Springboard 14: Abuse of Power
Give a man power, he's bound to abuse it. Have you ever had to arrest a dirty cop? How did it make you feel?
I’ve never arrested a dirty cop, but I’ve been there to see more than my far share taken away.
And in one very personal case I handed the District Attorney evidence in a case then ran away, as in from Boston and the can of worms I opened, without looking back.
I have to believe the vast majority of any police force would never consider crossing the line. But it only takes one.
Why do they do it? Why did my father do some cops go bad?
Is it just greed? Is it watching some of very people they are protecting the public from make more in a day than they do in a career? Or is it personal pressure? Is it the futility of working 80 hour weeks to provide for a family they never have time to see and they need a little something to make it worth while? Could it be necessity? Do these cops find themselves in situations were there is no way out but the back door? Is it for the rush? Is it as simple as a game for some? Or is it something else?
Do some police officers jump the fence because it’s the only way they numb that little voice that questions the sanity of the path their lives have taken? Do they wonder if there is something more then rounding up the usual suspects only to have red tape and lawyer's spin spit them out 48 hours later? Is looking the other way; planting evidence; cutting corners; padding reports…anything to help to grease the wheels of the system make that righteous decision to spend one’s life to serve and protect seem a little less of waste of time? Does it all boil down to a matter of ego or is it sometimes just misplaced honor?
All I know is that even standing on the sidelines watching a dirty cop being arrested sucks. I can only imagine how it feels to be the one who puts the cuffs on and everyone who was left...Disillusioned.
I’ve never arrested a dirty cop, but I’ve been there to see more than my far share taken away.
And in one very personal case I handed the District Attorney evidence in a case then ran away, as in from Boston and the can of worms I opened, without looking back.
I have to believe the vast majority of any police force would never consider crossing the line. But it only takes one.
Why do they do it? Why did my father do some cops go bad?
Is it just greed? Is it watching some of very people they are protecting the public from make more in a day than they do in a career? Or is it personal pressure? Is it the futility of working 80 hour weeks to provide for a family they never have time to see and they need a little something to make it worth while? Could it be necessity? Do these cops find themselves in situations were there is no way out but the back door? Is it for the rush? Is it as simple as a game for some? Or is it something else?
Do some police officers jump the fence because it’s the only way they numb that little voice that questions the sanity of the path their lives have taken? Do they wonder if there is something more then rounding up the usual suspects only to have red tape and lawyer's spin spit them out 48 hours later? Is looking the other way; planting evidence; cutting corners; padding reports…anything to help to grease the wheels of the system make that righteous decision to spend one’s life to serve and protect seem a little less of waste of time? Does it all boil down to a matter of ego or is it sometimes just misplaced honor?
All I know is that even standing on the sidelines watching a dirty cop being arrested sucks. I can only imagine how it feels to be the one who puts the cuffs on and everyone who was left...Disillusioned.