While I have no love for 'the law', I understand that cops are people, too. I've always kinda wanted to be a cop, but I went the other way and became something of an organized criminal as a young man, instead.
I've had more police contacts before my 18th birthday than ten average people have in a lifetime...they have not all been as professional as you'd hope for by people enlisted to 'serve and protect' on the taxpayer nickel...but then, I was just the horror story/good story later at the donut shop - the cops loved to have.
I hear there's not much difference between the psycological profiles of a high level criminal and a good detective. This information, coupled with my own empirical observations of humans, tells me that people are people, lofty ideals are intangible, and while it may feel righteous to deny our 'lower' desires, we're all ultimately pretty weak when it comes to certain things, be it sex, drugs, fame, power, or whatever.
When humans are given authority over others, it's actually a small percentage that don't instinctually want to abuse that power, in one form or another. They may not want to abuse that power intellectually, and if you asked them they'd be offended, but in reality, it's just so much easier to break the law when you're the one enforcing it. I mean, who's going to write your patrol car a ticket for being double parked unless your dumbass parked behind the govorner?
And this is partially along the lines of the PTSD our boys are getting in forward positions...but when you give someone a gun and tell them that it's okay, they can shoot someone for these reasons (ROE), you're changing that person's psyche and how they view life.
I guess one of the most important things is that we not judge people for their sterotypes, even if they fit them.
Unless they're coming for your pot. Then, you should break out the .308 HK with the fully auto mod and...wait. I'm a pothead. I don't want to break out the heavy artillery...
...but i'm an indignant and entitled American. Don't push me.