I've never been involved in a drug raid before but I have had a police officer steal from me. He was a sergeant with the High Pint Police Department. he took the $20.00 bill I had just withdrawn from an ATM during a traffic stop. "I'm keeping this for evidence" he said.
Pinning on a badge doesn't make one honest any more than standing behind a pulpit makes one saved. It is a pity that some people feel that when given a little authority or respect that they have the right to use that position to enrich themselves at the expense of others. When I was in the military I caught a chief doing something most people would have been punished for and I called him on it. He said "RHIP".
"What does that mean?" I inquired.
"Rank has it's privileges."
"RHIR" I said.
"And what does that mean?" he retorted.
"Rank has it's responsibilities"
Sure having authority should have it's privileges, like a special parking spot or a bigger office, or a better view, or the right to ask people to do some mundane things we don't want to do but it also carries with it the responsibility of following all the rules, of being the good example, and making proper decisions.
Just because one is a cop does not give one the privilege of stealing $20.00 from a struggling citizen or a pair of "Air Jordon's" from a suspected drug dealer.
During the Chief Wray affair in Greensboro there were several police officer's that were forcing prostitutes to "service" them in lieu of arrest. I'm sure that goes one in every big city police department in the country.
It doesn't take many bad police officers to make one distrust all of them. 'One bad apple spoils the whole bushel" ws a favorite saying when I was growing up. I fully understand what it means now.
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