When I decided to join the Feds in 71, my dad who was a cop told me he was upset by my decision as he believed I was able to do better. He added, I have one piece of advice for you: never trust a cop.
A few years later, An LT in a city intel unit I was working with was arrested by DEA agents with 2 lbs of heroin. I could not believe it but my dad’s advice rang again in my ear. A few years later I left for better pastures.
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What a great commentary by Frank Serpico. If only more good cops like him would find their balls and stand up against any corruption they see in their departments, including excessive force. They seem so out of control now days, killing dogs for fun, flash banging babies in cribs, shooting dead unarmed mentally ill people etc, etc.
And the worse their reputation gets, the worse will become the personality and intellect of new recruits to police work, until finally only bullies and those yearning for authority (an authority which they are too weak or warped to acquire naturally) will put on the badge. In the end too few healthy and honest men will want want to do the work... What a horrible downward spiral.
Power corrupts. It’s why the government shouldn’t have much power.
Cops are the muscle of the state. Like the muscles of a malicious brute, they are as brutish and unthinking as the government they serve. A good government would not tolerate, let alone, reward a bad cop. Ours does.
If the police are still out of control then everything else is being confused with reality. Too bad cops don’t have to measure up like the guns they use on the job. Individual gun parts and the full assembly are held to precise dimensional and other tolerances and are measured accurately with instruments of quality. So why not hold the law enforcement officer carrying the gun to similar standards?
Excellent article worth the time to read. He did give six recommendations for ways to improve police departments. The only one he didn’t give is to disband the police unions.
I saw corrupt stuff in the military that really changed my attitude while serving. Some examples: A General who thought nothing of traveling with his girlfriend/secretary to all kinds of events at taxpayer expense.
collecting over a thousand dollars to purchase a pistol for a change of command.
Senior non-commissioned officers forcing enlisted members to join AUSA, CFC, and other crap while getting kickbacks from said organizations.
Try and report this stuff and you would never get promoted and be placed on every crap job available.
Thanks for posting - really informative.