Civics Questions Worth Asking - What does "to protect and serve" really mean?

To protect and serve. it sounds like a legal promise, but courts are generally treated it differently. police have public duties, professional obligations, and constitutional limits on their own conduct. but courts have often said there is no broad constitutional duty requiring police to protect every individual from private violence. that distinction is uncomfortable, but it matters for understanding public safety, accountability and the limits of constitutional law. #civics #police #constitution #government