<center>https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/07/31/21/39/police-car-406893_1280.jpg </center>

[Almost 30 officers](https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bexar-County-deputy-arrested-on-suspicion-of-13439586.php) from [just one department alone](http://www.tpr.org/post/19-bexar-county-sheriffs-employees-arrested-2018) have been charged this year, at least 24 so far. They are deputies from Bexar County in San Antonio, Texas. The deputies have been arrested on charges ranging from drunk driving to sexual assault, theft, and more. 

## One deputy was arrested after he allegedly tried to steal a [vacuum cleaner from Target](https://www.ktsa.com/bexar-county-deputy-charged-with-stealing-from-target/).
<center> </center> Authorities from the [Bexar County](https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/breaking-news-deputy-arrested-for-family-assault) Sheriffs Office have announced that they would bring in a psychologist to try and help the problem. That psychologist is going to be tasked with identifying any <b>at risk</b> individuals who might pose a threat to the department and community in which they serve. 

*They've also reportedly updated their job application requirements to reject those with a criminal record.*

<center>https://media.giphy.com/media/3o6MbjfAiNRtT1Rty8/giphy.gif </center> 

## The number of deputies arrested this year alone is <b>allegedly double that of 2017</b>.

<center> </center> Officers who display a lack of self control or a disregard for the safety of others are not only posing a threat to their department but they are also a danger to the community they work in. Those individuals who have been charged with committing a crime might also be struggling with some undiagnosed mental illness or substance abuse problem that needs to be addressed. 

### Previous research on the rate of officer arrests in the [United States has found that they](https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/cops-arrested_us_576c2e13e4b0cedfa4b9470f) are arrested at a rate of roughly <b>[3 officers per day](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2016/06/22/study-finds-1100-police-officers-per-year-or-3-per-day-are-arrested-nationwide/?utm_term=.651d219db7e8)</b>. 
<center> </center> Police officers are being arrested for committing a variety of crimes <b>over 1,000 times per year</b> and for this reason, researchers have suggested that this evidence negates the notion that there are only <b>a few bad apples</b> within the policing community. A great deal of these crimes are also allegedly occurring when the officer is off-duty.

Those officers who do get charged with crimes are also unlikely to see very negative consequences as a result of their actions. Criminologists have suggested that there is a culture of immunity within the policing community; might this mindset of being above the law help to fuel criminality in any way? In Bexar County specifically, the conviction rate remains <b>around 10 percent</b> [for those deputies who have been charged](https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/conviction-rate-on-arrested-bexar-county-sheriffs-deputies-remains-low).

It's important for police departments to respond appropriately, when one of their own has been charged and found guilty of committing a crime which they have been tasked to uphold and enforce. If anything, officers should be held to *a higher standard* of behavior than the public because of the authority that has been given to them <b>to arrest, detain, and ultimately kill</b>. 


Pics:
pixabay
[ Simpsons via giphy](https://giphy.com/gifs/season-3-the-simpsons-3x17-3o6MbjfAiNRtT1Rty8)

<center>https://steemitimages.com/DQmaW48YhsgLS2fxaYkXCuon3tFpQEEh1tSUCU3jjJXv7RT/%40doitvoluntarily.gif </center>

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### [Former Officer Turned Criminologist Dedicates His Life To Catching Dirty Cops](https://steemit.com/justice/@doitvoluntarily/former-officer-turned-criminologist-dedicates-his-life-to-catching-dirty-cops)