Why does police corruption still exist?

Question

And why does it seem to be a mostly Western hemisphere phenomenon?

Paul

Answer 1

Money & Power and it is NOT a western hemisphere phenomenon, it occurs everywhere and in Communist Russia (USSR) it was 10 times worse than anywhere else!

Answer 2

First, its not a western hemisphere phenon. Graft exists all over the world and is much worse in many places. Basheed is the term used in some parts of the world. In many places, minor government officials are so poorly paid that corruption and kick backs is an accepted business practice. Not right but still accepted. No matter what group or population you use as a basis, there is a certain percentage of people that are not honest. Whether it be police, politicians, bureacrats, building inspectors, etc. it really doesn't matter - that dishonest % will always exist.

Answer 3

First of all, police corruption is not "a western phnomenon." The corruption of police in Mexico (which is not considered "Western" but Latin American) and in India are horrific. In many (decidedly non-Western) African countries the extralegal death squads and the police are comprised of virtually the same people.

Police corruption continues in the United States because the police are primarily local, and the police are not something that is able to "police" itself. The political elements which would repair police corruption are also the same socio-polical elements which depend on the forces of political legitimacy and force. Those who would change the system are also those who see the extant system as their reinforcer and defender.

Nobody likes to think that the guy who comes to the door in a police uniform is actually a crook with a weekly salary. It is true that cops and criminals are not opposites but similars. But who is it that can easily grasp that the guy getting out of the patrol car is not the moral, scrupulous person we'd like him to be? Do we have a choice? Who do we call in case of emergency? We have to call the blue-clad dastards. Who else?

I have absoutely no confidence in cops whatever. I dread having to call the cops as much as having my house intruded upon by burglars. I don't want to talk to or associate with gun toters and a burglary means the unwanted entry into my life of two kinds of gun toters. Not good.

Answer 4

Because cops are human and humans can be easily tempted. In the western hemisphere we have a free flow of information and free press, so I'm sure that's why you may here about it here so much. How about the press? Do you think it might be better if the media would report news honestly rather than try to sell news?

Answer 5

Police officer have an ability to think the are above the law, with weak benifits, miserable salary and not to mention the risk of expiring on every call you make, some police look to other means to so call, "Collect their dues". Every officer I know feels thier job is under rated and deserves much more credit then they recieve, and maybe they do!? But others feel they have the right to take, if its from a junkie he deserves it, if its from a pimp, he had it coming. They take from or steal from them, which makes them no better then the dirt bag they are shaking down.
Or you can say they become a victim of their surroundings.
(Training Day)

Answer 6

Because the world is still corrupt. Never will there a be a time when there isn't some type of gov't. corruption. Seeing it as part of a police force is one of the lowest and most common forms.

Answer 7

All I know about is the US. And what I believe the problem with police is that they don't have to have a college education. They are usually from the town they work in and haven't seen much of the world and haven't learned about it in college.
Basically, I'm calling police idiots. They are corrupt because they are idiots.

Here's a joke for you to tell your children, "What does a cow say? Moo!
What does a chicken say? Cluck cluck!
What does a pig say? 'You're under arrest.'"

Answer 8

Man have you been fooled.
There is definitely corruption in our police, But it is nothing compared to the corruption in the rest of the world.
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, Add an ego and you get all kind of trouble.

Answer 9

Why do teachers have sex with their underage students? Why do lawyers use cocaine? Why do doctors smoke? Why do Marines rape and kill innocent people?

Your question and the above ones, only refer to an extremely slight minority. Corruption exists because the world is corrupt, but most of the officers I know are not...call us we will come...

Answer 10

It is world wide. It exists even more blatantly in countries that have socialism as the form of government. You hear more about it here because the far-left leaning news media prefers not to criticize other countries.