Cops exist for two reasons: (1) to bringing any and every potential criminal in front of a court and (2) protect the property of those with the most influence (elites tied to major commerce/government).
Amusing themselves by harassing people.
Ensuring those of lower social status ‘know their place’ through loophole abuse and outright illegal activity.
Ensuring no cop ever faces justice if it can be helped, unless it’s something really bad. Like being a whistleblower, or trying to stop sexual harassment in the department.
So many uses!
Policing can be a useful function of government when they fulfill (1), but oftentimes, they don’t even do that much. At least here in the US, a great number of police departments are so crooked and unsupervised that they may as well be legal gangs.
Haha, very true! Sure would be nice if they had any accountability and did anything to stop their “rotten apples” from ruining the whole bunch.
But even if they weren’t entirely corrupt, it seems like most people fail to realize that preventing harm is plain and simply not their role in society. It’s up to legislatures to determine what’s criminal, then up to cops to bring in those who break those criminal laws.
I like to imagine cops as low-IQ NPCs that just go around with overly inflated egos, dressed in power-inducing military cosplay outfits, holding the legal knowledge of a toddler, with a lasso and a notepad. They tie up anyone who might be criminal and write down what they think they did wrong, without really using any rational thought and no one looking over their actions. Rinse and repeat.
Amusing themselves by harassing people.
Ensuring those of lower social status ‘know their place’ through loophole abuse and outright illegal activity.
Ensuring no cop ever faces justice if it can be helped, unless it’s something really bad. Like being a whistleblower, or trying to stop sexual harassment in the department.
So many uses!
Policing can be a useful function of government when they fulfill (1), but oftentimes, they don’t even do that much. At least here in the US, a great number of police departments are so crooked and unsupervised that they may as well be legal gangs.
Haha, very true! Sure would be nice if they had any accountability and did anything to stop their “rotten apples” from ruining the whole bunch.
But even if they weren’t entirely corrupt, it seems like most people fail to realize that preventing harm is plain and simply not their role in society. It’s up to legislatures to determine what’s criminal, then up to cops to bring in those who break those criminal laws.
https://mises.org/power-market/police-have-no-duty-protect-you-federal-court-affirms-yet-again
I like to imagine cops as low-IQ NPCs that just go around with overly inflated egos, dressed in power-inducing military cosplay outfits, holding the legal knowledge of a toddler, with a lasso and a notepad. They tie up anyone who might be criminal and write down what they think they did wrong, without really using any rational thought and no one looking over their actions. Rinse and repeat.