Or bad cop, worse cop. I've have tied them in knots.
Mind you, they dont get the training or experience. When I joined the dibble the average copper had 16 years in the job - now the average copper has only somewhat short of 4, and a lot get drafted off to CID or specialist ops departments before they've truly learned how to be a fed in the first place.
The causes are political so down that road I shall not tread, but suffice to say the average copper is now relatively inexperienced and the cadre of longer serving officers no longer exists to show them the way or lead by example. You've got the metaphorical blind leading the blind here.
Yup
lad I grew up with was a copper
He always refused promotion or moves to other places because he felt he could do more good "on the streets"
last few years he commented several times that he was being pressured to take a load of course and apply for different roles
but he had realised that if he shouts at people - i.e. sergeant and inspectors - loud enough and often enough then they go away
My Mum reckoned that fact that she had heard on the Police radio (they had a scanner ) "we are not going into the pub until Shaun gets here" more than a few times was a factor
He had more than a few stories!