Mayor decries. Police chief denounces or calls for investigation. In severe cases cop is given paid vacation and often when he arrives back is quietly reinstated or even promoted.
The typical outcomes always seems to puzzle people, but not if you understand authoritarian democracy.
The higher-ups are all politicians in practice. They want their attack-dogs to have sharp teeth and ask no questions when it comes time to bite, but they also have to keep up appearances. That's why they will wail and gnash their teeth for the cameras yet quietly make sure that officer Ruffstuff gets no real punishment and maybe even gets rewarded.
The typical outcomes always seems to puzzle people, but not if you understand authoritarian democracy.
The higher-ups are all politicians in practice. They want their attack-dogs to have sharp teeth and ask no questions when it comes time to bite, but they also have to keep up appearances. That's why they will wail and gnash their teeth for the cameras yet quietly make sure that officer Ruffstuff gets no real punishment and maybe even gets rewarded.
The public will judge a man by what he lifts, but those close to him will judge him by what he carries.