In May 2013 the law change took place in the UK dictating that anyone convicted of killing a member of the police would be sentenced to a life sentence of 30 years without parole.
'Home Secretary Theresa May said: The murder of a police officer is a particularly appalling crime. To attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society.' https://www.gov.uk/government/news/theresa-may-life-should-mean-life-for-murdering-a-police-officer
At the same time, sentences for murdering other citizens are in the region of 12 years and will more often than not include provision for parole:
'An end to life sentences that mean life was ordered yesterday by the most senior judge in England and Wales.
In future all murderers must be given at least some hope of eventual release from jail, the Lord Chief Justice said.
Lord Woolf ordered judges to stop making recommendations that murderers should serve 'whole life' terms.
Instead they should give no advice at all on when a killer should be set free - a move that leaves open the possibility of release.
Lord Woolf also slashed the standard time a murderer should spend in prison.
From now on, for an ordinary murder the time spent in jail should be 12 years rather than 14 years, he said.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-118627/Life-longer-means-life-murder.html#ixzz3HgLtI6bl
Are all lives equal or should, as is the case in the UK, the lives of some such as police officeres warrant harsher penalties?
What do you think?
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It is proposed that the same penalties should apply for murder irrespective of the victim's standing in society