Why do you think I wrote all of these novels? I could have spent the last ten years sailing!
Are you familiar with the "legal" crucifixion of the Reese family of Deming/Luna County?
In Luna County, the dirty cops keep the dirtier cops in line with mutual threats of blackmail, everybody knows where all the bodies are buried. Everybody know who worked for which cartel, when. Who provided security at dope runs and stash houses.
What's worse, the DOJ and FBI and ATF use these dirty Luna County cops as their enforcers, dirty ops henchmen, and paid perjurers. Each of these dirty cops could go away for 30 to life if they were examined, so they are happy to play stooge for the DOJ I return for a blind eye and informant pay.
This story is just the tip of a very dirty iceberg.