Cops: We Need Rights More Than You, Citizen
> In other jurisdictions, those protections are a result of collective bargaining and embedded in negotiated contracts.<p>This is the part people need to internalize. Police departments in most cities are insulated from accountability for the same reason public employees are in general--they have incredibly powerful unions that can decide elections. The recent scrutiny of police activities presents a once in a lifetime opportunity for liberals and conservatives to come together and both get something they want: Improve police accountability and take a major bite out of budget-sapping public employee benefits in one shot.