POLICE ARE KEY, SO KEEP OUT BAD APPLES

Who's the most powerful person in your life?

Forget about your spouse, your boss, your doctor, your financial adviser or
your personal trainer. It's not any of those people.

The most powerful person in your life is a cop.

Only a police officer can make you stop whatever you're doing and start
answering questions on demand.

Only a police officer can arrive at your door - on somebody else's claim -
and start investigating your life.

Only a police officer can demand you prove you are who you say you are. And
if you don't, you're going to jail.

That's a lot of juice.

Cops have an awesome power to arrest and detain; it's one reason why
hearing about bad cops is so troubling.

In recent months, Milwaukee police officers have been misbehaving in
numerous ways, everything from one officer accused of throwing crack down a
sewer and another who allegedly beat up a fellow cop because of suspected
infidelity.

The latest episode involves a Milwaukee cop who found himself in big
trouble after a woman driver claimed he sexually assaulted her during a
traffic stop and then promised not to arrest her on drug possession if she
agreed to give him a lap dance.

Terrence Gilbert, 33, was charged with misconduct in public office and
fourth-degree sexual assault. He could face up to five years in prison if
convicted.

The woman claimed that during the traffic stop on the north side, Gilbert
touched her breasts and thighs and made her sit in his squad car with her
top and bra pulled up high enough to expose her breasts.

Gilbert found a small quantity of marijuana on the woman, but according to
police - who arrested Gilbert the next day - the drugs were never turned in
to proper authorities.

Gilbert has a history of misbehaving while in uniform; he's been suspended
from the force for incidents involving a fight with an estranged wife and
brandishing his weapon in public.

He also won praise in 1994 for delivering a woman's baby in an automobile.
Which just shows you how complicated human nature can be.

Bad Cops, Poor Judgment

A current Milwaukee police officer, who wanted to be anonymous, believes
the recent rash of incidents portray all cops in a bad light.

"It's poor judgment. I think cops (who do it) put themselves in a bad
position."

This officer, relatively new to the force, said many of the cops who get
into trouble have apparently forgotten their sworn duty to always uphold
the law.

They are bad apples, and he sees no problem with making bad cops pay for
their mistakes.

"We've got a lot of authority, with this badge and gun," he said. "Why
shouldn't we be held accountable?"

Enough people - particularly minorities fearful of racial profiling -
already have enough anxiety about facing a police officer.

That's because they realize when a cop stops you, there's really nothing to
protect you other than an unspoken contract between the police and the public.

Cops are not supposed to hurt you or take advantage of you. They're
supposed to be the people you turn to for help.

Remember Officer Friendly from grade school?

Of course, we're not in grade school anymore. Bad cops exist, just like bad
doctors, bad lawyers and bad reporters.

None of those professions, however, have the power to take away your
freedom. Which is why bad cops worry us more than anybody else.

With the support of Chief Arthur Jones, the Fire and Police Commission
wants to weed out bad cops with psychological testing. Other major cities
regularly use such testing for police recruits.

Seems to me, if we can use psychological tests on a college wide receiver
to see whether he's worthy of a $5 million bonus, we can certainly do the
same for cops.

The most powerful person in my life deserves nothing less.