I was scrolling through the local news recently and saw a familiar headline: an off-duty officer arrested by another agency for a DWI. As expected, the comment section was an immediate dumpster fire.
“Bet he gets off.” “Good. They should be treated like everybody else.” “They should be held to a higher standard.”
It’s a classic Catch-22. The public wants us to be “treated just like anybody else” while simultaneously demanding we be treated differently—held to a “higher standard”—because of the job. You can’t have it both ways.
The News Cycle Spectacle
Let’s be clear: anyone who breaks the law should face the consequences. That is the only way the system works. But if you think every doctor, lawyer, or nurse who gets a DWI has their name and profession paraded through the local news, you’re mistaken.
When a cop gets arrested, it isn’t just news; it’s a spectacle. Unless a department or a disgruntled party has a specific interest in calling the press, 99% of arrests never hit a major outlet. But for the LEO, “transparency” often becomes a euphemism for public shaming. If we are truly being treated “like anyone else,” why does the badge make the mugshot front-page news?
The Discretion Dilemma
Discretion is the grease in the gears of the justice system. I’ve let plenty of people go with warnings for minor V&T stuff. I’ve allowed that joint to get ground up and tossed in the gutter rather than making an arrest—all within the bounds of the law.
Should we treat cops with the same discretion we show your daughter or the local factory worker? That’s a sticky question.
- If I give a pass to a civilian, it’s “community policing.”
- If I give a pass to a peer, it’s “The Blue Wall.”
If I can give your kid a break for a one-day expired registration, I shouldn’t be given grief for giving an officer the same warning. However, if you find yourself giving passes for things you would never overlook for a non-LEO, that’s a sign of a deep-seated problem.
“Bet He Gets Off”
This is the most common refrain, and it usually stems from a misunderstanding of how the machine works. When a first-time offender (who happens to be a cop) gets a standard plea deal—like probation or a reduction to an impaired charge—the public screams “Cover-up!”
In reality, that is being treated like everyone else. If a plumber gets that deal, it’s standard procedure. The “Higher Standard” crowd often isn’t asking for equality; they are asking for the cop to be hit harder by the legal system specifically because of the badge.
The Internal Standard
As LEOs, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We are representatives of the system, and the public trust is the only currency we have. But we need to separate the Legal System from the Professional Code.
- Legally: An officer should be treated exactly like the plumber. No better, no worse.
- Professionally: This is where the higher standard lives. The plumber keeps his wrench; the cop might lose his badge.
If we are going to be consistent, we should stop airing non-felony arrests simply because it looks “transparent.” Fairness isn’t about being hit harder by the courts; it’s about the law being applied blindly, while the Department handles the “honor” side of the house.
Let’s set aside the personal grudges and the “I remember when I was stopped” stories. If we want a professional force, we have to treat them like professionals—and that means consistent expectations, not a moving target.
Leave a comment