No Special Duty

In the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, Radiolab revisits a 2005 Supreme Court case that shaped the understanding of police responsibilities. The case ruled that police have no constitutional obligation to protect individuals, despite the public perception of police as protectors. This ruling stemmed from a case involving a woman who was raped in her home and sued the police for failing to respond to her 911 calls. The Court's decision limited the liability of police in such cases. The episode explores the consequences of this ruling, highlighting the tension between the public's expectations of police protection and the legal realities of their limited duty.