Mobs of cops were in Washington, DC last week for National Police Week. Their behavior was so bad that the DC police chief formally notified them that their public drunkenness would not be tolerated.
Many of the cops were bicycling around to draw attention to their campaign for a memorial to cops killed on duty. I was cycling around downtown on Saturday, May 12.  Not only were they running red lights en masse, but they would surge out into busy streets and hold their hands up as if every driver was obliged to slam on the brakes (despite the green light) – and let royalty proceed. They could have easily caused an accident – and perhaps they did at times when I was not watching. (I did not see the cop biker I photographed above on his bike, and have no idea if he violated any laws).
The Washington Post reported early last week:
“D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier put out fliers yesterday warning officers in town for National Police Week that they must obey city laws covering disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and other †unacceptable behavior.â€Â
    Lanier ordered the fliers distributed around downtown in hopes of curbing complaints about officers drinking in public, playing loud music and causing other trouble.
The Washington Post printed a couple letters to the editor on lawless cops on Saturday. Greg Davis of Reston, Virginia, complained:  Â
Every year about this time, the District is subjected to bands of revelers who terrorize the local populace. Many of them are arrogant, belligerent and inebriated, and they violate laws at will. And our local police pretty much ignore them.
  Why? Because these are police officers from other jurisdictions around the
country who have come here to “honor fallen officers.â€
**
I wonder if federal antiterrorism grants paid for some of the cops’ trips to rampage in DC.
Comments on this topic welcome at my blog here  (where there is a larger photo of the cop). Â