So much hatred

[haele]

41. Police are just as susceptible to mob mentality as any other group.

Even good cops will do stupid, mean things in when they get in a mob. Especially if the leadership at the scene either doesn't care, is looking for a promotion, or wants to break heads.

Not an excuse, but an explanation.
We learned that in our leadership class - depending on how well trained and disciplined the unit is and whether the on-site leader has a clear goal in mind, the unit's level of maturity in a tense situation decreases in a specific formula -
We learned to create a subjective rating of 1 - 5 for level of maturity and grade everyone in your unit along that rating, using discipline, training for the event, excitability, aggression and experience.
Take the total level of maturity of everyone in that unit, and divide by three. Add the level of maturity of the leader, divide by 100, and you will get your average percentage chance for disciplined activity. Most military units (10 and above) fall around the 30 - 50% level. Most smaller units (9 and below) are around the 50 - 70% level - again, depending on the maturity level of the on-site leader.

What I suspect you are seeing in Chicago is poor leadership with enough bad attitude cops that everyone in the unit, be they good or bad cops, is being influenced by the bad.
Again, not an exucuse - because it shows piss-poor political leadership. poor recruiting values, and cuts in training.