This is another look at how our country has headed in the wrong direction since 9/11:

Federal prosecutors are targeting a rising number of law enforcement officers for alleged brutality, Justice Department statistics show. The heightened prosecutions come as the nation’s largest police union fears that agencies are dropping standards to fill thousands of vacancies and “scrimping” on training.

Cases in which police, prison guards and other law enforcement authorities have used excessive force or other tactics to violate victims’ civil rights have increased 25% (281 vs. 224) from fiscal years 2001 to 2007 over the previous seven years, the department says.

During the same period, the department says it won 53% more convictions (391 vs. 256). Some cases result in multiple convictions.

I think back to the early 90’s when I was a firefighter/paramedic. On numerous occasions I was called to scenes with people acting violently. I have seen a lot, from knifes to guns being waved. The police on the scene never had to shock the person or beat them. They did have to wrestle the person, but the outcome was always the same – the person ended up in cuffs and we ended up laughing it off without a scratch. Now we got police that either beat or shock people for simply not answering a question. Is this the America George Bush envisioned? It certainly will be tagged to his legacy.

This is another issue that Congress must take up. The Justice Department deserves some credit here for going after these people, but the punishment is never that severe. Generally a cop convicted of a crime gets a far lesser sentence than an ordinary person convicted of the same thing. That should be reversed. If a person who has sworn to uphold the rule of law is convicted of violating that very law then they should face stiffer punishments. Perhaps that will force cops to think twice before shocking the shit out of someone or beating them half to death.