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Scalia's New Police Professionalism: Two Counter-Memes

In Hudson v. Michigan, Justice Antonin Scalia argued that the exclusionary rule was unnecessary because of "[a]nother development over the past half-century that deters civil-rights violations," namely, "the increasing professionalism of police forces, including a new emphasis on internal police discipline."  Scalia wanted to start a meme: Police officers do not require judicial scrutiny because they are professionals.  There is a new police professionalism that did not exist decades ago.Is Justice Scalia empirically correct?  Or does he just make stuff up?  Some of us think the latter, and thus two counter-memes have emerged.Sarcatic, embittered, and unhelpful people will point to an example of police misconduct, saying: "Scalia's new professionalism!  Sha!  As if!"  See, e...continue to full post

Full post as published by Crime & Federalism on September 08, 2009 (boomark / email).