MikeK
Gold Member
Your reference to some cops as opposed to all cops makes an important distinction. But there is a problem in that the nature of the police occupation demands that no cop bears witness against another cop, or openly criticizes the conduct of another cop.
Violation of that code, which is commonly known as the Blue Wall of Silence, will unavoidably result in being branded a "rat" (read the book or see the movie, Serpico). So the ultimate consequence of adherence to that code is what one bad cop does, and the good cops ignore, reflects on all cops.
Most cops have a more than adequate understanding of the Criminal Law. Some cops, the stupid ones, think they do. The perception of these morons-with-badges is strongly influenced by the bullshit tossed about by "locker-room lawyers," most of whom have come to believe being a police officer places one above the Law.
This perception derives from and is enhanced by what they see happening in arraignment courts and the lower-level courts which deal with 99.9% of arrests, wherein the defendants are unable to afford a motivated lawyer and are talked into pleading guilty by an over-worked public defender. These idiot cops see this happen time-and-time-again and become convinced the Law is their personal province.
The only thing that will change the mind of such a dimwit cop is when a competent and motivated criminal lawyer fries his ass in a superior court trial. But until then he remains the source of bad information for any rookies who are dumb enough to listen to him.
And there is no shortage of them.
