Police should have to carry professional insurance just like doctors carry malpractice insurance.
Change my mind.
I don't think it will work at all. I think it would make the problem much worse, not better.
Think about that for a second: Police are never convicted, and rarely officially sanctioned. They always get away with it. Insurance will never pay out, so the cost of insuring officers will be next to nothing.
But, now we have an insurer with a vested interest in clearing the officer of wrongdoing, lest they be forced to pay a claim.
We have a insurer with a vested interest in ensuring the officer doesn't fuck up in the first place. Insurers don't want claims at all, because whether they win or lose thats still money being spent, albeit more in the latter case.
Rates would go up due to the numerous claims against Officer McShooty (even if defended) and he wouldn't be able to afford it. He goes to another department? If they have insurance he's still in the system so...
I think what would actually happen is the the insurer would demand Officer McShooty sue these claimants for harassment, defamation of character, and receive the bulk of any awarded damages.
The overwhelming majority of absurd lawsuits, (like where an aunt sues her nephew for hugging her too hard) aren't brought by the named plaintiff, but by the plaintiff's insurer. The aunt isn't actually suing the nephew. The aunt's medical insurance sues the nephew's homeowner's or liability insurance.
I saw a video awhile back that presented a related argument. If everyone had life insurance, and those life insurance companies were all prepared to sue on our behalf, we would never have another wrongful death at the hands of a cop. Our insurers would sue the everyloving fuck out of the department to avoid being stuck with that bill. Facing formidable legal repercussions, police departments would finally have an incentive to clean house.
Police should have to carry professional insurance just like doctors carry malpractice insurance.
Change my mind.
I don't think it will work at all. I think it would make the problem much worse, not better.
Think about that for a second: Police are never convicted, and rarely officially sanctioned. They always get away with it. Insurance will never pay out, so the cost of insuring officers will be next to nothing.
But, now we have an insurer with a vested interest in clearing the officer of wrongdoing, lest they be forced to pay a claim.
We have a insurer with a vested interest in ensuring the officer doesn't fuck up in the first place. Insurers don't want claims at all, because whether they win or lose thats still money being spent, albeit more in the latter case.
Rates would go up due to the numerous claims against Officer McShooty (even if defended) and he wouldn't be able to afford it. He goes to another department? If they have insurance he's still in the system so...
I think what would actually happen is the the insurer would demand Officer McShooty sue these claimants for harassment, defamation of character, and receive the bulk of any awarded damages.
The overwhelming majority of absurd lawsuits, (like where an aunt sues her nephew for hugging her too hard) aren't brought by the named plaintiff, but by the plaintiff's insurer. The aunt isn't actually suing the nephew. The aunt's medical insurance sues the nephew's homeowner's or liability insurance.
I saw a video awhile back that presented a related argument. If everyone had life insurance, and those life insurance companies were all prepared to sue on our behalf, we would never have another wrongful death at the hands of a cop. Our insurers would sue the everyloving fuck out of the department to avoid being stuck with that bill. Facing formidable legal repercussions, police departments would finally have an incentive to clean house.
They'd have to work a week of overtime to afford the sky high cost.
Cause they don't already abuse the OT system?
My joke was a little too subtle.
Fair enough. Text is hard to read sometimes. Cheers!