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There are good and bad cops here, just like in any other place.
Of course, there's also the thing with the perspective we have to consider when calling someone a bad or good cop.
I mean, wouldn't the drug dealer think the cop that busted him is a bad cop?
Or the person who just had his car towed for not paying motor tax.
And at the same time, these same cops can be someone's savior when he saves a person from being shot. Then all of a sudden they are good cops. When yesterday they were maybe a bad cop to someone.
So what is the definition of a good (or bad) cop?
I will tell you what I think, purely from my own experiences. I don't speak for anyone else. Of course.

To protect and serve

That is the main definition as defined in the US in regards to the police force. And it should be their motto everywhere in the world really. But we all know that 'protect' usually means protect themselves, and 'serve', well...also themselves. Well at least not us. You know. The taxpayer.
It's a fact that the police mostly serve the elite. Whatever you believe that is. When this cop enforces the 'law' for motor tax and tows a car and fines the owner, it is that same owners' tax money (and that of others) that pays for this cop to enforce this law. Whether he paid his motor tax or not. It's a long and dirty road I won't even go down at this point.

But my definition of a good cop would be that of 'protect and serve us'. We pay for his damn wages, so in return I think, we should be and feel protected and served. In many places, however, this is hardly ever the case.

The Irish version

In Ireland, we have three different kinds of cops. Basically. There could be some side-sliders there in between those three, but the main three are: The good cop (those who became cops because they wanted to help, protect and serve people), The bad cop (those who became cops because they can feel superior, they might have been bullied in school, or whatever... but they have a reason for wanting to be a cop: control), and the stupid cop...(no need for an explanation here). ALL of these three CAN be corrupt at times. Not all, but lots of them are. Why? Well, if they 'let things slide' they're basically corrupt, right? But they can still be good people. I'm not talking about taking huge bribes, although this does happen, and it adds to corruption.

My latest experience with a bad cop

This is a few months ago when I was driving my car that didn't have motor tax on it.
It still had a test and it was insured, so it was safe to drive, but aparently motor tax is the most important thing here in Ireland. Not the person's safety...
I had no choice but to drive this car because I had just bought another car that turned out to be a bust. You can read this story here if you like.
Because of that, I didn't have the money to cover the tax for two cars (I had just paid for the other).
So I was driving into the nearest larger town, about 15 minutes from us, to get to my daughter's dance class to collect her and her friend there. Funny enough, I had this slight thought in my head that I should take the back-road, but I didn't. These are those moments when I should follow my gut because I just passed the exit for the back-road when I saw the cars in front of me slow down... A police check-point! Just my damn luck.
Now, they were located just before another exit so I could have taken that one. However, I had no idea where I'd end up if I did, so I decided to bite the bullet and keep going. I had to get there on time and didn't want to waste any more time by driving around the countryside in search of a road to where I needed to be.

I thought wrong. For the second time within seconds. I should have taken the damn backroad and tried my luck to find another route. The cop that stopped me immediately pointed at my expired tax tag, and let me drive to the side of the road. He asked me for my driver's license and car registration. I showed him both. Then he asked me why I didn't have tax on the car. I told him truthfully that I didn't have the money for it, that I had bought another car with tax on it, but at the garage, and that I had no choice but to drive this car, or not drive at all, which is not really an option here.
He then told me I shouldn't drive a car without tax. The fact that my car's safety test was running out the next week, didn't seem to bother him one bit. I tried to explain once again that I had another car with tax on it, but not driveable and that I hadn't anticipated having to drive this car without tax, but I needed a car to drive my children in and out of classes, and my eldest to school. That I would try to resolve these issues as soon as I could, but right now, there was really nothing I could do about my situation.
This is when he became intimidating.
He said: "Did you know that I can take your car from you right here, right now?"
I didn't have a clue, and I told him so. I wondered how taking my car would solve anything.
He then gestured to wait, and he stepped back to talk to his colleague.
The colleague (an older man) took one look at me and the car (a 17-year-old specimen of a car) and replied something to him. The guy then came back to my window and said:
"I could take your car right now. The only reason why I'm not doing that is that you have your child in the back."
Well hallelujah, thanks to my little man for always wanting to come along on the ride.
I thanked him, of course, but it wasn't sincere. The tone in his voice told me that he just loved the power he had.
He said it in a way that he kind of expected me to thank him on my hands and knees for not taking the car.
I can see how a guy like that can get himself into trouble if he were to talk like that to real criminals.
Maybe he should try it on a guy driving way past the speed limit in his BMW. But he also seemed like the kind of guy who wouldn't do that. Bullying seemed more like his game.
He added that he had to fine me (yeah, because that will get the tax paid) and let me get back on my way.
I had just wasted 15 minutes of my time and an extra 90 Euros to pay on top of what I already owed in taxes...
Ugh, I was cursing myself all the way into town for not taking that damn backroad...

My latest experience with a good cop

Last week I had just bought my new car on Wednesday.
Everything according to the book. I changed my insurance right away. The man who sold the car to me was going to send in the papers to change owner of the car. All was set. I couldn't pay the taxes yet until I received the papers back.
Again, I drove into town to drive my daughter to her dance lessons.
This time I took the backroads. Not to dodge any check-points, but because it was the shorter route to her class.
As soon as we came into the town, there was a check-point. They'd set up strategically at the end of a road, checking everyone coming in and going out. When I drove up to them, one of them waved at me to slow down. He stepped towards the car and, of course, saw that both the insurance and tax tags were missing. When he turned to me, I had the brightest smile on my face. With a laugh, I exclaimed, before he could even say a word: "I just bought the car yesterday!"
Now, he could have interpreted this as me being really happy about the car. Well, I was, but that wasn't why I said it.
He seemed amused when he said: "Did you now? What was the car you had before this?" A bit taken aback about the question, I hesitated and then answered: "A Mazda 5." He took another good look at the car and said "Niiiice, well done. Congratulations on the new car!" He never asked for my papers or driver's license. I was free to go. He did add that I should get my insurance tag up as soon as I had it. Of course, I would. Not a mention of the tax. The car had a test tag and that seemed to be enough for him.

When I dropped off my daughter, I still had a big smile on my face.

What a difference a tone of voice can make! This guy understood. He was slightly amused by my explanation, but that was OK. He took it and turned it into a friendly and nice encounter. And on top of that, it made my day. He seemed impressed by the change of car. LOL.

The moral of the story

Well, these examples came from my personal life and experiences.
But we can apply these in our normal daily lives as well.
A tone of voice is everything and it can make or break someone's day.
For me, it wasn't so much about having to pay a fine. I can deal with that. What annoyed me was that man's feeling of superiority. While we're all in this game of life together.
The last one had more of a clue about how life works. This is the kind of cop that's less likely to get shot for being a smart ass to the wrong person.
In daily life, it's the same. It's nice to be nice.
So when you go out there today, maybe you could say hello to the homeless person who'd usually annoy you by standing there begging for money. You don't have to give him money if you can't or don't want to. But a nice word or two never hurt anyone. Or offer to help an old lady carry her groceries. No one's ever died by carrying groceries after all.
Smile your brightest smile at the shop assistant who seems to have a bad day.
All these things are just small gestures and don't cost a thing. But you never know, you might just make that person's day.