> defending a cultural value of openness
'Openness' amongst a community or society and openness with regard to the government are not one in the same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_...
'Openness' amongst a community or society and openness with regard to the government are not one in the same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_...
I think we should encourage people to come forward of their own free will, both by making it safer to do so and by educating them on the benefits to society. In a sense I think this because I have faith in my local police, and see them as a part of the community, not as an "other."
Same as you, though, I don't believe believe in expanding their powers to compel people to come forward, because that obviously has scary negative consequences.
While I generally support unions, the police fraternity mindset is troubling. There are no good cops as long as the blue code of silence is the de facto mode of operation.