"Because they can" is the most ignorant response.
There is a reason why these officers would go so far to do all this, and it is a hell of alot more complex than "Because we can".
It is an individual reason, not a "blanket" reason like you just used.
Ok, now, what I meant by "because they can" was overly simplistic... but bottom line is that if police weren't thinking that they could get away with this corruption (and those officers that ARE corrupt USUALLY do get away with these things).
Also, even in my lifetime I've seen a marked difference in police of today as opposed to police even 10-15 years ago, back then I would NEVER see a cop that looked like a straight gangster with the mass tattoos and all. You used to be able to ask a cop for directions, now many of them will look at you like scum for asking the question.
BUT, that's NOT to detract anything from those that are honorably doing what I know is a **** job. An example; A few weeks back I was just off work and having a smoke when apparently I crossed into a no smoking area inadvertently. One officer comes up... this guy had the demeanor of a thug, there's no real way to describe it... but he tells me of the infraction. I accept that I did something wrong and asked him what the specific line was that I could not cross to avoid this issue in the future. He literally puffed his chest at me and put his hand on his gun and repeated himself that I was in violation.
That's the point where I got cocky cause I knew AT WORST was a 150$ fine that I was facing... so I tell him "great write me the ticket but just tell me what the line I can't cross smoking is so that I don't have to deal with this in the future." Then, an officer comes up that IS clearly an honorable cop, he sees my demeanor and asks what my record was with police... So I tell them, then I ask this guy the question, he answers me so I just turned my back to the first cop and walked away from him.
All this just to say that I understand the difficulty of the job and I understand there's a variety of factors... but you can tell, often just by their demeanor, if the cop you are dealing with is just doing his job as he sees fit as opposed to the cop that can't wait to start blasting people just cause they got the power.
There is something specific to this situation that caused these guys to act like this...... just, I can't seem to find that information anywhere because nobody gives a rats ass apparently.
Ya.... it's cause THOSE specific cops were crooked and they thought they could get away with it... Whatever the reason for it there are corrupt cops out there (like there are corrupt people in virtually all professions), that are criminals because they get the cover and legitimacy of having a badge and a gun.
Btw, I've been witness to cops taking bribes so that the pot dealers could stay in business... on the bright side, they DID at least clear out the mass of crackheads from the area.
So, sometimes it's even shades of grey.
People like to blame a group of individuals personal reasons for becoming corrupt on the entirety maybe? Why find out the reasoning behind it if it takes away from our ability to call all law enforcement "crooked ass pigggzzz"
No no no... believe me I am making the distinction here, there are some GOOD officers out there... but there are ALSO a good number of them that are little better then criminals looking to find the best way to not get caught.
The specific reasoning isn't really AS important in the sense that if the police forces themselves are not actively weeding out these corrupt cops (or maybe turning them to paper pushers) then you'll eventually be in a position like most third world countries where the cops shake people down in the same way that the street gangs do, where the good cops quit because they can't be associated with that kind of corruption...
It's not the first time where the social guardians have become corrupt and then acted against those they are intended to protect.