Police are promoted based on the number of arrests they make. Police departments are funded by the number of arrests they make. If that scenerio isn't ripe for corruption I cannot think of a better one.
Recently I read a story where the police in SoCal developed a contest where arrest and auto impounding competitions went on between divisions over multiple twenty four hour periods. No rules to keep it legal were even mentioned. Camaero is not far from the truth.
EDIT Here is a follow-up on that story;
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5192859.html
I love this part. It shows the arrogance and corruption which is rampant in law enforcement. F*cking outragous!!!!!!!!
The sheriff called the attention "much ado about nothing" and said he had no plans to punish the deputies who competed or the "well-intentioned lieutenant" who had the idea.
"They're not acceptable," he said. "They're not appropriate. But no harm, no foul. The only disciplinary action I've taken is saying to the lieutenant who organized them, 'Hey, knock this off.' "
The officers involved should have known what they were doing was unethical and perhaps criminal but because of the attitude which perpetuates police departments it never even crossed their minds.
An officer involved in the contests, Lt. James Tatreau, told the paper, "It's just a friendly competition to have a little fun out here." This guy wa a LT. not some raw recruit or beat cop.
Fun at the expense of the innocent. I'm laughing aren't you?
THis is just one department in one jurisdiction. This country has thousands of jurisdictions and departments. All of the officers promoted based on the number of arrests they make. Police departments funded by the number of arrests they make.
Breaking the law is no way to enforce the law.