“Cops are starting to slaughter the herd.”
Considering the numbers of LEO’s, that is a pretty sweeping statement...and untrue. The “bad apple” count is pretty low, in percentage, in real life and pretty high in, well, Hollywood and major media.
I have not attended Grossman’s 8 hour lecture but I understand it is outstanding. It is generally reserved for LEO’s. However, the impact this has may be beneficial. LEO’s need to know their responsibility as sheepdogs.
Yes, some LEO’s go bad. My agency just had one go to prison this month and another under investigation. In my 31 years associated with this agency, this is a first.
I believe a great deal of the quality of LEO’s depend on the quality of the Chief or Sheriff. We currently have a Chief of unquestionable moral and integrity. I wish I could so that about his predessor. I think the current chief is paying the price of poor moral leadership of the past.
Most of all the civilian population has to hold LEO’s accountable. We can be angry but we cannot paint all with the same brush.
Again, almost all problem LEO’s can be identified easily in their backgrounds.
But to go back to civilian sheepdogs: I agree. Civilian sheepdogs are equally important. Note the CPL guy in the Arizona shooting involving the congresswoman. He is a sheepdog.
It only takes a few “bad apples” to foster so much distrust the system breaks down. I am sure most of the LEOs in my hometown are swell, but a bad experience or two and I don’t trust a damned one of them. They’re screwed if they’re depending on me to help them do their jobs by being their eyes and ears.
It didn’t used to be this way...but now I am the most unobservant “civilian” you’ll ever see. If I see a threat to life or limb, I’ll gun them down myself.