What I said was that a cop who directly intervenes to stop an unprovoked beating(Tasca) or who calls another on a the-law-doesn't-apply-to-me power trip(Watts) will be either fired or made so uncomfortable as to leave quitting the only option.
I don't deny that such things happen. They do, and they are newsworthy when they occur.
While not a perfect analogy, there are also confirmed reports of military units in Afghanistan and Iraq who murdered innocent people and used intimidation on unit members to try to prevent or delay the atrocities coming to light. Given the nature of the region and crimes I'd wager there were a lot more such incidents that have not yet to light. I'd wager there are a huge number of less horrific cases where the perpetrator's squadmates didn't immediately intercede on behalf of the victim for a variety of reasons. Doesn't make everyone in uniform a murdering babykiller or complicit in those crimes.
Agents of the state find their way into trouble all the time. They commit criminal acts(victimless and otherwise) at least as often as we "subjects". They, however, have qualified immunity to invoke. If that doesn't provide a decisive outcome in the agent's favor, there's a command structure to hide behind and a union to provide legal and financial support and to spin PR. If the charge does get through a grand jury, you can always count on a jury to stand by their heroes in blue. If the jury convicts, expect a wink-nod minimal or suspended sentence from a sympathetic brother judge who wants to keep in good graces with the cops.
Some truth there, for sure. Not sure how common or uncommon the "sympathetic brother judge" element is, nor the public perception of "heroes in blue" these days. Additionally, you might be surprised at how many scumbags
without badges have serious crimes dismissed, plead down or have sentences suspended/drastically reduced. Hardly a benefit reserved for cops.
I've got two kids and I have to teach them not to talk to police unless there's no other choice, and never to trust a badge. I've been lied to, lied about, threatened and extorted by police. How about you?
What do you tell your kids?
Given your claimed history with police, I don't fault you for having that viewpoint. My kids are young enough that I would still have them seek out police if they were in need, but they will learn to refuse consent to searches, avoid unnecessary interactions with police and so forth. They will also learn similar caution when dealing with other people who could harm or wrong them. They will count their change when the cashier hands it to them, get a second opinion if the mechanic tells them they need more repairs than seem justified and as best I can train them will watch for threatening behavior across the board. I will not, however, try to convince them that everyone who runs a cash register is a thief, or every mechanic is a liar, or every person wants to hurt them, or every cop is crooked. Neither extreme is beneficial.
