We hear a lot of cases in the news of cops acting unjustly or unlawfully. The go-to statement of the law enforcement community after such an event is that “it’s just one bad apple”.
Well, we all know the saying: one bad apple spoils the bunch.
Here, good cops reveal the scummiest thing they’ve seen another officer do.
Worst I ever saw was a guy driving a government-vehicle off-duty, and in plainclothes, slugging a beer and walking into a movie theater. Slugged another one when he came out, tossed the empty in the passenger seat, and drove off.
Blew him in to Internal Affairs.
I don’t tolerate corruption or dirty cops. Not reporting it could lose me my job, and their actions not only make my agency look bad, but also taint public trust, which breeds animosity, which makes my job harder.
Screw ’em, they’re dirty, there are 100 people waiting for their shot right behind them.
No breaks for minor things either. Cops should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one.
The_Golden_Image
The worst thing I have personally witnessed was a police honor guard member carrying the casket of his partner that he had murdered.
The shooter was off-duty that night and was busy burglarizing a local business when his partner caught him in the act. From what we understand, shooter wanted partner to cover it up and not say anything. After his partner refused, shooter distracted partner by pointing at something and when partner turned to look shooter shot him in the back of the head with his service 9mm.
The pistol he killed him with was literally bumping the casket as he carried him to his grave.
CoD_GEEK
Federal Correctional Officer here.
We had a female officer who was sleeping with ten or more inmates in the prison.
Had an officer get bribed into bringing cigarettes into the prison for about $300 a pack.
Had a female CO get pregnant from an inmate.
Had a male CO get caught being intimate with an inmate.
The list goes on with stupid stuff that staff will end up doing for inmates for such little money. You have people throwing away their job that pays $50,000+ a year for a few hundred dollars. It just comes down to people being weak minded and greedy.
For some reason we always have dirty staff around and it is hard to pick out the idiots.
[deleted]
I used to be a deputy for the local sheriffs office.
I was still a rookie and had a call once for an attempted suicide by hanging. I responded and saved the lady who was unconscious and very intoxicated. I later found out she was a member of the local government in charge of the budget. She accused me of lying on my report and I was written up. Later, I was suspended for some minor “policy” related issues by the sheriffs internal affairs. Issues which were not exactly explained to me and since I was new I didn’t have “rights” to fight the allegations.
So I sued the sheriffs office and cleared my name. Three months later the sheriffs office obtained brand new cruisers, uniforms, and an armored truck. Seemed to my family and I that the sheriffs office covered up her. And in return obtained new toys.
She was trying to run for state delegate in a couple months. I guess trying to end her own life wouldn’t look good during her campaign.
ssean2266
There was a guy that used to work in my department who would show up to his shift sauced up. I was about three years on when I first encountered it. I got into the police car with him and smelled booze and the usual masking agents such as cologne and mouthwash. We don’t ride double – he was giving me a ride to pick up another police car from the shop, maybe (I forget). He was my assigned partner for that midnight shift, and I felt a uneasiness like never before. This guy was supposed to back me up, and he was intoxicated or at the very least, he had consumed some amount of alcohol. How could I trust him with my life or the lives of the citizens of the community we protect?
At shift change, one of the sergeants pulled me aside and asked me I thought he had been drinking. I said yes, and told my sergeant that I didn’t know what to do. He and I filed an officer’s report right then and there. The officer lost his job shortly thereafter as a result of this report and the following investigation.
He wasn’t a bad guy. He had a reputation for being a strange duck, but not an jerk. He had a number of excellent arrests and commendations in his career as well. He was an alcoholic. But not everyone can or should or is fit to wear the badge. This was many years ago, and whenever I think about it, I think about how I should have spoken up immediately after getting out of the car with him instead of waiting a few hours to tell the sergeant.
I talked to the sergeant about it after the case closed. I should have done something sooner that night, but didn’t know what to do. I admitted that I felt foolish and guilty for being afraid of being seen as a rat or something stupid even though I knew outing him was the right thing to do. The sergeant told me bad reputations and negative images prevail when decent cops turn the other way. Many years have passed and our department is full of young blood. I know the cynical assumption is that the blue wall is tight and things always get swept under the rug, but by me it’s just not the case. I learned early that my coworkers had a strong sense of integrity, and these values have been reinforced time and time again with the new generation.
hatCop
It’s far more common that you think but far less extreme than you would imagine. For instance, attending an AR at a petrol station, I’ve seen cops just grab a chocolate milk and just walk out when they leave knowing the attendant will say nothing cause… well.. he’s a cop.
Plenty of times I knew evidence didn’t make it back or get reported (cash, drugs, electronic items). If you ever pointed a finger it would come back to bite you though.
I left because of the attitude in the Police force to minor corruption. Basically, you shut up or enjoying working transport (Train cop).
[deleted]
I reported a probationary officer for anti Hispanic statements and general thuggish behavior (really pro using force). Got him terminated. Then heard from my brass he messaged another officer saying he knew it was me and I should watch my back. And that’s how my wife conceded to let me buy a shotgun.
His exact words on the initial statement was “I can’t wait until it’s open season on Mexicans”. Then spoke at length about his plan to curb immigration (with a gun). My city is like 30% Hispanic. That crap won’t fly.
MSien
Judge’s high school aged son caught buying large quantities of drugs while in school from an organized crime ring in Jacksonville for sale on the street.
Not only were no charges brought but the school allowed him to graduate,despite the school saying no, they were “convinced” to let him.
PreppyDoge
I was a Corrections Officers for a short time. At the end of our training, we went to the state capital as a group to take our certification exam. We hung out in a group drinking with our instructors, who were also Corrections Officers. At the end of the night, there were just a few of us still in the hotel bar area; a male instructor, three male trainees (including myself), and a female trainee. At that point, one of our instructors started to grope one of the female trainees and whisper things to her. She was super uncomfortable, and the rest of the trainees and I made an excuse that we needed to leave, taking her with us.
The next day, I came forward and told another instructor. With the dirty instructor’s actions seeming so over the top, and the presence of two other witnesses besides myself, I thought this guy would easily get fired.
During the investigation, I was brought into a room with four high-level officers within my organization. They grilled me like I was the one that committed the crime and treated me like a liar that was just trying to get this guy in trouble. I had a positive view of him before the event in question.
Eventually, I found out that the other two male witnesses refused to give any information about what happened (or were intimidated to keep quiet). The victim was apparently treated way worse than I was, and she left the job not too long after that. I stayed on the job for a few months for a couple of different reasons. The dirtbag retained his position and as far as I know, is still in an instructor role.
binarycatalyst
Deputy known for beating girlfriends and being a drunk has multiple reports, never punished for several years because he is a fishing friend of the sheriff, despite witnesses seeing him abuse women.
Girlfriend of the deputy found dead.
She was leaving him that night and told family to expect her. Locals claim they heard him screaming at her before the gun shots. However the response deputies who were friends of the deputy moved (and even stole) evidence from the scene. This was declared a suicide despite the fact that she was shot multiple times, and that she would have been holding the weapon at a nearly impossible angle to pull the trigger, and that this deputy has been rumored to be an abuser. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement believes that this was a murder and has called for State Attorney, to take it to grand jury. But he refuses. The governor and his investigators won’t look into anything further or prosecute or even discuss the case.
PreppyDoge
Caught a fellow officer (my unit, but not my shift/team) drinking and driving.
Apprehended him (military version of arrest); my work lead to his conviction and bad conduct discharge.
PirateKilt
I quit 18 months ago for a job that pays real money.
I worked in suburban america for a low crime city. I backed another guy on a call, don’t remember what it was initially for. The guy we contacted at his apartment was Latino and I speak Spanish so I translated for the other cop.
He got the info he needed and then started telling me to ask him a bunch of legal status stuff. I went along with it for a minute or two until the cop started trying to get me to sling hate about illegals and crap like that. I changed from more or less verbatim translation to “he says this and he says that….” and I started to leave a bunch of his rhetoric out.
When he (the cop) asked if I had told him everything he said I replied that what he was saying was bull and I wasn’t going to sling hate. He started to rebut and I said “we’re done here right? and walked off. The other cop was pissed at me and tried to talk to me about it later in the shift. I told him I didn’t feel the same way about immigration and that I wasn’t going to be his mouth piece for that type of stuff and that if he wasn’t happy about it he should learn Spanish so he could tell them himself. He was pretty pissed at me.
I later talked to my Sgt. about it because I was still pretty new and the other cop got pulled into the office for a chat.
Pretty tame I know but we were a pretty small city and department. Didn’t have a ton of stuff going on.
thejunioristadmin
My former lieutenant deleted reports and erased emails in a sexual assault of an inmate by another inmate. He also made us make a woman pay bond to get out of jail, who was arrested on a case of mistaken identity.
I wrote a statement for the woman’s lawsuit, and quit not too long after that.
Honor, integrity, and respect are never betrayed. I will always hold myself and others accountable for having the courage to do the right thing.
In reality 99% of the people I have worked with are great, lawful people. It’s that one percent that make the news.
williambraskey
While reviewing property crime reports I noted a notoriously lazy officer from one of the uniform sections had canned an easily solvable file. I took the file and solved it with an arrest and then forwarded the details to the administration for action.
disposablecopper
I work for a larger department that has had a very well publicized problem with corruption and bad behavior of officers. We have an awful reputation in the area as a result of stupid things officers have done, be it corruption, idiotic behavior or whatever.
Had our ex-chief routinely have officers called to his residence for large parties he would throw. These would normally involve a fair amount of underage people, booze and a lot of pills. It was common for the officers that responded to the call to suddenly be promoted or end up on a specialty unit of their choosing shortly afterwards.
bonjelea