A patrolling police officer passes by a bank on rounds, and he sees nothing wrong. The bank is then robbed 10 minutes later. Which of the following would be the defense used for the police officer?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The public-duty doctrine provides that law enforcement officers owe their duty to the public as a whole, rather than to specific individuals. Therefore, the police officer cannot be held liable for failing to prevent the bank robbery, as he had no specific duty to protect the bank.

A Patrolling Police Officer Passes by a Bank on Rounds