Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

First, I want to mention that cops have extremely dangerous jobs, and have to deal with unruly people all day. I have no doubt that the nature of their job contributes to incidents like this recent horror show, and the absolute ridiculous outbreak of taser incidents lately. No doubt, I hope, the cops we see on internet videos are just the exception.

But the fact that their job is difficult and violent by nature does not at all excuse the many violations we have seen on the internet, and the many that go undocumented. Something must be done to reign in the power of the police. What can technology do to help this problem?

The main issue here is making those in power feel accountable. People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people. Going back to the Latin title (Who will guard the guards?), Plato's solution was the noble lie: instill a false sense of superiority amongst the rulers, such that they believe it is their moral duty to rule the "lesser" population. They do not rule because they want to; they rule because it is right for them to do. He believed that if this false distinction between people was believed, society could exist peacefully.

At the risk of doubting a far smarter man, I doubt that placing the police above the civilians will work; in fact, I think it is precisely this false belief among some police that lead to abuses of power. So, what can technology do to help this problem?

To address the critical issue of accountability for the police, I take inspiration from the fact that it has already begun: the proliferation of video cameras and YouTube allows any percieved civil rights violation to be seen by millions. And my, how the greater internet loves to watch police screw up! On a positive note, I do recall this instance of Digg sending letters to this cop's supervisor and flooding his RateMyCop profile with positive comments. The guy did a legitimately good job (according to the short video), and was rewarded.

So, perhaps a RateMyCop style solution is the answer? I would like to think so, but I think an even more formal implementation is necessary. The internet is wonderful, but it is far too subject to the whims and mob mentality that can get a good man fired. RateMyCop and YouTube are good starts, but can't go much further than raising awareness.

I'm sure most cops will hate me for suggesting this, but I think a formal review board with random video audits of the police is necessary. One of the best features of American government is the system of checks and balances, and I just don't think we have the proper checks in place for the police. Of course, most officers would say it's not that they have something to hide, but they still do not support this invasion of the police procedure. This is an ironic argument, because it is exactly the argument of civilians against wiretapping and spying. I believe it is a strong argument for civilians (privacy comes first, and the Constitution is pretty important), but not for a government agency charged with protecting the people.

This audit would have to be careful not to interrupt police procedures- I do not want to reduce effectiveness of our already ineffective police force. Nonetheless, it is extremely important to start setting a precedent for our police: they should be accountable and afraid for their jobs. So, what do you think? How can we guard the guards?