Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 09:09:24 -0700
From: wizard@VAN-KOPP.COM (Dave Kopp)
Subject: Cops and Unlawful Orders
To: AZRKBA@asu.edu


Hey Folks,

I have heard from many a cop, time and again, that they "just follow
orders", and that it's not up to them to decide what law enforcement tasks
are legitimate and constitutional. Guess they never worked in Houston, TX.
Or is this police chief just wrong?

I'd be really curious to know what our resident LEOs 
LEO is pig or cop slang for Law Enforcement Officer - the webmaster
think about this
Chief's comment, reprinted below. Is he right, or not? If he isn't, why not?
If he is, how would you qualify it?

I'm not holding my breath for a flood of responses ...


Excerpted from ...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory2/1552982

Police chief critical of raid, Quizzed by council on arrests
by Kristen Mack
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford told City Council on Wednesday that he
was embarrassed by the mass arrests of 273 people on trespassing charges
earlier this month, and he implied that officers should have disobeyed
orders to arrest them.
Bradford, in his first public appearance since the Aug. 18 raid, said
officers should have given out citations that night, rather than arresting
hundreds of people at a westside Kmart Super Center and a Sonic Drive-In in
the 8400 block of Westheimer.

"Officers are taught beginning in the academy that they are not to follow an
unlawful order," Bradford said. He added later that "arresting citizens for
minor offenses has not been a department policy. I wouldn't approve of a
plan as it was executed that night."

<remainder snipped>



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--
L8R.

Dave

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