They were police officers when they committed their acts, they are charged as police officers, and their employment status is simply ex. Calling them ex police officers in regards to the charges, suggest they committed these as civilians, not as police officers under the color of uniform.
good point
“They were police officers when they committed their acts, they are charged as police officers, and their employment status is simply ex. Calling them ex police officers in regards to the charges, suggest they committed these as civilians, not as police officers under the color of uniform.”
Logic does not always coexist with convention.