> They should be held to a higher standard than everyone else, or at least an equal one, but not a lesser one.
This isn't logically possible, if they had to obey the same rules, they wouldn't have any police powers:
- use of force to subdue someone (would otherwise be assault)
- handling of evidence that is otherwise prohibited (drugs, munitions, etc.)
- physically detaining people, which would be considered kidnapping by anyone else
The police have an elevated authority by definition. Certainly there should be (and are) constraints on this authority, it isn't unlimited, but it is too simplistic to simply say they have to obey the same rules as everyone else.
A private citizen most certainly can detain and subdue person violating the law. Atleast in the US.
Now if you do this and the person is not in fact violating the law it will be you being arrested however if I catch someone breaking into my home at 3am I most certainly can use physical force to detain him/her.
Of course, but this is an example of a citizen using special police powers because they are acting in the role of a police officer. In that role, the citizen or the actual police officer is enabled to do things that are not otherwise permitted -- they are following different rules.
This isn't logically possible, if they had to obey the same rules, they wouldn't have any police powers:
- use of force to subdue someone (would otherwise be assault) - handling of evidence that is otherwise prohibited (drugs, munitions, etc.) - physically detaining people, which would be considered kidnapping by anyone else
The police have an elevated authority by definition. Certainly there should be (and are) constraints on this authority, it isn't unlimited, but it is too simplistic to simply say they have to obey the same rules as everyone else.