Only in America!  Our local vice dicks (slang for "detective" from my era, no offense intended get paid 40, maybe up to 50k per year.  The job description?  Spend countless hours each week scanning adult sites, post phony ads on the internet, create multiple aliases (see Bonafidelover, Realdealer, Sexjunkie etc..) and put ALL of their creative talents to work (as con-men, hustlers and liars) manufacturing crimes.  The resulting easy arrests (no risk, no danger) of course result in promotions and pay raises.  My favorite part, after showing a willingness to say ANYTHING, to lie through their teeth to set up these arrests - they can so easily "flip the switch" (when it comes time to testify) and tell "the whole truth and nothing but the truth"....  

It would be interesting to know how many 100's of thousands of dollars are allocated from the police budget for this sting op.
Why aren't similar resources allocated to curb "real" (as in violent) crime?  The "dicks" don't want this of course, hell - THAT kind of police work can be dangerous!  It often amazes me the things we condone from our "public servants", a passive form of thinking not far removed from the German populace of the 30's and 40's, the Soviet citizenry until the 90's and so many others.  Lessons of the past....guess we ARE condemned to repeat them.

The police have become municipal tax collectors going after the folks that can pay.

Go to the Gaslamp district, and you see unarmed cops leisurely and gleefully giving out tickets for some petty stuff.... like jaywalking, cars out of alignment with respect to the crossing curb, etc.

Now, just two blocks east, and you have some real freaks that need police attention....

Recently, I was robbed by some mexican punks... and when I started swearing over the phone to friend of mine (I was really pissed), the coppers wanted to arrest me for lude conduct!!!!

Then they have the nerve to ask for donations when one of their comrades goes down.

Did you guys hear what happened in NYC during the blackout? The cops were giving out tickets, while civilians were directing traffic!!!!

50k wouldn't cover my pocket change, but thanks for thinking I am one of the donut eaters, but I think the paranoia is getting to you

sj

Damn, almost forgot....when you guys run a little "short" before payday, you just hit your personal ATM - the evidence locker.  Why not, narcs get free party favors - you guys get cash.

one of the unarmed cops arrested me abotua year and a half ago.
he was in plain cloths and came up to me and a friend and asked for ID.
i told him to "go and fuck himself" after he chased me a few blocks  i'm walking to a meeting after lunch and he is running yelling that he is police and to stop and show him my ID, my responce every time "no badge no gun fuck you" he finally got a laminated ID out that showed him as a detective and i then asked "is there a problem officer" then the car adn the club and me on the ground and in the car. 17 hours in lock up just to get processed after i posted. the charges? gang activity. they wanted me in county for 6 months. 1500 to a lawyer , case dismist, but they are still tring to say i did damage to unspecified city property and fine me for somethign like 100 bucks.... every few months my lawyer spends a few hours on the phone bitching at the clerks office, makes me laugh to hear it...
so dont' insult them or make them feel like you dont' respect them. they might make stuff up for you too...

I saw a TV program last night which covered prostitution in the old west (mostly) mining towns. Fascinating stuff. There were many towns that the historians stated would have gone under if it had not been for the fines they levied against the SP's... not enough to drive them out but enough to keep the town afloat. Yes, the coppers have long been used as tax generators.

the root of the problem is probably higher up in the chain of command, i.e. mayor, city council, and ultimately, the voter.

Absolutely correct wpeter, just like in NYC, it was the mayro bloomberg that gave the (or forgot to give) the coppers direction.

Most cops have settled into this bureaucratic mindset, thinking that if their efforts are not going to pay off by going after the real criminals, 'why bother... simply go after those that can pay and get my quota in so I can retire at 50 with a respectable pension.'