How the Potential for Police Abuse of Power Is Anticipated by the Bill of Rights - Essay Example

Without any probable cause, the police have to produce a warrant before searching or seizing any property (Skeens, 2007).

There is also the second amendment which allows people to have firearms as a means to protect themselves in self-defense, defend their country or even to resist oppression. Any police officer trying to abuse an individual is liable to the act of oppression and people can therefore protect themselves from this form of oppression through the use of the firearm as long as the cause is justifiable. Having this right protects the people from having to tolerate abuse of any form from the police simply because of their power.

People are allowed to have freedom of speech, of exercising freely, and make peaceful demonstrations as a way to express their grievances. Police officers take such opportunities to abuse the people by beating them or preventing them from congregating even though the first amendment has allowed them to do so. People are even arrested for no reason and some even taken to cells without any charges or fake charges such as destruction of property or resisting arrest are crowded on the individuals. This bill of rights expressed in the first amendment curtails the police abuse of peaceful demonstrators and people freely expressing themselves in speech or the press (Skeens, 2007).

Lastly is the Sixth Amendment which demands that people who have criminal charges or those arrested also have their rights which are supposed to be explained to them by the police during arrest as a way to protect themselves from police brutality and abuse. These rights include the right to be informed of the criminal charges that have made one be arrested, there is also the right to have counsel to assist the criminally charged person as well as the right to witnesses in court.

Explain how restraints on the police must be constantly balanced against the need for the police to be able to do their jobs
Under the Terry Stop, police are created balance so that they can be able to carry out their work effectively to prevent and deal with crimes. This allows them to conduct searches and seizures if there is reasonable reason or if the person is under suspicion without even requiring a warrant. The police are also mandated to stop drivers if they disobey the traffic rules and are under suspicion, they can even confiscate a firearm carried by an individual if they believe the person to be a threat not only to himself and the police but to others as well.

Other laws have allowed for police enforcement through proactive policing. In proactive policing, the police engage the services of the community through community policing not only as a way to prevent crime but to solve crimes as well. Read More