Sacrificing constitutional and legal protections for "speed" is never a wise idea.
The reason these matters should be left to the police are many but two that stand
out are fairness and accuracy. Obviously this is a hot-button issue and that is why
it is so easy to dispense with the constitution, the law and any sense of
proportionality when dealing with it.
Amateur activists could easily overstep reasonable limits on behaviour and unfairly
victimize perceived offenders only to find out later that it is they who were
committing serious crimes against the innocent. Trained investigators are much
better equipped mentally and emotionally to do their job professionally and with
much less risk of falsely accusing members of the public of crimes so heinous that
even the allegation bears life-changing (or even life-ending) consequences. Take a
second look at yourself and what you just said. If you fail to consider another as a
human being simply because of a suspicion then it is you who have become the
sick animal, and it is you who have become a danger to the public peace.
Trained investigators are also well versed in the techniques, laws and regulations
that ensure a high degree of accuracy in their work. They may not always succeed
but they do have that advantage over vigilantes and it is the most important factor
in getting convictions in a court of law. Rushing in to help "capture sick animals"
is far more likely to taint the case and make any evidence gathered useless
because amateurs don't know when to keep hands off and how to preserve
evidence for trial. The end result of inexperience and enthusiasm is that of
protecting the criminal by making it impossible to prosecute. The police may
seem slow to you but there is good reason for their calm and methodical approach.
If you interfere with it in any way you should expect to be charged with obstruction.
Your duty is to report any finds to an appropriate channel like the Center for
Missing and Exploited Children and then back off to let the police do their job, no
more and no less. That's it. You have no right to insinuate that we have done any
more or less than quietly fulfil that duty either, period, end of sentence. Nor is it
appropriate for you to accuse the police of failing to do their duties in this regard.
The only time you hear of their activities on this front is when they bring offenders
to court, so don't bother to complain about what you cannot know. |