The Police are an embarrassment, a dangerous one at that

[algasmoon]

More police lies and compensation of £20 grand to 2 students who had fabricated charges brought against them I see on the news.

Good job youtube video is allowed in court.

Our police used to represent decency around the world - not for a long time though, more is the pity. 

Any police officer found fabricating evidence, should get a prison term, end of.  A total abuse of authority. It will only lead to anarchy if they dont get made an example of.

[cee-dee]

I agree, see the Mitchell case?

[charliebird123]

Not many worse than Cleveland.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-22621030

[charliebird123]

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/cleveland-police-mcluckie-489580

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10413697.Cleveland_Police_pay_more_than___500_000_to_Middlesbr...

It goes on and on.

[malacandran]

But is there really such a thing as "The Police". (Except as a rock band)

Or are there only men and women dressed up in police uniforms. Can such uniforms change people into something different.  I mean, suppose you go to a fancy dress-party dressed up as a Vicar or Tart.  Does that change your personality, your nature, at least temporarily?

Perhaps it does.  In fact the more I think about it,  the more plausible it seems. It's why soldiers put on battledress, and judges don wigs and gowns.

[saasher2012]

I think that if you enter a career to uphold the law then you should be above reproach & if you give in to temptation ,you should be made to face up to it in the severest form. Not only does it show it will not be tolerated but also shows to other colleagues that are doing their job properly, that they are being supported .

[malacandran]

If your idea was taken to its conclusion, no-one would dare to join the police.

[saasher2012]

I really don't see why, if you work in the Medical sphere & x the line you get struck off!
If you work anywhere& get caught stealing etc you get the sack.

[cee-dee]

Surely a deliberate contravention of the Law by those who're supposed to uphold it should attract a more severe sentence than contraventions by "the general public"?

[the-geezer]

Bad apples everywhere.

[cee-dee]

Yes, but one bad apple can contaminate all the rest.

Those that don't actually go rotten are suspect because of close association.

[renomarvinm]

Actually, the police, as a whole, are not an embarrassment, and the public is in far more danger without them than with them.  It does not matter if you are discussing police in America, Great Brittain, France, or another western civilization country.  The same principles apply.

First - Statistically, the vast majority of police officers everywhere are honest, motivated,  and try their best to cope with a dangerous, highly stressful, demanding job.

Second - Like any other normal statistical bell curve across the population as a whole, there will be some police employees who either have a poor mind set. or fall to temptation, anger, lust, or some other emotion. and cross over to the "other side."  Familiarity with the process does not help.  Familiarity breeds contempt, and all of that.  You might note, for instance,  that there are a slightly higher number than average of firemen and firefighters, who become arsonists.

In short, police personnel are human just like the rest of us, and like all human population groups. there will be a small number who turn criminal.  This is not unexpected, nor surprising, nor unusual.  Consider the Roman words,

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

OK, so you ARE going to have a criminal element in EVERY profession, doctors, politicians, grociers, bankers, you name it.

[fishpieface]

Good posts Renomarvinm and Saasher.

Some bad in a whole load of good doesn't make the whole lot bad.  What it does do is make

some people tar them all with the same brush without thinking that it is only some who let

their profession down.

Same with any profession.