Abuse of power (Sept 15)

The police

• Police as a bridge: Police act as the main connection between the government (state) and regular people (citizens).

• Big responsibility: They have to balance two things:

  1. Protecting people’s individual rights and freedoms.

  2. Keeping society safe and maintaining order.

• Impact on democracy: How police exercise their power and authority (sometimes called “MOUF” here) affects whether citizens have a fair, democratic relationship with the state.

• Problem for the system: If police misuse their power or act unfairly, it can harm citizens’ trust in the government and the justice system.

what are two major problems in policing

Problem 1: Police being used for political purposes

• Example: 1997 APEC meeting in BC

  • Federal government wanted to promote trade and invited Suharto, a repressive foreign leader.

  • There were protests in Canada over human rights concerns.

  • The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) pressured the RCMP to control protests aggressively for the trade agenda.

  • RCMP resisted some orders but ended up using force (arrests, pepper spray) to disperse protesters.

  • Royal Commission later looked at whether political pressure caused misuse of police power.

Problem 2: Conflict between “cop culture” and protecting civil rights

• Cop culture: Close-knit, loyal, danger-focused, sees “us vs. them” (cops = good, criminals = bad).

• Police training focuses heavily on force, tactics, and control, not on due process or protecting rights.

• Most police work is everyday, like traffic, but training and mindset focus on crime control.

• In crime control mode, cops prioritize quick arrests and punishment over democratic procedures.

• This culture clashes with the legal expectation to uphold fairness, rights, and the integrity of the justice system.

Why are protests tricky for police?

• Protests often mix:

  • Legal actions: voting, petitions, peaceful marches

  • Illegal actions: property damage, attacking police, armed revolt

  • Grey area: civil disobedience (breaking a law for moral reasons but respecting state authority)

• Police must respond without overstepping, because misuse of force can reduce the state’s legitimacy – people stop trusting or respecting the government.

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