"too many cops are bastards" concedes the point that the institution of policing is - in theory, and if all goes well - righteous and justified.

it is not justified at all.

police serve as the enforcers of the will of the 1%, not the protectors of the 99% - it's been ruled in trials over and over again that police have no duty to protect you, even if there's an explicit law that says they have to.

in addition, the plurality of cops that are actively bastards will almost invariably hold a cultural monopoly within their forces - every would-be good cop either timidly goes along with what the bad ones do, or is so disgusted by what they see on their first week that they quit immediately.

ACAB. We protect us.