Assaults on police and the penalty thereof

[slofox]

Serious question here for once...

Should the penalty for an assault on a police officer be more than for an assault on any other member of the public?

Part of me can see where this idea is coming from - what police stand for, assault on the rule of law etc etc.

But there is another part of me that thinks the playing field should be level. Graduating penalties by occupation of the victim offends my egalitarian principles. I mean, if the victim was my wife/son/daughter/mother/father etc I would want the perpetrator to be handled just the same as if he/she had assaulted a copper...

If we discriminate for police, should we then discriminate in favour of other essential members of society? And, logically, discriminate against less essential members of society? As in "ahhh, he's only a sickness beneficiary, we'll let the perpetrator off lightly then..."

Your thoughts?

[SMOKEU]

We really should have the death penalty in NZ.

[BoristheBiter]

yes, yes, yes, and yes.

For far too long assaults on anyone have been pushed into the "not that bad" file.
As it stands the highist form of assault (other than with weapons etc) is male assaults female.

It is about time that these fuckers are put away and i don't care if prison doesn't work i don't want this type of person on the streets.

the respect of other people is the main reason we have so many assaults (more than usa per capita).
Have you seen the cops show lately? its all yes sir, no sir because if they don't comply they get shot/tasered so they comply very quickly.

I think all assault should have the same penilty which should be at least 1 year prison.

[Clockwork]

I think all assault should have the same penilty which should be at least 1 year prison.

That's a bit OTT. The Assult offence can be applied to a wide range of actions including (I understand) shaking your fist at someone.

But, I'm not infavour of levels of offence being based upon the victim but rather the effect or harm inflicted/attempted. I think everyone deserves the same level of protection under the law.

[Usarka]

This'll keep morphing so there are different penalties for kids, women (oh wait), elderly, immigrants, bus drivers, beneficiaries, etc until the least penalty is for assaulting a standard issue working white male.

[ckai]

I do see both sides of the argument. I suppose it's the level of authority and respect that should be displayed. For example, should the level of punishment be the same if a 15 year old punched a teacher 5 times than if he punched a fellow student 5 times? Same place, same force. Punching the student reflects lack of respect and deviancy (sp?) where as punching the fellow student would be considered school yard fight/bullying. Which is more despicable? Which, if you heard it on the news, would you "tut-tut" at?

Assault on the law is considered an assault on the country, which used to be really, really bad (the "country" doesn't mean enough anymore).

To be honest I think it should be worse assaulting a cop. We lack respect, maybe this will help remind people. Graduated penalties for all occupations actually undermines respect.

I agree a life is a life and shouldn't be worth any more or any less compared with what you do or what you're worth. But I'm shocked when I hear about scum beating up cops. Similar feeling to when I hear about assaults of old ladies and little kids.

EDIT: haha and based on the above comment, I don't think there should be different penalties based on them. This is based on a respect/authority view.

[BoristheBiter]

That's a bit OTT. The Assult offence can be applied to a wide range of actions including (I understand) shaking your fist at someone.

But, I'm not infavour of levels of offence being based upon the victim but rather the effect or harm inflicted/attempted. I think everyone deserves the same level of protection under the law.

No I don't think it is. "Shaking a fist" is where it started, now we have people just flipping everyone off, spitting, offensive language or behavior.
This now is at the point where something has to be done, the government has to step in and start handing out sentences that mean something but again it will be all hot air and nothing will be done.

[Dave Lobster]

At the risk of turning this into a cop bashing thread (not my intention), I think it would be a dangerous path to go down.

Whilst it is dispicable that there is a general lack of respect for the police now, primarily from the lower forms of life that we allow to breed, the police don't really help themselves.

The 'visible' ones - ie, the ones you meet in the street/pull you over for nonsense 'crimes'/see on the propaganda box on 10/7 or whatever it's called - really don't do the police any favours at all. Too many of them are the ones with the big egos, small brains and a holier than thou attitude.
I realise that not all the police are like that - I liaise with a lot of policemen/women on a daily basis. BUT, the ones you do see out and about do nothing for the reputation as a whole.

A lot of the ones I've met wholly deserve a smack in the gob.

[BoristheBiter]

At the risk of turning this into a cop bashing thread (not my intention), I think it would be a dangerous path to go down.

Whilst it is dispicable that there is a general lack of respect for the police now, primarily from the lower forms of life that we allow to breed, the police don't really help themselves.

The 'visible' ones - ie, the ones you meet in the street/pull you over for nonsense 'crimes'/see on the propaganda box on 10/7 or whatever it's called - really don't do the police any favours at all. Too many of them are the ones with the big egos, small brains and a holier than thou attitude.
I realise that not all the police are like that - I liaise with a lot of policemen/women on a daily basis. BUT, the ones you do see out and about do nothing for the reputation as a whole.

A lot of the ones I've met wholly deserve a smack in the gob.

Then why did you write this?
I hope if you evey need the police you get told to fuck off.

[Swoop]

If a police officer is not in unifom, how does one know that an assault on an officer is taking place?

..until the least penalty is for assaulting a standard issue working white male.

I believe the tax department have exclusive rights on that one.

[Dave Lobster]

Then why did you write this?
I hope if you evey need the police you get told to fuck off.

I doubt there'd be anyone there to tell me to fuck off. Whenever you need a policeman, there's never one around.

On the up side, I take my phone most places with me now, so if I've forgotten my watch and need to know the time, I'm sweet.

[Dave Lobster]

Then why did you write this?
I hope if you evey need the police you get told to fuck off.

I doubt there'd be anyone there to tell me to fuck off. Whenever you need a policeman, there's never one around.

On the up side, I take my phone most places with me now, so if I've forgotten my watch and need to know the time, I'm sweet.

[firefighter]

I think there should be a higher penalty.

Long gone are the days of people listening and respecting what the local bobby says. Long gone is the big hat, the night stick and the uniform which was all a cop needed.

There is obviously a lack of respect for the uniform, and with the need for police to be in dangerous/hostile situations more than anybody, I do think they deserve a little extra backing of the law. If you do'nt want extra harsh penalties, over and above the average assault, do'nt hit the fucken cop, and do what they say! Simple really.

So that's a yes from me. Only because of the fact they need to be in these environments more than the general public, so extra protection is fine with me.

If a police officer is not in unifom, how does one know that an assault on an officer is taking place

So what if you did'nt know it was a cop!? You should'nt be bloody assaulting ANYBODY without reasonable cause (like they raped your mrs/whathaveyou)

If you un-wittingly beat up a cop, well, you reap what you sow there.........

I know it was;nt your intention, but your kinda taking the "criminals have rights" side here.

[Big Dave]

I'd give them fuck-off big guns like in Aus.
Mess with a Cop over there and you bleed.
End of issue.

[freedom-wedge]

Then why did you write this?
I hope if you evey need the police you get told to fuck off.

I think hes trying to bring to light the state of inballance that exists today, there are wise and good police men and women, but many subscribe to the them and us thing also, one thing is for sure they will arrive much faster at a scene where they are already involved, ie and assualt on an officer, than for joe or jane public, just an obsevation, and when you need them you need them, they are required under the law to render assistance even to save us from our selves.

pedro