Yup. Police solidarity over fair treatment and good pay is something I approve of. Police solidarity protecting police misconduct is a threat to the public and should be dealt with accordingly.

What professional or semi-professional group doesn't close ranks? From politicians to doctors to plumbers, I can't think of any group where outing a bad apple is the norm.

Not all professional groups have ironclad unions and official rules that prohibit their victims from even knowing the result of the investigation. And most of them aren't allowed to shoot innocent people [1] or beat them to death [2] and suffer no consequences. It's one thing if you let the colleague slide on a minor infraction, it's another think when murder becomes minor infraction. That corrupts. One can not see people around you literally getting away with murder and not have consequences for your morality.

[1] http://jonathanturley.org/2014/02/12/eight-police-officers-f...

[2] http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2013/12/kelly_thomas_f...

This is actually quite amazing insight.

The ironic bit, that each group will tell how other group is bad by doing exactly the same misconduct.