Yes, which is why they too would use confiscated equipment (say.... a hot spot, phone or iPad), Skype or the coffee shop or notel room wireless down the road when doing this unless they just don't care.
The best explanation I ever got was from a very libertarian conservative software programmer who had been a sheriff, cop, DA, defense attorney and judge before he became a programmer (smart guy - was a blues musician too before cop). He said about a third of LE is righteous guys trying to do the right thing while about a third are guys/gals on a power trip who want to drive fast cars, have guns and power over people and were lucky enough not to have been caught and have a record before applying for LE. The last third are just go along to get alone folks who will blow with the wind and what their partner wants to do. So net-net about 50% of LE you really have to watch out for and the other half are pretty good. That has been close to my experience as well over 35 years of various encounters.
Oh, and LE is ultimately run by politicians so the officers report to bosses who have to justify their budgets to their bosses and politicians so they have to show "results" of which the community approves. These vary from place to place, but the cops want to become bosses and the bosses and politicians want to have fat private sector security jobs someday so the more "results", whatever that means, the better off they are. It is like any human organization including business, but with slightly different accounting rules. Really.
Originally Posted by austxjr
Perfectly said!
there are cops on all boards. both providers and hobbyists alike. i have sent email proof of someone admitting to working with LE to Admin and nothing was done.
Well, I have just sat back and said nothing for the longest time....I'm not a cop or affiliated with law enforcement at any level....Yes, i did have someone arrested after my credit Card was used without my permission all over gods green earth. I even explained to the police my relationship with the person trying to get back at me on this site for having her arrested. Thanks to them for not judging me and blowing it off. It would have been better to have just been "jacked " by a pimp.