Note: When I started this write up/blog, after two hours of writing, I realized that it was so long, no one would truly read what I wrote. Not that I write for any special person to read, I am hoping someone is taking the time to read my wanderings. So will be breaking this up into three Parts over the proceeding three days.
Amendment VIII - Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Clearly, law enforcement personnel are not eligible for this Amendment. Due to the very nature of our job judges and jails don't want us in the jail awaiting trial, so bail is not excessive. It is more likely to be released on OR for the safety of the law enforcement person. But excessive fines nor excessive punishment? Please. We must be made an example of. Are we not held at a higher level of proper behavior than the average citizen? We aren't allowed to be emotional or upset or angry. We must have ice water in our veins. Fighting back? Charges of police brutality. Make a citizen obey a simple law? Charges of Abuse of Authority. Write a speeding ticket? Charges of harassment and not going after actual criminals. Well, you get the idea.
Amendment IX - The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Apparently, when John Madison wrote this Amendment he was saying that not all Amendments already approved cover all the rights that the People will need. But as a member of the Law Enforcement family, individual/People rights are not guaranteed. Just look at my comments and views and opinions stated above.
Amendment X - The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
In other words, what our Federal Government has not covered with Amendments, our State laws should. Ha. We all know how much the Federal Government has encroached on our daily lives. Our State laws get more restrictive to follow along what our Federal Government has decreed. Usually on the offer of monies to go along with those new dictates. And law enforcement, expected to work their job with even more restrictions and higher expectations of behavior. For us, the chain of law makings are Federal, State, County, City, Agency, Public Opinion, SOP, media, and maybe, just maybe, finally our personal self.
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