This is purely anecdotal, but I am a civilian employee of a police department. I say it's anecdotal because I'm in a large, liberal city, which probably contributes to an atypical department culture as compared to more rural, suburban and conservative towns, but I still wanted to offer my two cents.

When people ask me what it's like working with cops, I tell them something similar to what you've said, though I call them "bullies and boy scouts." Contrary to your appraisal, however a I would say that in my city's police force, the ratio of boy scouts to bullies is like 10:1. However, the bullies make all of the noise. They run the unions and they make the headlines. Most cops go their entire career without ever putting anyone in the hospital or the cemetery, but that doesn't make the news.

I'm definitely not a police apologist or anything, but it's been eye-opening working for the department. It's a tough job. I'm a peaceful, nonconfrontational guy to the core, but I doubt I could make it through a career in policing without ending up hardened, bitter and reactionary.