Think of what it took to open up the corruption - again, a rather weak word - in the Los Angeles Police Department. It took catching an officer, Rafael Periz, stealing cocaine from the police evidence locker and making a leniency deal with him. Will it take the same to open up other departments across the nation? Or, will the others NOT catch any officer doing anything wrong and simply ask them to quietly resign?

And, what is up with these people caught in lies and brutality, even killing, to simply get away with suspensions, resignations, or simple reprimands. My gosh, they have been committing serious felonies, including killing without cause. The intent is to kill, in some cases, and then plant evidence. Just the mere carrying of a “back-up” weapon (is that a special term for backing up a wrongful shooting?) could be indicative of first degree murder intent.

Shouldn’t these people be tried just as any ordinary killer in the case of those who have killed wrongfully? At the very minimum, shouldn’t those who have lied or planted evidence take the place of their victims by assuming their sentences at the very minimum?

What other punishment is suitable? After all, these people were hired, in part, to protect the innocent, not to terrorize those they assume are guilty because of gang affiliations or just because an officer doesn’t like the person. Is it any wonder that police officers are attacked and/or shot by civilians? Can’t fear be a very strong motivator when approached for even a law-abiding person who thinks he is likely to be beaten or shot?

This is in no way excusing away the actions of gang members or those who do violate laws but it seems that the LAPD is fast approaching being the worst gang of all time. Over 3000 cases against them and the probe into its illegal activities isn’t that old - what, about two to three months. And, the tally of wrongful deaths and convictions are expected to go higher as others come forward.

What if the actions of the officers resorting to Gestapo, terrorist tactics are the norm for police forces across the nation? What if the many thousands of people resisting arrest and, therefore, beaten brutally are cases of the police force simply venting itself on a citizen who may have done nothing more than have a previous record - or, even more frightening, no record at all and completely innocent of any wrong doing?

From personally interviewing people in other states (Mississippi and Texas), there have been cases of people stopped in, let’s say, isolated areas, and then beaten or threatened with beatings when there wasn’t any crime committed nor were they suspect of anything. But, nonetheless, the individuals were beaten and dragged to jail.

As frightening as it is, it seems as if people in different policing agencies feel they have the right to do anything they want, rather than obeying the laws themselves. They act as if the badge they are entrusted with, and the oath they take, is a license to harass, beat, and do anything else whether the people they are confronting are violating civil and/or criminal laws or not.

In addition to breaking many civil and criminal laws, they violate many of the clauses in the Constitution, especially when dealing with innocent people. This includes moral laws, and, of course, their own rules and code of ethics, along with ethics as accepted by society. What does that make them?

Police forces are being taught to shoot first and to shoot to kill. After all, the dead can’t testify against them. Carrying a gun is no longer a means of defense but is an offensive weapon. One young lady just recently could only talk of “blowing someone’s shit away” during her police training with a firearm. Is that the attitude new officers should have? (Her training is for a small town police force, by the way.)

Is the purpose of police forces to instill fear in people, the type of fear that might result in them attempting to defend themselves before any necessity arises? What if the person does have a record and fears when stopped that he will be brutalized simply because of his record? Or, his skin color? Isn’t that enough to cause this person to possible shoot first? Are the police in a battle against civilians? Or are they there to protect and serve? All forces seem to have that high-minded motto but - is it what they believe? Or do they instead believe they are there to protect their own and to make a given number of arrests and convictions? Which do they believe and live by? Which do they respond to during investigations and/or arrests?

It seems those in the LAPD respond to the latter. The goal is to make arrests, get convictions (even if evidence has to be planted), and do whatever they want to instill fear in those they patrol.

That, Ladies and Gentlemen, scares the crap out of me. And, I am not a criminal and have only received three tickets (traffic violations) in my entire life.

However, I don’t travel in the states of Lousiana and Kansas due to their practices of seizing property (vehicles and money) and dragging innocent people to jail. People have had civil rights violated and placed in the position of proving their innocence. And, why? Because they had money with them or drove an expensive car.

I don’t travel on any backroads when visiting my brother in Mississippi even though one of my favorite activities is to cruise backroads looking for wildlife and anything else that is interesting, such as unique homes and landscaping. Why don’t I? Because I know how corrupt sheriff’s departments and the courts are there from personal experience.

I sit somewhat in fear in my own home most of the time because I never know when some enforcement agency is going to bust into my home (I write political articles, many of which are directed against the government and, of late, the largest criminal ring of all, the IRS), confiscate my computer, disks, plant evidence, or, even worse, bust in shooting and kill me. It has happened multiple times across the nation and is sure to continue happening.

Is that how one must live one’s life when trying to get the Constitution of the united States restored to its position of placing the people over the government? One might speculate in the affirmative since enforcement agencies keep getting away with like actions. This, in spite of the fact they may have killed or severely threatened, innocent American citizens while often not even receiving a slap on the wrist.

Is that what this nation has become? A nation of people living in fear of government and its policing agencies?

If so, it is time the problem be corrected.