I've known a few coppers in my time. Probably more than the average joe gets to know. My godfather is one in fact, and several close friends also.

One of them works for IA. Another drug squad. Another is a serg at the local cop shop.

They're not corrupt and they don't abuse power. In fact, sometimes they suffer huge emotional burdens because of the things they're confronted with on a day to day basis.

Cops have a persona which shields them from these things somewhat, but it doesn't mean they're power hungry and it doesn't make them corrupt.

You must have watched Serpico too many times - its a movie. IRL the VAST MAJORITY of police officers I have ever known or met were honorable, honest, hardworking and reasonable. Thanks to every one of them.

I'm sure if you get one bad cop the rest will slowly become corrupt too. You can't look at one force and decide that cops are bad or good, you have to look at different areas before you even graze that statement.

excellent film but out of date.

That was my point, Phil.

my experiences are very much up to date.

If you enforce corrupt "laws" with corrupt methods, no matter how "accepted", you are corrupt by default.

Hey, you can't pin corrupt laws on the cops...that's YOUR responsibility. You certainly can't be suggesting they pick and choose which laws to enforce?

As for "corrupt methods", if it's an individual officer (or small group), doing this outside of department policy, they should be fired and possibly prosecuted. However, if they are doing what they are told the problem is not the cop, it's management. Right, tw?:D

In the case of corrupt leadership, it's once again your responsibility to correct that......they work for you.

They do it all the time, cops don't bust every jaywalker they see do they now? Easy.
If an officer sees a law is illegal, like searching a car with no probable cause with a dog... he does not have to do it. He/she can simply say, I had no probable cause on their report and no one can say jack to it. Easy.
A cop came into my home in college, doing a survey, my roommates pot was next to the couch, he did not bust us, choice. Easy.

Easy, but not right. Especially when the decision to be selective is political. :(

Singling drugs out so heavily is selectively political... same thing.
You'll get more time on a drug charge than raping a kid... fuck that. That is politics, definitely not ethics.