An officer in Palm Beach, Florida admitted that planting evidence is a routine part of his job, admitting that he and his colleagues are planting evidence “almost every day” to deal with “difficult” citizens:

I have a method for getting people off the street that should not be there. Mouthy drivers, street lawyers, assholes and just anyone else trying to make my job difficult. Under my floor mat, I keep a small plastic dime baggie with Cocaine in residue. Since it’s just residue, if it is ever found during a search of my car like during an inspection, it’s easy enough to explain. It must have stuck to my foot while walking through San Castle. Anyways, no one’s going to question an empty baggie. The residue is the key because you can fully charge some asshole with possession of cocaine, heroin, or whatever just with the residue. How to get it done? “I asked Mr. DOE for his identification. And he pulled out his wallet, I observed a small plastic baggie fall out of his pocket…” You get the idea. easy, right? Best part is, those baggies can be found lots of places so you can always be ready. Don’t forget to wipe the baggie on the person’s skin after you arrest them because you want their DNA on the bag if they say you planted it or fight it in court.

Planting evidence is illegal. That should go without saying. But apparently huge numbers of police officers are planting evidence routinely, even calling it a “trick of the trade.” It surely is a trick. What’s causing it? There are a number of things working in support of planting evidence.

According to this officer, interviewed by the DC Post, police are basically forced by their superiors to make a certain number of arrests. Planting evidence is just one way to make that easier, especially in light of the so-called war on drugs. Aside from this, police officers that try to expose corruption risk losing their jobs, or their lives.

At the end of the day, police officers are supposed to be protecting law-abiding citizens. But what happens when law enforcement is more interested in protecting their own interests and forwarding a tyrannical program of rule? Well, this happens, that’s what.