This article is complete BS. Of course street justice existed - in many places. How many remember the Philadelphia police under Rizzo? Or the actions of the PG County police in Maryland?
Of course it did.
Police departments used to be part of the community as well.
A cop who found you a bit inebriated behind the wheel used to give you a ride home.
A cop that found your teen up to some mischief brought him home after giving him a good talking to and them told you what your little bugger was up too and left the discipline to you.
Yes in the a criminal might get an A**kicking after forcing the cops to chase him but the cops were also more friendly to their neighbors in the past.
I highly recommend the following Youtube by Chris Rock. How not to get your ass kicked by the police.
If the link doesn't work, go to Youtube and look it up. Hilarious.