I know many current and retired Mesa PD officers and the reputation has always been there. Although to be fair they only used to beat the shit out of people. The shooting is a rather recent development in the last 10 years or so.

This is not the only issue with the department that Mesa has suppressed.

Every department across the US has outstanding officers that are being tarnished by these few in their ranks. It is giving all officers a bad name with the public and causing more and more distrust with the public and communities they are there to serve.

As I see it Mesa has more than just a few and has for more than couple of years. This has caused a level of complacency and a culture of acceptance well past department management and extended into city management.

When this happens it is much harder to swim against the stream. The strong good ones end up leaving which leaves a space for a bad one to fill. Even worse a good one gives up and gives in to their more base human nature in crisis situations instead of their training. Especially when it is reinforced by those around him.

Just my observations but hey they are a great group of guys who really do know how to party.