Крестный отец

           ThesestorieshadbeenplantedbyHagen,theinformationsuppliedbyhim.ThePoliceDepartmentrefusedtoconfirmordenythesestories,buttheyweretakingeffect.Thepoliceforcegotthewordthroughinformers,throughpoliceontheFamilypayroll,thatMcCluskeyhadbeenaroguecop.Notthathehadtakenmoneyorcleangraft,therewasnorank-and-fileonustothat.Butthathehadtakenthedirtiestofdirtymoney;murderanddrugsmoney.Andinthemoralityofpolicemen,thiswasunforgivable.

           Hagenunderstoodthatthepolicemanbelievesinlawandorderinacuriouslyinnocentway.Hebelievesinitmorethandoesthepublicheserves.Lawandorderis,afterall,themagicfromwhichhederiveshispower,individualpowerwhichhecherishesasnearlyallmencherishindividualpower.Andyetthereisalwaysthesmolderingresentmentagainstthepublicheserves.Theyareatthesametimehiswardandhisprey.Aswardstheyareungrateful,abusiveanddemanding.Aspreytheyareslipperyanddangerous,fullofguile.Assoonasoneisinthepoliceman’sclutchesthemechanismofthesocietythepolicemandefendsmarshalsallitsresourcestocheathimofhisprize.Thefixisputinbypoliticians.Judgesgivelenientsuspendedsentencestotheworsthoodlums.GovernorsoftheStatesandthePresidentoftheUnitedStateshimselfgivefullpardons,assumingthatrespectedlawyershavenotalreadywonhisacquittal.Afteratimethecoplearns.Whyshouldhenotcollectthefeesthesehoodlumsarepaying?Heneedsitmore.