On a number of arrests per 100,000 individuals basis, police have almost the same (within a percentage point or two) rate for being arrested for nearly every crime as non-police do. The only major exception to this is that police are three times more likely to be arrested for sexual assault than non-police are.

Given how many times dubious police actions are ruled “without wrongdoing”, you just about have to assume that for every arrest that is reported, there are several officers who did something illegal and weren’t held responsible for it. Add to that the fact that police often see no charges filed even if they are arrested, and if convicted, usually get lighter sentences than non-police (one of the few situations where mandatory sentencing rules promote justice), it’s not hard to come to a conclusion that a higher percentage of police are criminals than among the general public.

I’ve often wondered if the difference between a lifetime gangbanger and a lifetime cop is whether they graduated the academy and got hired before getting caught committing a felony.

I think that comment was tongue-in-cheek.

I’m not surprised. Cops don’t always follow the law. I apologize if it sounded like I was implying that your friend was publicly intoxicated or causing a public disturbance; that wasn’t my intention. I was trying to point out how utterly easy it is for cops to get away with using those as bullshit charges.

Still, it doesn’t mean that you have a legal obligation to give them your ID. Yes, they can ignore the law. Doesn’t change the fact that you’re right. Not much comfort in a jail cell, but a cop’s lack of respect for the law doesn’t change what the law actually IS.

Having said that, the way so many of these officers responded was outright disgusting.

When the id asking is in or very near the police station, I imagine that police would say that reasonable suspicion is not required* because of heightened security concerns at a police station (which is often used as a “courthouse” and thus subject to more heightened security measures). To put it another way, I imagine that police could set up a policy requiring id of every regcit who comes into the station house (through the front door and not the sally port). At worst the asking for the id might be considered as a form of retaliation against 1A protected speech, if selectively applied only against ppl looking to file complaints.

FOOTNOTE:

* they would also argue “in the alternative” that they had rs, but that is neither here nor there.

It flat out does not matter if the police have probably cause, or reasonable suspicion, or anything. They will do what they do and you will take it, and you can’t do sh!t about it.

As occasionally seen here, the mentality of those entrusted to “uphold the law” is: “Submit Citizen” or “Stop resisting motherfucker.”