Feels like laws are needed around this. Explicit, unambiguous laws. If you go above and beyond the law in terms of invasion of privacy, while acting as a law enforcement officer or on their behalf, you serve time in prison.
Provide a handbook to all law enforcement members explaining these rules. Give them access to whistleblower hotlines. Make an agency whose job it is to look into such complaints and file charges. The problems would vanish in a very short time.
But naturally, such a change would have to come from the top- and the government does not want to give up this power it has over its citizens.
I think it's not only the power over citizens but also the support of the police, otherwise they will start to protest and say the govt is blocking them from doing their job.
The police wants these tools to satisfy their ego and complexes as much as the govt wants power over citizens.
Or we could set up specific members of the legal system who are responsible for deciding which invasions of privacy are permitted and which ones are prohibited.
Maybe we could give them a special title, such as 'judge' or 'your honor'.
Provide a handbook to all law enforcement members explaining these rules. Give them access to whistleblower hotlines. Make an agency whose job it is to look into such complaints and file charges. The problems would vanish in a very short time.
But naturally, such a change would have to come from the top- and the government does not want to give up this power it has over its citizens.