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Content: A democratic police is defined
by both its means and its ends. Some means are simply too abhorrent and
are prohibited under any circumstances: torture and summary executive,
kidnapping, and harming family members of a suspect. Other means involving
the use of force, the denial of liberty and interrogation must only occur
with due process of law. Due process does not refer to questions of guilt
or innocence, but with the way in which guilt is determined. In most countries stringent
actions such as wiretapping or holding a suspect in custody for more than
a short period of time must be sanctioned by independent judicial or executive
authorities. Should force be required it should be the minimal amount necessary
for self-defense or to insure an arrest. Punishment (if called for) should
only occur after a judicial process. The laws that police enforce and the
way they use their power in enforcing laws determined by a democratic process,
however indirectly. The idea of a democratic
police includes content as well as procedure.