I know several police officers and that is a major part of their being.
They expect respect, but the respect they give is a façade.
Yes: They will call you sir. but it doesn’t mean a thing, they have little respect for ordinary citizens. Many really do think they are above the law.
Because unless there are exceptional circumstances the ARE above the law. Remember the Boston co-ed who was murdered by a cop when he shot a pepper spray ball (kind of like a paintball except a lot faster) into her eye (and brain)? Was ruled an accident, and he didn't even get charged with manslaughter. Remember the instructor in the GA polic academy who (IN VIOLATION OF THEIR OWN RULES) was using a loaded gun in a classroom and killed one of the police cadets? He was never charged with anything. He got a paid suspension, but eventually he quit tesching at the police academy.
In the last ten yeas I know of eight cops who were actually charged with something and convicted. There was the Danziger bridge incident where two men were murdered by cops. Five cops were found guilty of a number of charges, but noticeably neither murder or attempted murder were in the mix,
and there was the Atlanta cops who killed 92 year old Kathryn Johnson They plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death I think the longest sentence was 12 years.
I wonder if cops get an especially big thrill out of killing old people. Is it like stomping on a puppy's head as opposed to shooting a charging pit bull?