Remember the case where the cop arrested the nurse for refusing to administer a blood draw without a warrant following a car accident?
He was so anxious to get the blood draw because his supervisor had told him to, because the other party in the MVA was an off-duty cop who was drunk and had blown through a red light. They were desperate to find anything to pin on the person in hospital (who later died) while stalling on a blood test for their fellow cop, so they could shift/diminish liability.
... and the entities (local, state) who employ an estimated 70% of LEOs around the country are prohibited from using it for hiring decisions based on their CBAs with the local police union.
And I mean that they choose to go to AA after successfully doing that, not that they are forced or otherwise experience any consequences for it.
Pretty much any sort of common malfeasance or misconduct you've heard a cop accused of I have heard them confess as part of a drinking story. And these guys aren't forced into sobriety or anything. These are the ones who want to be there, these are the good ones!
Why do some folks think it's OK to put other people at risk to this level?
"Members-only Philly cop bar"
everyone would instantly go "uh oh" and fall into two categories ,#1 I dont want to know, #2 I cant help myself
I'm on your side that 1. Public servants should be held to a higher, not lower, standard and 2. There is a huge problem in this regard with the current US police situation.
Even with that extremely aligned base you still lose me completely when you say things that start with "no cop has ever...". I've never seen any system at scale with such absolutes so this immediately makes me doubt your other story and your take (which is what I already believe!) in general.
What I assert is that working as a police officer in the US is incompatible with a sincere and complete passage through several of the 12 steps, beginning with that one. I've known some retired cops who I believe to have done it though.