I can't comment on the US, but I'd be surprised if it's that different from the UK. Here in the UK the police are not employed by government and they are not an arm of government. Parliament makes law, the police enforce it, and government "runs things". Kind of That means the police can and do go after individuals in parliament and government when they break the law. Isn't this what happened in the US with Watergate?

It's all about separation of powers.  Of course there are nations where police are an arm of government. There's a term for these: Police States.

So I'm relaxed about police in the UK being in a union, which can be a useful control on inappropriate employment terms and conditions. Likewise with government employees - mostly they're a bunch of admins and low grade staff. Obviously unions have no place at the top of the government food chain, where the Law is eat or be eaten

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I can't comment on the US, but I'd be surprised if it's that different from the UK. Here in the UK the police are not employed by government and they are not an arm of government. Parliament makes law, the police enforce it, and government "runs things". Kind of That means the police can and do go after individuals in parliament and government when they break the law. Isn't this what happened in the US with Watergate?

 

It's all about separation of powers.  Of course there are nations where police are an arm of government. There's a term for these: Police States.

 

So I'm relaxed about police in the UK being in a union, which can be a useful control on inappropriate employment terms and conditions. Likewise with government employees - mostly they're a bunch of admins and low grade staff. Obviously unions have no place at the top of the government food chain, where the Law is eat or be eaten

In the U.S., police are employed by the government, insofar as their wages are paid by taxpayers. Police powers are checked by the government, both local, state and federal. In cases where cops do something wrong, it is always the unions that are speaking out and taking action on behalf of the accused, but what about the victims? Who stands up for them? Sometimes law enforcement seems too clubby, with prosecutors, judges, cops all on the same side, and unions just tend to aggravate that.