
Confessions of a Former Bastard Cop - artur_makly
https://medium.com/@OfcrACab/confessions-of-a-former-bastard-cop-bb14d17bc759
======
aspenmayer
'We used to have informal contests for who could cite or arrest someone for
the weirdest law. DUI on a bicycle, non-regulation number of brooms on your
tow truck (27700(a)(1) of the California Vehicle Code)… shit like that. For
me, police work was a logic puzzle for arresting people, regardless of their
actual threat to the community. As ashamed as I am to admit it, it needs to be
said: stripping people of their freedom felt like a game to me for many
years.'

'In fact, let me tell you about an extremely formative experience: in my
police academy class, we had a clique of around six trainees who routinely
bullied and harassed other students: intentionally scuffing another trainee’s
shoes to get them in trouble during inspection, sexually harassing female
trainees, cracking racist jokes, and so on. Every quarter, we were to write
anonymous evaluations of our squadmates. I wrote scathing accounts of their
behavior, thinking I was helping keep bad apples out of law enforcement and
believing I would be protected. Instead, the academy staff read my complaints
to them out loud and outed me to them and never punished them, causing me to
get harassed for the rest of my academy class. That’s how I learned that even
police leadership hates rats. That’s why no one is “changing things from the
inside.” They can’t, the structure won’t allow it.'

~~~
Waterluvian
I remember bullying when I was a kid. It can be intoxicating. Seems like many
or most American police forces are just “being a bully as a profession.”

~~~
Melting_Harps
> I remember bullying when I was a kid. It can be intoxicating. Seems like
> many or most American police forces are just “being a bully as a
> profession.”

It was clear for anyone who has had to deal with LEO to see that they openly
vett for those qualities seen in grade-school bullies in their hiring: low IQ,
poor academic performance, often troubled and broken home life, possible
mental defects that lead to violent tendencies and a propensity for
intimidation.

I'd say that's quite accurate, most people here have had a very skewed
perception of Police as some sort of _misrepresented_ entity and only are now
starting to see just how systemic it is. Seeing them shot journalists, tear
gas peaceful people, and use excessive force with compliant citizens is
nothing but the norm.

But, we've been here before and the pressure needs to be applied to PDs all
over the US that this will not be tolerated any longer. Some did give into
protesters, but that is not enough in my opinion.

> I find the post hard to believe. There's zero evidence any of this is real.

Police budgets need to be slashed until they comply, which means they lose
their pensions without meeting very clear defined benchmarks and officers who
have records for misconduct need to be tried for their crimes as any civilian
would, instead of just using the same tired 'bad apple' apologist narrative
like the one above.

The fact that we allowed them to be Militarized should be seen for the stark
and immense folly of what happens to a Society that becomes apathetic and
desensitized to perpetual erosion on Civil Liberties and Law itself; I still
can't fathom who the hell anyone thought Civil Asset Forfeiture was anything
but a State Sanctioned shake-down/extortion racket on the populace, because
even if you are proven to be innocent the State doesn't have to return the
stolen property, and as some exposes revealed [1] they often used it for their
own personal largess.

And this is typically seen if you have ever gone to court, or jury duty, there
will be a litany of cases you'll hear about dismissed cases needing to appeal
for the money or property taken from them upon detainment or arrest. Its
sickening, because even if it is dismissed you still have to pay them for the
duration of your arrest, and then to have the records of the arrest/detainment
be removed, as well as have any DNA records expunged from the records.

This entire system has to be rebuilt, it simply doesn't serve the People who
fund it. And most will never realize that until its too late and they found
themselves marred by the very system they condoned.

1:
[https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2014/06/05/...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2014/06/05/cops-
in-texas-seize-millions-by-policing-for-profit/#1a689c4f1a81)

------
kemitchell
Unverified. Anonymous. Single-post account.

I really, really want to read and hear candid views from California police
officers. But I can't take this in and let it play out on my biases in this
form. I definitely can't use it to persuade anyone else, so I don't want to be
persuaded by it, consciously or otherwise.

Perhaps it's entirely true and the author found it cathartic to read and
publish.

~~~
thephyber
Michael Wood Jr.[1] was a former marine, who later became an LEO in Baltimore,
then later quit and told his story around 2015. He has written a book, done
tons of interviews (including a Joe Rogan), and spoken up about how corrupt he
believes his former department to be.

Of course Baltimore might be an outlier (very urban and high crime), but it's
a data point from the perspective of an articulate person.

[1] [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-
canada-33293421](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33293421)

------
wand3r
> I don’t want to center the conversation on myself and my big salty boo-hoo
> feelings about my bad choices. It’s a toxic white impulse to see atrocities
> and think “How can I make this about me?”

I just don’t buy this. I think this is not written by a cop at all. Such weird
characterizations and worded with a of political ideology. It goes on and on.
I can’t tell if it’s trolling or if someone used a bunch of stories and known
tactics to create a composite character. Especially an account with little
else contributed. Especially on Medium which is an extremely progressive
haven. I just think this is bullshit but would probably be accurate to some
cops lived experience.

~~~
_bxg1
Yeah, without even reading it this set off a number of red flags for me. If
this person is real, they should submit their story to a journalist at a major
publication who can verify their identity without making it public.

~~~
thephyber
You mean they wouldn't name their Medium user "Ofcr A. Cab"? No Way!

ACAB = "All Cops Are Bad/Bastards"

~~~
_bxg1
Hah, didn't even notice that.

------
cosmodisk
I am a law abiding citizen and only had a handful of situations when I had to
deal with police and all of them were absolutely awful: 1) found a wallet with
some documents,cards,etc. Went to the police station just to be told they
don't have facilities to store such items and suggested to destroy the
cards,as the person would have changed them all anyway. When I visited the
same station second time, I noticed an entire safe with a massive label saying
'lost items'.. 2) My bag got stolen just outside an office building. Went to
the police to report it just to be told that maybe the street cleaner swept it
away. Told him that it all happened in front of a CCTV,so it'd be quite easy
to figure out who did it.Came up with zillions of excuses. Ended up going to
the office building and talking to the security guy myself.Turns out they have
a dummy camera outside,even showed the internal coverage on his screens. 3)
Customer went bananas and threatened (over the phone) to kill everybody in the
office, put bombs,etc. Had to report to the police. The whole thing lasted two
hours.The policewoman was like: you know, people make jokes, sometimes they
say things they don't mean,etc. So why do you want to report it,etc..
Eventually she took all the details and said: well,you know,if he tries this
again, or if he shows up at the office, here's the case reference, call on
this number,give the case ref and we'll update the case with new
info.Yes,sure,I was thinking, a guy shows up with a gun at my office,I try to
escape and call police while I run: 'oh hi officer,I have an update on a
case.Yes,I do have a case reference.. The experiences of some friends are
usually much worse.

~~~
foxyv
I learned similar lessons about police when I was a kid. We would get
burglarized almost every year by the same house down the street. Every time we
called the police they would show up a day later and spend most of their time
doing nothing and trying to blame us for getting robbed. They cared so little
about actual crime.

At the same time some cop from the same department wrote up my brother for
"Riding a motorcycle on the sidewalk while not wearing a helmet on his
bicycle, crossing a street (Pedestrian) without a walk sign, and running a red
left turn in a car. He got 200 hours of community service because the judge
(Not really a judge but some ticket approver clerk) decided he didn't care if
it made sense. He was doing community service next to a guy that beat and
robbed an elderly woman who got 40 hours instead...

Then we moved to a different city and the sheriffs there were GREAT. You would
meet them out and about and they would say hi and hang out. They actually
cared about their jobs and spent their time keeping the community safe. Report
a car stereo stolen to them and they would set up stings and bait cars! For a
car stereo!

The first city was leasing their cops from a notoriously bad city next door.
The second city funded their own Sheriff, spent tons of money on them to keep
them well trained, and was super politically active (Mostly retirees). Both
cities were within 50 miles of each other.

Consistency of police in the USA is all over the place. I think the ACAB
movement is missing something. They are alienating the groups that can
actually make a difference with policing. The LEOs who are actually good at
their jobs and the people who honestly cherish them. At the same time I know
what kind of cop they are really after!

------
woodandsteel
It would be good to know if there are place in the US, or in other countries,
that handle these matters better than what he is describing.

That's both to know if it is possible, and if it is what are the
practicalities in making it work.

------
znpy

        That’s how I learned that even police leadership hates rats.
        That’s why no one is “changing things from the inside.” 
        They can’t, the structure won’t allow it.

------
shadowprofile77
>It’s a time that I acted as a violent agent of capitalism and white
supremacy.

With this he lost me a bit on trustworthiness. What the hell does capitalism
have to do with thuggish policing? Many European states with generally decent
cops are quite capitalist (not to mention Canada just to the north of the U.S)
and many socialist/communist states were famous for the brutality of their
police, just as are some essentially "capitalist" countries. The narrative of
capitalism somehow being the cause of police brutality needs to be split up as
the ideological nonsense that it is.

I don't even think white supremacy so specifically defined is a major issue
here. Racism definitely exists in the police forces of the U.S but it's also
often black or Latino or Asian cops who are just as heavy handed as their
white companions.

~~~
mthoms
Capitalism is not binary - the countries you mentioned are predominantly
capitalist but have more robust social safety nets for people in need. They
also (generally) don't have things like civil forfeiture, for-profit prisons,
"cash" bail and corporate control of politicians by "donation". All are
aspects of capitalism taken to the extreme (IMHO).

I agree it was suspect wording though. It would have served the author better
to focus on the vast income equality that exists in the US "version" of
capitalism.

~~~
thephyber
> Capitalism is not binary

I think this is the biggest problem with political discourse right now. We
don't really have the vocabulary to accurately describe the status quo or a
desired end state we should aim for.

~~~
mthoms
I agree. It's especially difficult since the "S" word has become synonymous
with "anti-American" due to (mostly) conservative rhetoric.

------
rapjr9
One thing I haven't seen surface in the conversation on police violence is
discussion of the use of steroids by the police.

------
runawaybottle
We don’t need the confessions, we have video evidence.

Save it.

~~~
salawat
If you cannot accept contrition when it comes, even if too late for your
tastes, you're just as bad as those you detest, and complicit in perpetuating
the same cycle of sin.

If you want to lay claim to the moral high ground, you still have to actually
_act_ as one that must that inhabits it. Not merely abstain from the extrema
of behavior of those you deem lessers through their actions.

It's refreshing to at least have one admit it, and you should be thrilled to
see that even now, sentiment amongst those you consider guilty is turning them
toward the path of redemption.

Unless, again, you're just as bad as they are, and you're just looking to
change the subjects of suffering in the world instead of reducing the overall
amount.

It isn't exactly an uncommon personality trait. So at least you're in good
company if that is the case.

~~~
runawaybottle
My critique is mostly tactical, as in, I am literally saying ‘we don’t need
you in this discussion anymore, even to provide insight’.

This is something that can happen after egregious patterns over time. It is a
valid consequence.

There’s almost nothing they have to lend to the debate anymore, those
opportunities existed for ages.

We’ll fix this without them. My stance on this is as valid as their need to
have a say.

If this stance is a problem that ails the world, that’s fine, it a better
problem than what comes with whatever police have to express at this point.

It’s a better problem.

Edit: I just want to add, the cop is also admitting to crimes. Is the modern
blog post ornamentation? Where you can dress yourself up in absolution?
Wonderful you put it in blog form. We have no time for it, plus your guilty of
crimes. How poetic.

~~~
mthoms
>we don’t need you in this discussion anymore, even to provide insight

I strongly disagree. This article has given me more insight into the _process_
by which a cop "becomes evil" than literally any other piece I can recall. I
hope it's authentic but who knows.

>If this stance is a problem that ails the world, that’s fine, it a better
problem than what comes with whatever police have to express at this point.

I feel like I read an entirely different piece than you did... the author _is
not_ a police officer. He's a _former_ police officer who seems to have
genuinely come to hate the profession as much as _anybody_.

Edit: To clarify, I agree with the notion that the system is broken. Which is
why we _absolutely_ should be listening to (former) cops who acknowledge its
failures.

That is, assuming this post is legit of course. I'm inclined to think it is,
but in this day and age who knows.

~~~
Melting_Harps
> I strongly disagree. This article has given me more insight into the process
> by which a cop "becomes evil" than literally any other piece I can recall. I
> hope it's authentic but who knows.

Then its clear you have been the fortunate few who have never had to be
subjected to the perverse legal system in the US, or spent any time in low
income areas where those tactics are 'business as usual' in what is referred
to as policing. This is the norm, shows like The Wire or even Treme (both made
by the same director) are just as much documentaries and exposes as they are
entertainment. The latter skewing into some sort of misery porn.

And to be honest, given this is Hacker News, that doesn't surprise me. I just
wonder if it ever occurred to you what the plight of those immense amount of
homeless people is, and what happens to them when they're no longer in sight?

> I feel like I read an entirely different piece than you did... the author is
> not a police officer. He's a former police officer who seems to have
> genuinely come to hate the profession as much as anybody.

Again, proving the point that this is not something that has only just
occurred out of no-where, but is seemingly systemic in the very system we're
discussing. Again, no one involved with any activism is surprised by what just
occurred with Police, we've all seen it up close and been subject to it, its
what you understand going into them.

What was remarkable was how surprised the rest of you were towards them, and
how often people are still quick to rationalize their behaviour. This is what
authoritarian regimes do, they bolster the police to enforce political decree,
not Law. Look at Hong Kong, its way more pervasive than you think and it stems
from the same thing.

~~~
mthoms
Whoa. I've never had a comment of mine so wildly misread. You even managed to
throw in a personal attack and a diatribe against all of HN. Incredible.

We're in total agreement that the entire system is corrupt. I can't for the
life of my understand why you interpreted my comment to mean anything else.

~~~
Melting_Harps
> Whoa. I've never had a comment of mine so wildly misread. You even managed
> to throw in a personal attack and a diatribe against all of HN. Incredible.

You disagreed with a post that suggests that this wasn't the case. As for the
personal 'diatribe,' I've argued this POV here before these recent events to a
great deal of opposition as if it was a non-issue. Its in my post History of
you care to find it.

I even quoted a person in the thread denying the validity of these claims, as
if they're even really needed to discern the obvious.

> We're in total agreement that the entire system is corrupt. I can't for the
> life of my understand why you interpreted my comment to mean anything else.

Your post doesn't seem to suggest that, but if that's the case then I
apologize if you think I was vilifying you.

But understand this is visceral for some of us that have been in the same
position and have had our Lives thrown into disrepute for no other reason than
'pissing off' someone with a badge and a gun and saw no recourse for their
violent behaviour.

I'm ultimately glad this happened, if only it allows the country to see what
kind of despotism has creeped its way under the guise of Security since 9/11
that is normally kept out of sight from most People.

I mean did you see this recent article of the Pentagon targeting GenZ
'terrorists' in some perverse simulation in 2018:

[https://theintercept.com/2020/06/05/pentagon-war-game-
gen-z/](https://theintercept.com/2020/06/05/pentagon-war-game-gen-z/)

~~~
mthoms
Have a look at the quotes I was specifically replying to. I was simply
disagreeing with the idea that we should ignore everything and anything that
former or current police have to say about what's wrong with the system.

I think that's true especially in the context of this blog post. That is,
someone who has (allegedly) served "the system" and now sees how pervasively
evil it is.

Of course, I'm not suggesting we should give their input undue weight or that
we shouldn't take it with a huge grain of salt. In fact — we may ultimately
decide to ignore it altogether but.... the more information we have the
better.

Your apology is accepted, thanks. I'll attempt to clarify what I wrote.

And wow, the link you posted is _positively terrifying_. I hadn't seen it, but
I'm a big fan of what The Intercept does. Cheers.

