Sacramento and Anaheim police conspired with far-right groups against protesters
Few police departments prohibit officers from associating with racist and extremist groups. Typically those officers are fired only after media publicity. Affected states include Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. Read story here and a related article here.
Related story: Read here how repressive foreign regimes infiltrate spies into U.S. police forces and recruit ex-cops to hunt down dissidents taking refuge in the U.S.
The problem is not much can be done. There are Hells Angels who are cops. Narco members who try to become cops or are. Once in America it was bad to be a communist, and commies could not be cops and a lot of other things. The courts correctly ended that. Much of this is about criminalizing thought. The courts and politicians successfully for a time were able to say what one thinks is not a crime. When one acts out ones thoughts and commits an actual crime is criminal. Mens rea is not dependent on other factors just the intent to do harm is sufficent, intent to do the act, Of course the act of self defense overcomes mens rea.
Plenty can be done. Denying badges to people with racist or extremist views is criminalizing thought? Seriously? Firing or not hiring someone isn’t committing a crime against them. No one has a right to be a police officer. Not all hiring discrimination is illegal, only statute-defined categories (race, age, sex, etc.). Police agencies have a right and duty to not hire people unsuited for police work.