Crooked Cops in Cook County? Wow, I'm amazed (not)

[TGregg]

CHICAGO – Duffel bags stuffed with cocaine were delivered by plane to an out-of-the-way suburban airport while two sheriff's officers provided security. A police officer stood by to guard the cash and keep out the riffraff at a poker game where $100,000 changed hands. And a drug dealer was told squad cars marked "sheriff" and "sheriff's police" might be available on a "freelance" basis to provide protection for his deliveries.

Such tales of law enforcement gone awry emerged in court papers Tuesday as federal prosecutors unveiled a series of elaborate sting operations aimed at officers who hired out to ride shotgun for drug deals and other criminal activities.

Fifteen officers and two other men who had pretended to be law enforcement officers were charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine or heroin or both.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081203/ap_on_re_us/illinois_police_corruption

 

[maxpi]

C'mon, cops have to have some fun sometime

Do you report drug crimes? I don't, the whole thing is ludicrous, countries with no prohibitions have less drug usage than countries with them... I might report drug activity in my own neighborhood just to keep the rifraff away but generally, who cares...

 

[151]

Think about this.

If you were sherriff, would you want to risk a shoot out or murders in your county when you could oversee most of the crime and prevent it from spilling over into the public?

I have heard lots of crooked sherriff stories, but I wonder if its not just the safest way to handle drug crime.