person you are.
