Is it enough to just not be the one doing the misdeed, or is positive action in stopping the misdeeds of other cops necessary? For instance, with all the videos out there showing cops beating the shit out of people, planting evidence, pocketing evidence and/or money etc., I don’t recall seeing any showing fellow police officers putting a stop to such illegal endeavors and detaining said bad cops, unless it was a sting operation. How low is the bar to be a “good cop”, and where should it actually be set?
Enforce the law without being a racist dickbag. Actually do that, don’t just claim that, do it. If there’s a white feller you wouldn’t shoot 17 times for walking down the middle of the street, try not to think it’s ok to shoot a black feller doing the same thing.
And as a “good” cop, what should you do if you see a fellow cop misbehaving as you describe?
I don’t know.
(I’m probably not cut out to be a cop.)
Do nothing for the blue wall. That’s it. The blue wall shouldn’t exist. Back up your fellow cops when they’re in danger due to violent criminals, and back them up when they’re behaving correctly, but actively work against them if they’re behaving badly. That means report it up the chain. If that doesn’t work, report it to IA and/or the local DA. If that doesn’t work, report it to the media. Anything less should be unacceptable.
What about skipping all that shit and arresting a “fellow” cop that you observe breaking the law? What is the “chain of command” for when a police officer observes a citizen breaking the law?
The very first second you start to think of people who aren’t cops as “them,” you should hand in the badge and gun.
Except in cases where it’s not possible to do so safely (say, you’re around 6 cops and you’re the only one who objects to an instance of bad behavior), then yes. In those cases, observe and report when safe, up to and including the media if the other paths don’t work.
I’m thinking of Serpico when I refer to safety.
What do the regulations say?
I wouldn’t want any cop to be able to start arresting fellow cops any time he sees something that looks strange to him, any more than I want any cop to start arresting the general public any time he sees something that looks strange to him. But maybe I’ve met too many auditors who kept their heads in their colons…
One thing I would expect is that they’d make it clear to those cops under their own authority (either subordinates or juniors) what is and is not acceptable, including “we get paid to suspect everybody, but that doesn’t mean all the time”.
Seems to me basic professionalism would mostly cover it.
Most of the positive suggestions covered already are, in my mind, implicit in professionalism.
If an LEO really does not know what they would do, they need to go find other work.
If an LEO has a double standard then they need to be very careful to really know where their line is. Sometimes a partner accepts a free coffee/food. ( you say nothing ) He does x y or z, you tell him to quit or you will report them. ( must follow through )
If the LEO sees another do M S P N and you won’t report it every time, get another job.
If you lie when ascked this question, then you are 100% a bad person & a bad cop. You are held to a higher standard. if you disagree, then IMO, you are a bad cop.
No one can be perfect in everyone’s eyes but if you have no built in rules that are acceptable to your society at this time & place, you should not be in authority of any kind. It is a big grey world out there.
What I would/will do and what you would/will do are different but if we are nuts under the same tree, you better be better/faster/meaner than me because:
There are many people I have or would chose to die for. I have not found anyone I would die because of.
firstis with the mostis
If you have not a plan in place for when a engine quits on takeoff, it is too late to start thinking about it becasuse you have started doing it quite a while back, now it just too damn late.
Many things i life happen too fast to be able to go home and think about
Ah, but then the door is open for the bad cops to start arresting the good cops.
It’s interesting to hear about the Blue Wall. Over here in the UK, there’s nothing so career-enhancing as convicting a fellow officer. (Source: Iain Reid, author of A.C.A.B and ex police officer.)