Thin blue line

[supergee]

There are cops who are known to be excessive and violent, sometimes costing the city millions in brutality lawsuits, but the police culture protects them. Not all of them are the mayor’s brother.

Thanx to conuly

Comments

[weofodthignen]

The Atlantic again ... totally missing what for many cops is the most important point: if you rat out a brother, you likely won't get back-up when you need it. That's the whole thing about the "thin blue line". In their minds, it's their lives, not their livelihoods.

More cameras, and more disciplinary policies with teeth. Not out-of-touch reporters with scummy magazines calling them cowards.

[ckd]

Addressed in the article; see the first two sentences of the following paragraph.

"""
It sounds harsh to call cops who fail to report bad colleagues “cowards.” A degree of loyalty is inevitable among people who risk their lives with one another. They understandably fear being turned on by the most violent and unethical among their peers, retaliation from management, and the prospect of losing their livelihood. But cowardice is defined as “fear that makes you unable to do what is right or expected.”

The word fits.
"""

[weofodthignen]

Turned on by bad cops =/= not backed up by any fellow cops when in a jam.

Most of us are cowards, and I'm no friend of the cops. But this is lazy, smarmy journalism.

[snippy]

How loyal are they, if they'd punish one of their own for reporting a bad cop? A bad cop is bad for the good cops too.