OK braintrusts/tough guys/angry youth, let's break this down:
1) Your outrage is justified. Why? I'll tell you why, because cops are supposed to be upholding the law of the land, and therefore need to be law abiding citizens. It is beyond outrageous when that trust is abused. Those assh*les should spend time in jail for beating up an old man so harshly.
2) Hate crime? Lets not turn this into the race issue its not. You have men stretched to beyond the breaking point with their city being destroyed and their leader resigned, not to mention an awfully large number of missing/dead officers and officers committing suicide (2 I believe). However, it was a gross overreaction to a minor drunken violation and they should spend time in jail for assault, lose their badges and jobs.
3) Small towns and dirty cops - yes, it tends to happen in areas that college kids are just "passing through." Life isn't always fair. There are some crooked morons out there, it's truly a shame.
4) Most cops are good, hardworking, decent people who put their lives on the line every day to allow us all to live a relatively safe existence. I guarantee that Josh's experiences (although sucking) are far from the norm. Plus, examine your attitudes. I find that with a level headed approach, you get a better response. I can't tell you how many times I've received great driving directions from cops. The only times I've ever been hassled is when I was a rambunctious college kid.
Lighten up on the law. Let's face it, the rotten apples are particularly loathsome, and really are a disgrace to society. They are also the vast minority. Without all the good cops, this country would have gone crazy long ago. If you think our boys in blue are bad, I invite any of you to go travel abroad and let me know what you think. Trust me, it's not the same.