Does Law Enforcement care more about getting a conviction rather than guilt or innocence?

[blaisdell]

It seems that Law Enforcement just wants convictions, regardless of whether or not you're guilty or innocent. It's like its their job to get a conviction, not to punish the guilty. Say someone gets murdered, I get the impression that as long as they put SOMEONE behind bars for it, even if its not the real murderer, that somehow justice is served. I just think law enforcement are improperly trained to view everyone as a criminal. I think they should be trained to determine if someone is guilty, not how to get them behind bars.

[calvert]

I know hundreds of cops but do not know any who think that way. Every cop I know would agree that if there is an innocent person being accused, then the most important thing is to stop that. I am sure there are cops in the world who feel differently, but you asked only about law enforcement as a whole.

[dureau]

I'm not sure if very man cops think this way; even the cops that plant drug/gun evidence on suspects from my understanding, truly believe the suspect is guilty of something warranting that, but are afraid they'll get away with it by hiding behind their constitutional and other legal protections. I'm sure they get lots of innocent people convicted doing this though.

But mostly, the problem you mention is common among prosecutors, whose success/failure and the reputation of their careers depends upon how many convictions they get. There's not a whole lot of accountability with them since they're immune to legal repercussions in many cases; while it's illegal for prosecutors to conceal evidence that might suggest a defendant's innocence, prosecutors can't really get punished when they are caught having done so.

[aethelbert35]

It is the prosecutors who care about convictions.

Especially in homicide we prided ourselves on getting only the right person, no matter how hard others, family, press hungry elected prosecutors, bosses who were never or who forgot how to be real cops, try to force convenient solutions down our throat.
Those in homicide speak for the dead. Does not matter that a huge number fo those we speak for were also bad guys before the were murdered and no one else cares, It was the purpose of the job, and why most got into it.

Training to view has nothing to do with cops eventually feeling that everyone is a criminal.

It is human nature, When you only see shi* you begin to think everything is shi*. Training and knowledge of what is happening cannot really mitigate the problem. What can is being re exposed to "normal". Problem with that for a cop nothing is normal. People like you will believe your skewed ideas no matter what. Other than docs cops are the only ones who go to a party and are introduced by what they do, so everyone can complain to them about the speeding ticket they got (where the cop likely prevented serious injury in the future). Nope, cops are not allowed by society to see normal once they become involved, proactive cops.
One of the reasons we suck the front sight so often.

You only see what gets reported, not because a real reporter does not have access but because only controversy sells. You do not see or hear about the thousands, daily, of excllent cases where cops not only get the right guy but prevent people from becoming victims.

[hillocke]

It is the prosecutors who care about convictions.

Especially in homicide we prided ourselves on getting only the right person, no matter how hard others, family, press hungry elected prosecutors, bosses who were never or who forgot how to be real cops, try to force convenient solutions down our throat.
Those in homicide speak for the dead. Does not matter that a huge number fo those we speak for were also bad guys before the were murdered and no one else cares, It was the purpose of the job, and why most got into it.

Training to view has nothing to do with cops eventually feeling that everyone is a criminal.

It is human nature, When you only see shi* you begin to think everything is shi*. Training and knowledge of what is happening cannot really mitigate the problem. What can is being re exposed to "normal". Problem with that for a cop nothing is normal. People like you will believe your skewed ideas no matter what. Other than docs cops are the only ones who go to a party and are introduced by what they do, so everyone can complain to them about the speeding ticket they got (where the cop likely prevented serious injury in the future). Nope, cops are not allowed by society to see normal once they become involved, proactive cops.
One of the reasons we suck the front sight so often.

You only see what gets reported, not because a real reporter does not have access but because only controversy sells. You do not see or hear about the thousands, daily, of excllent cases where cops not only get the right guy but prevent people from becoming victims.

That is true,

the local courthouse is a money making machine.