Betrayal of Trust

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Is it us, them or someone else?  It seems the public’s relationship with police and law enforcement agencies keeps deteriorating. Since the creation of police forces, some as early as the 12th century, the problem of corruption has never been resolved.

Modern police departments and law enforcement agencies usually have some element of self-control and oversight. Whether it’s called Internal Affairs or like that of the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility, all are some form of self-policing.  On occasion, it’s necessary to have an outside agency perform the investigation like the FBI has in the case of the Kansas City, Kansas Police theft ring.

Three KCK police officers indicted for stealing

By JOE LAMBE

The Kansas City Star

For a year, three Kansas City, Kan., police officers in an elite unit conspired to steal money, video games and other property, according to federal grand jury indictments unsealed today.
The three were among four officers arrested in January and suspended without pay following an FBI sting operation.
Jeffrey M. Bell, 33, Darryl M. Forrest, 31, and Dustin Sillings, 33, took money and goods from the FBI in the sting operation and from Tawana Webster and other unknown victims, the indictment states.

All three men pleaded not guilty today in first court appearances in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., and left without comment. (More at the website.)

The base allegation is that the three officers, while executing search warrants, stole personal property such as iPods, game controllers and other items. They committed theft while executing the warrants.

You can find many such examples of police corruption, many much worse, within a few moments of internet searching.  Perhaps what is worse is the attitude of the police with the general public.  Over the last few decades an “us vs. them” attitude has become apparent in some departments.  An attitude some call “the only ones.”

That attitude is that the police are the “only ones” able to do…, qualified to do…, whatever the police want that they don’t want for the general public.  In the case of the KCK trio, it’s appropriating personal belongings of people who are being served search warrants.  After all, they are the bad guys, right?
Corruption of public trust can be acts of commission such as the thefts above, or the failure to act, an act of omission such as failure to enforce the law like the failure to enforce immigration law.  Both acts, commission and omission, are equal in their impact against the public trust.

Corruption of the public trust, regardless of position or rationalization is as heinous a crime as any on the books.  Without public trust, government cannot succeed.  Without public trust, law is meaningless.  Without public trust, anarchy will increase.

It is good that crimes such as those committed by the KCK trio are made public and that the department, with outside assistance, was successful in policing itself.

However, public trust covers more than police and law enforcement agencies.  It is also applicable to elected officials at all levels—from local city, county, state governments, and government at the federal level.  When government fails its public trust. No good can come from it.

2 thoughts on “Betrayal of Trust”

  2. Old NFO is correct. The police dept here has now completed its transition to all-black ninja suits, expedition-to-Iraq tacticool gear, and knee-boots.

    There is nothing about the local po-po which inspires any citizen confidence whatsoever.

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