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My first cousin retired as a lieutenant detective from the NYPD, serving on the Manhattan DA's homicide squad. (I think the Chris Noth character on Law and Order could have been modeled on him, similar in appearance and demeanor.) He was the most incorruptible straight arrow that ever served on any police force in the world. (My grandfather's grandfather, from whom I inherited my name, was a police captain in NYC during the Civil War and was known for his reputation for integrity, and enforcing it on his precinct, when that commodity was often in short supply among the NYPD.)

In his post-police career, my cousin became a lawyer, with a firm that specialized in PBA cases, defending police officers in a jam. He was "of council" to the cops that killed Amadou Diallo, and while he had the professionalism not to discuss the case, he had some difficulty hiding his contempt for his clients, when I asked him about the case. In twenty years on the force, my cousin claims that he never drew his weapon once, and I tend to believe him. I think his clients in that case appeared to him to be gunslingers.

I don't think today's NYPD are nearly as venal as they were when I was growing up. But for the most part, the corruption was petty venality, taking a free lunch or beer, or swiping a newspaper. The problem with venality is that is destroys discipline and undermines public confidence.

FWIW, I do not think the cops in this case overreacted. When you draw a weapon on a cop, you are playing Russian roulette with a loaded weapon.