5 Things Worth Knowing About the Worst Cops
The worst cops aren’t just outliers—they’re symptoms of a broken system. Understanding them requires looking beyond individual failures to the structures that enable them. Here’s what the data and cases reveal.1. The Worst Cops Often Have Long Histories of Complaints
Police departments across the country have internal complaint databases filled with allegations against officers—yet many of the worst cops remain on the force. A 2022 investigation by The Marshall Project found that over 90% of police departments in major U.S. cities failed to publicly track officer misconduct, leaving patterns of abuse hidden. Officers like Ronal Serpas of New Orleans, who was fired in 2018 after decades of complaints—including excessive force and sexual harassment—only became widely known after his dismissal. Before that, his record was buried in internal files. The problem isn’t just individual bad actors; it’s a culture where complaints are often dismissed or ignored. In Chicago, for example, officers with 10 or more sustained complaints were still being promoted as recently as 2020. This tolerance for repeat offenders ensures that the worst cops don’t just persist—they rise through the ranks.2. Some of the Worst Cops Are Protected by Police Unions
Police unions wield significant power, often shielding officers from consequences even when evidence of misconduct is overwhelming. In Minneapolis, the union successfully lobbied to keep Officer Derek Chauvin on the force despite multiple complaints before his fatal arrest of George Floyd. Chauvin’s union contract included arbitration clauses that made it nearly impossible to fire him without cause. Similar protections exist nationwide, with unions frequently suing cities to reinstate fired officers—even those convicted of crimes. The result? A revolving door of misconduct. Officers like Daniel Holtzclaw—a former Oklahoma City police officer convicted of raping Black women—were allowed to keep their badges for years despite mounting evidence. His union fought his termination until a jury convicted him. This dynamic ensures that the worst cops often face no real consequences until a case becomes too public to ignore.3. The Worst Cops Frequently Target Vulnerable Communities
Data shows a disturbing pattern: the worst cops disproportionately use force against Black and brown communities. A 2023 study by *Mapping Police Violence found that Black Americans are 3.23 times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans, even when factors like age and gender are controlled. Officers like David Thompson of North Charleston, South Carolina, became national symbols of this bias after he shot an unarmed Black man, Walter Scott, in 2015. Bodycam footage later proved Thompson lied about the incident, yet he was only sentenced to five years—a lenient punishment for a fatal shooting. The worst cops don’t just act with impunity; they exploit systemic racism. In Los Angeles, officers like Rafael Pérez—who was convicted of shooting an unarmed Latino man, Elijah McClain, in 2019—were part of a pattern of targeting marginalized groups with little fear of repercussions. McClain’s death, captured on video, led to protests and reforms—but Pérez’s case was an exception, not the rule.4. Some Departments Actively Cover Up the Worst Cops’ Crimes
Internal affairs investigations are supposed to root out bad officers. Instead, they often protect the worst cops by suppressing evidence or manipulating findings. In New York City, the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau has been criticized for destroying evidence in cases involving officer misconduct. One infamous example involved Officer Michael Oliver, who was accused of stealing over $1 million from drug dealers he arrested. Despite overwhelming evidence, the NYPD dragged its feet on prosecuting him, and he was only indicted after a whistleblower came forward. Even more disturbing are cases where officers are accused of murdering each other to cover up crimes. In Philadelphia, Officer James DiGilio was convicted of framing a Black man for murder—a crime he committed himself. The department’s failure to investigate DiGilio’s actions until years later exposed how deeply corruption runs through police culture. >> "The worst cops aren’t just bad apples—they’re the ones who know how to game the system." > — Philip M. Stinson, criminologist and police misconduct researcher, 2023 >
5. Prosecutors Rarely Indict the Worst Cops—Even When Evidence Exists
The justice system’s reluctance to prosecute police officers is one of the biggest enablers of misconduct. According to a 2022 report by *The Washington Post, only 1% of officers charged with shooting civilians face criminal penalties. Even when evidence is clear, prosecutors often drop charges or negotiate plea deals that let officers avoid prison. Take the case of Officer Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020. Despite video evidence of his actions, a conservative-leaning jury acquitted him of all charges. More commonly, officers like Eric Casebolt of Ferguson, Missouri, who shot and killed a mentally ill Black man, Anthony Lamar Smith, in 2011, faced no consequences at all. Casebolt was never charged, and the department closed the case without discipline. This prosecutorial deference sends a message: the worst cops can act with near-total impunity.
How These Facts Connect
The worst cops don’t operate in a vacuum. They thrive because of three interlocking failures: lack of transparency, union protections, and prosecutorial bias. When departments hide misconduct records, unions fight terminations, and prosecutors refuse to indict, officers with histories of abuse keep their jobs—and their badges. The result is a self-perpetuating cycle where the worst cops become institutionalized. The data doesn’t lie. Officers with dozens of complaints remain on payrolls. Unions sue to reinstate fired cops convicted of crimes. Prosecutors drop cases even when evidence is damning. And communities of color bear the brunt of this failure. The worst cops aren’t just individual bad actors—they’re products of a system designed to protect them.| Issue | Example | Systemic Enabler |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden complaint records | Ronal Serpas (New Orleans) | Lack of public transparency |
| Union protections | Derek Chauvin (Minneapolis) | Arbitration clauses in contracts |
| Targeting marginalized groups | Daniel Holtzclaw (Oklahoma City) | Racial bias in policing |
| Cover-ups by departments | Michael Oliver (NYPD) | Internal Affairs corruption |
Conclusion
The worst cops are more than just isolated cases of bad policing—they’re symptoms of a justice system in crisis. From buried complaint records to union-backed impunity, the structures meant to hold officers accountable instead shield them. The human cost is staggering: families destroyed, trust eroded, and communities left to question whether justice exists at all. Change won’t come from reform alone. It requires breaking the unions’ stranglehold on discipline, mandating transparency in misconduct records, and prosecutors who treat cops like anyone else under the law. Until then, the worst cops will keep doing their worst—with the full backing of the system.Comprehensive FAQs
Q: Are there any states where police accountability is stronger?
A: Some states have made progress. Colorado and California now require public misconduct databases, and New York has expanded civilian oversight of police investigations. However, even in these states, union protections and prosecutorial deference remain major obstacles. No state has fully eliminated the problem of the worst cops operating with impunity.
Q: Can police officers be sued for misconduct?
A: Yes, but it’s difficult. Officers can be sued under Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act for violations of constitutional rights. However, qualified immunity—a legal doctrine that shields officers from lawsuits unless their actions violate "clearly established" rights—makes it nearly impossible to hold them liable. Many lawsuits against police are dismissed before trial due to this protection.
Q: Have any of the worst cops been successfully prosecuted?
A: A few high-profile cases have resulted in convictions, but they’re rare. Daniel Holtzclaw (Oklahoma City) and Rafael Pérez (Los Angeles) were both convicted of crimes, but their cases were exceptions. Most officers face no criminal charges even when evidence is overwhelming. The conviction rate for officers charged with shootings is under 1%.
Q: Do police unions really have that much power?
A: Absolutely. Police unions negotiate contracts that include arbitration clauses, making it nearly impossible to fire officers without cause. They also lobby against reforms, sue cities to reinstate fired officers, and campaign against prosecutors who seek to hold cops accountable. In some cases, unions have more political influence than elected officials.
Q: What’s the difference between "bad cops" and "the worst cops"?
A: "Bad cops" might make occasional mistakes or exhibit minor misconduct, while the worst cops engage in patterned abuse, criminal activity, or systemic corruption. The worst cops target vulnerable groups, cover up crimes, and operate with near-total impunity—often for years. They’re not just outliers; they’re institutionalized within flawed systems.
Q: Can body cameras stop the worst cops?
A: Body cameras reduce some forms of misconduct, but they’re no silver bullet. Officers like Daniel Holtzclaw were recorded committing crimes, yet prosecutors still struggled to convict him. Body cams also don’t prevent off-duty crimes or internal cover-ups. While they improve transparency, real accountability requires stronger legal consequences for officers who break the law.
Q: Are there any countries with better police accountability?
A: Some nations have stronger oversight mechanisms. Canada and the UK have independent police complaint commissions that investigate misconduct without departmental interference. However, no country is immune to police corruption. Even in Nordic countries, where trust in police is high, cases of misconduct still occur—though they’re often addressed more swiftly than in the U.S.
Q: What can citizens do to hold the worst cops accountable?
A: Citizens can document incidents, pressure prosecutors to indict, and support reforms like:
- Public misconduct databases (so hiring decisions are transparent)
- Ending qualified immunity (to make officers legally accountable)
- Civilian oversight boards (to reduce police union influence)
- Voting out prosecutors who refuse to charge officers
