The system is perfect when you're not really part of it. Law enforcement has it's own banking system, it's own health care system, it's own social system, it's own legal system (mediation anyone?), and depends little or nothing on the same services and resources normal people (civilians) depend on. This is similar in my opinion to the conflict of interest apparent in a politician voting on the social security system, something they aren't ever going to need and something they do not pay a penny into.

From my perspective cops aren't accountable for their mistakes. You can't make a cop pay for ripping up the headliner of your 30 year old car even if they didn't find any drugs on a routine seat-belt stop because they suspected you were in possession of drugs because you're shaking because you are afraid of police because when you were a little boy you watched police break the arm of a little girl who's only offense was sleeping in a place they didn't want her to sleep and because you're vocal about rights, freedom, and equality and so fear they have a motivation for silencing you. For this reason, they have the right to damage your car without paying for it for example.

As a former officer are you telling me there are no abuses of the power at an officer's fingertips? Are you telling us that even tiny abuses are just our imagination and that the system really works? What about when a cop plows into a mother and child while driving drunk because his license was never suspended? How about the standard of a cop never getting a speeding ticket or traffic infraction because they have a badge next to their ID? I sure wouldn't mind a never-get-a-ticket pass.

I'm not against the cops. I'm not against the system. There are functional parts of it for sure, but there are also abuses and manipulations to silence people who might undermine some of the privilege the authorities have come to enjoy. Even as a former officer you still have privileges and access to parts of our society that civilians do not. Using any of them breaks the integrity of what is supposed to happen and destroys the honor of our fine system. I'm not asking you to give up your belief in the system, I'm merely asking that you recognize that it's just as flawed as a "perfect spouse".

Officers, just like us plebes, are human and suffer the same frailties we suffer. That includes theft, drugs, dishonor, deceit, and greed. Just like anyone else, they are capable of lying to keep their job. So too are officers capable of honor, integrity, honesty, and generosity. There are even a few who would give up their job for the sake of keeping their honor.

If you don't read the full context of what happened to the young man that this post was originally about, at least recognize that my pointing out that there are faults with the system isn't taking away from the successes. There are still a great deal more people guilty put away than there are innocent but there are also a great deal of guilty people let free and plenty of innocent people denied their freedom. To address that many of our laws are ineffective out outright wrong is an entirely different topic that I will not address here.

I will take you at face value if you make the claim that you never once manipulated a situation to your favor, and that you always followed ethics and law without fail. I have met men and women who are capable of such integrity and I have no reason to believe you are not one of them. I will not accept that claim from you for any other officer however, as they will need to speak for themselves. No matter what a person says though, their actions will always speak louder than their words.

Regards,

TripSeven

wow humans are all fucked up. so much for the 3 dimensional left-brain society...................back to the drawing board.