--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Considering that police have life and…" description: "\"Considering that police have life and death power over the public they are sworn to protect and serve, we have the right to expect public accountabilit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg" --- # Considering that police have life and death power over the… ![“Considering that police have life and death power over the public they are sworn to protect and serve, we have the right to expect public accountability to ensure that we can protect ourselves, as well.” quote by Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg) > “Considering that police have life and death power over the public they are sworn to protect and serve, we have the right to expect public accountability to ensure that we can protect ourselves, as well.” [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens deserve oversight of police because they wield lethal authority, ensuring safety for all. **In simple terms:** Police power requires accountability. Key Takeaway Demand transparent oversight. Themes justice accountability public safety Mood concerned determined Type activist political When to use this quote - community meetings - policy advocacy - legal reform - media scrutiny Key Concepts civic duty power dynamics rights Questions to Reflect On - How can communities ensure fair oversight? - What mechanisms best protect both public and police? A Different Perspective Balancing accountability with officer safety can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-death/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Protect and serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-and-serve/) ## Related quotes > [“Wyatt Dixon had worn a badge. Sworn to protect and serve, he’d done just”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-haddix/wyatt-dixon-had-worn-a-badge-sworn-to-protect-and-serve-he-d-done-just/) [T.L. Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-haddix/) > [The goal is to make sure everyone has got their lead pipes replaced, and I know that's moving forward in the city of Flint.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-whitmer/the-goal-is-to-make-sure-everyone-has-got-their-lead-pipes-replaced/) [Gretchen Whitmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-whitmer/) > [The special harm attaching to prior restraint is that the government can keep materials from reaching the public, so there can be no accountability,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randal-marlin/the-special-harm-attaching-to-prior-restraint-is-that-the-government/) [Randal Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randal-marlin/) > [“It is a good idea to keep the police out of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-a-good-idea-to-keep-the-police-out-of-your-life/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [The royal family are protected from public accountability by law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/the-royal-family-are-protected-from-public-accountability-by-law/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [There is no time and space limitation for public accountability on the Internet. Creative commonality is standard and does not resemble the authoritarian style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-paes/there-is-no-time-and-space-limitation-for-public-accountability-on/) [Eduardo Paes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-paes/) > [I certainly have written a lot about police in my life, and it's not only something that I know about, but always something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-certainly-have-written-a-lot-about-police-in-my-life-and-it-s-not/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I don't know what goes on in prison. I've never been in trouble with the police in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-don-t-know-what-goes-on-in-prison-i-ve-never-been-in-trouble-with/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [Every policy officer is sworn to protect life, and, under the most extreme circumstances, to take life. It is a staggering responsibility that requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/every-policy-officer-is-sworn-to-protect-life-and-under-the-most/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [“And I am your guardian, your bodyguard, sworn to protect and defend you. And you are making my job excruciatingly difficult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-allison-moulton/and-i-am-your-guardian-your-bodyguard-sworn-to-protect-and-defend-you/) [Courtney Allison Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-allison-moulton/) > [“a wife that I have sworn to protect with my last dying breath. Her”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-meyers/a-wife-that-i-have-sworn-to-protect-with-my-last-dying-breath-her/) [Brandon Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-meyers/) > [“With grateful thanks to all of the men and women who protect and serve The United States of America, and to Operation Mend, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-regnery/with-grateful-thanks-to-all-of-the-men-and-women-who-protect-and/) [Katy Regnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-regnery/) > [Took a vow to protect and serve, All you do is disrespect and murder. I ask that you not hurt my kids; This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ka/took-a-vow-to-protect-and-serve-all-you-do-is-disrespect-and-murder-i/) Ka > [ How are people who are young and look like Oscar \[Grant\] portrayed in the media? You gotta think about that. And somebody given a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/how-are-people-who-are-young-and-look-like-oscar-grant-portrayed-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Most people have no idea what cops really do. They think cops give you a speeding ticket. They don't see the cops associating with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-valentine/most-people-have-no-idea-what-cops-really-do-they-think-cops-give-you/) [Douglas Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-valentine/) ## More by Maya Wiley > [Red Hook is cut off from the rest of the borough by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and has no subway access, forcing residents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/red-hook-is-cut-off-from-the-rest-of-the-borough-by-the-brooklyn/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [So, the real question isn't, in my view, whether someone can beat Trump in 2020. The question is can the Democrats start articulating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/so-the-real-question-isn-t-in-my-view-whether-someone-can-beat-trump/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Big telecommunications monopolies - many of whom now seek to be content providers as well - shouldn't be able to price others out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/big-telecommunications-monopolies-many-of-whom-now-seek-to-be-content/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Red Hook, Brooklyn, is a spit of land jutting out over the New York Harbor and looking across to the gleaming high rises of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/red-hook-brooklyn-is-a-spit-of-land-jutting-out-over-the-new-york/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [As mayor, my New Deal for New York will be a massive infrastructure, stimulus, and jobs program consisting of a $10 billion investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/as-mayor-my-new-deal-for-new-york-will-be-a-massive-infrastructure/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [My father, because he was an academic, he did not shy away from meeting with academics who focused on political science, sociology, he actively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/my-father-because-he-was-an-academic-he-did-not-shy-away-from-meeting/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Do you know how many women in a survey reported experiences of sexual harassment on the job? Eighty percent. It is so common. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/do-you-know-how-many-women-in-a-survey-reported-experiences-of-sexual/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Legal arguments, particularly when they reach the highest court in the land, can be detached from daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/legal-arguments-particularly-when-they-reach-the-highest-court-in-the/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [We used to watch my father, who was a civil-rights activist, get arrested on TV sometimes, and we never knew if he was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/we-used-to-watch-my-father-who-was-a-civil-rights-activist-get/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Whether a resident needs to get online to access homework or supplemental educational tools, to search for a job or start a business, broadband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/whether-a-resident-needs-to-get-online-to-access-homework-or/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Some will say I don't sound like past mayors or look like them or think like them, and I say yes, I don't -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/some-will-say-i-don-t-sound-like-past-mayors-or-look-like-them-or/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Democrats and Republicans agree that police misconduct should be better tracked. But agreement appears to end there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/democrats-and-republicans-agree-that-police-misconduct-should-be/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Let's be clear about one thing everyone should know: Affirmative action is constitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/let-s-be-clear-about-one-thing-everyone-should-know-affirmative/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [There is no off-roading to solve income inequality for people of color. They must have broadband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/there-is-no-off-roading-to-solve-income-inequality-for-people-of/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Far too many people, many of them white men, are losing healthcare insurance as they lose their manufacturing jobs. This is commerce by most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/far-too-many-people-many-of-them-white-men-are-losing-healthcare/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) [Explore all 68 Maya Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. 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You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Considering that police have life and death power over the public they are sworn to protect and serve, we have the right to expect public accountability to ensure that we can protect ourselves, as well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maya Wiley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/considering-that-police-have-life-and-death-power-over-the-public/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/considering-that-police-have-life-and-death-power-over-the-public/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e3/maya-wiley-10040_death_considering-that-police-have-life-and-de_3093872.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Considering that police have life and death power over the public they are sworn to protect and serve, we…” — Maya Wiley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maya Wiley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Considering that police have life and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/considering-that-police-have-life-and-death-power-over-the-public/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/considering-that-police-have-life-and-death-power-over-the-public/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```