Disloyal Opposition: More sticky-fingered cops
When Sir Robert Peel professionalized law-enforcement in the 19th Century, he made it clear in the principles he laid down for the trade that police officers were never intended to be some elevated class of people. “[T]he police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen.”
Today, though, police testimony is given extra weight in court, there are special laws protecting police against public scrutiny and special penalties against those who harm law-enforcement officers. In the course of their duties, they are allowed
