The Pros And Cons Of Civilian Oversight

Civilian oversight is as American as apple pie. It serves as an important checks and balance between the police and the policed, a notion on which the United States was built upon. Law enforcement is essential to our modern society. In a city as dense as New York City, comprised of 8 million people in an area that is only 468.9 square miles, keeping order is imperative to the city. Law enforcement officials have the monumental task of maintaining order. It is law enforcement’s job not only to investigate crimes, but to proactively attempt to prevent them. Because of this monumental and dangerous task, police officers are granted the ability to intervene in civilian lives. However, police officers are ultimately humans who have the potential to make mistakes, or to abuse power. Police activity can have serious impacts on a civilian’s future, such as stress, physical injury, monetary fines, the loss of a license, prison time, disenfranchisement, or the loss of one’s life.
Because of how much we demand from our police officers, and the powers we have granted them to meet these demands, it becomes necessary to make sure that the allotted privileges are being used within reason. Civilian oversight gives some of the power back to the governed, which is essential when the stakes are so high. It allows the public to choose what they will tolerate and what they will not tolerate from state officials, and to hold police officers accountable when misconduct occurs. Civilians rely on the ability to call 911 when they have a serious problem, however when that problem is with the police, it often leaves civilians feeling powerless. Civilian oversight fixes this issue for