Quote Originally Posted by mike
I think most police generally believe they are doing the right thing and do a good job. What annoys me is not so much the rampant, almost romanticized corruption in places like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the attitude of authority many of them exert over citizens. They are civil servants. Yeah, the job is rough, boring and sometimes dangerous. That's why we devote tax money to paying for their salaries instead of making it 70% voluntary like the fire department. Stuff like this is inexcusable.
Yeah, that is a problem, I'll admit. I think one of the reasons it's a little worse in the U.S. than in similar westernized countries like Japan and England is the gun culture. In a country full of firearms (but with a very open social system), you end up with a police force that is (A) armed with the power of life and death, and (B) under a constant death threat themselves. This leads to extra "machismo" among cops, which can lead to the attitudes you mentioned.

But still, the vast vast majority of cops in the U.S. are conscientious and follow the law very closely. It's not a police state, you won't be beaten for a confession, you're free to criticize the police, and you have the right to an attorney and a speedy trial. Not enough countries in the world can say that as I'd like.