In the past few years, citizens have shifted the scale on which social issues are responded to. With the aid of social media sites, fundraising sites and the media, it’s almost impossible not to see an issue brought to the forefront daily. Whether it’s racism, sexism or unethical practices, they all go viral daily. Thousands of people read about these incidents, share them and even view them live.

In the age of technology, it’s unlikely these incidents are not recorded. These are all contributing factors to the sharp contrast between these times and previous years, when it was easy to adopt a demeanor of passivity and pull the wool over one’s eyes. This is the age of accountability. Citizens feel as if people taking responsibilities for their wrong actions is something owed to them.

Truthfully, it is owed to us. Especially when the wrong actions are conducted by someone entrusted with protecting and serving the public.

Police forces all over the country have come under fire for documented police brutality. There have been protesters and other citizens calling for officers to be held accountable for the wrongful actions they participate in. Yet, they’re still not held accountable.

Police officers act as a family unit. A large part of America treasures and respects them, as well. These two things work together to ensure police are protected from prosecution. The familial nature of the various forces results in a “hush-hush” environment.

I agree cops must be loyal to each other. Their profession can be extremely dangerous, and they deserve the assurance their comrades have their back. I also understand the respect the country affords them. They go into dangerous situations to protect us on a regular basis. They put their lives on the line whenever they put on their uniform.

However, the fact that their job is to protect the citizens of the country does not negate that they, too, are citizens. Moreover, this means they should also be subject to the prosecution an ordinary citizen would face if they committed a crime.

An officer’s job is to protect and serve the community. Covering for a colleague is the exact opposite of this, which is putting the community in danger and leaving it vulnerable to threats from those it should be able to trust. Keeping these compromised officers in the line of duty is not only a risk to the community, but to the police force. Covering for them does nothing to alleviate the problem. Instead, it only serves to make the situation worse.

A recent example of this misplaced loyalty is evident in the murder of Botham Jean. Off-duty officer Amber Guyger claims to have mistaken Jean’s apartment for her own, used her key to enter, saw Jean, gave a verbal warning and then fired two warning shots that killed him. Another affidavit states he met her at the door, there was a confrontation and then two shots were fired. The second narrative appeared on a search warrant signed a day after Guyger gave her original statement. This is likely a case of police protecting their own, and changing the story in an effort to criminalize Jean.

If a citizen was responsible for the same crime, it would be unacceptable for them to publicly change their statement the way it has happened in this circumstance. Guyger should be held to the same standard.

Cops should be held accountable for their actions the way other citizens of this country are. At the end of the day, underneath their uniform, they’re citizens like us. While their efforts to protect and serve us are appreciated, their crimes should not be excused or protected in any way.

Maya Stevenson is an English and economics sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.