It is also very hard to get rid of a truly bad cop who is in tight with the union.
I had one such pointed out to me by the brother of an officer on his force. The other cops knew he was rotten, doing drugs, unpredictably violent, and that nobody, even other cops, should ever be alone with him. They also knew that the union would not permit him to be disciplined at all.
The union even had his death reclassified as “In the line of duty”, though he was off duty, DUI and carrying narcotics, and had illegal weapons in his car when he crashed it into a building and died. Why? Because he had no relatives, and his insurance had the union as his beneficiary. Lots of money they wouldn’t get if that other stuff was official.
I really don’t know if our local union is the same as large metro areas (small rural area)
But when you’re in the presence of someone who truly appears to be enjoying your powerlessness....that is terrifying.