Plenty of LEOs make shit pay and are held hostage by that low pay like the rest of us. I know it may seem like they’re enemies, but when you break it down to dollars and cents, we’re actually in the same boat.
Yeah, you’re right, they’re in our class of poor. But that doesn’t make them any better, in fact it’s worse. They are the enforcement arm of an inhumane and corrupted government, licensed to kill (but only their own). Their compensation isn’t money, what they get is a measure of the same protection from the law that the rich and powerful have.
Those badges mark them as class traitors for as long as they’re wearing them.
That’s one thing I never understood about their willingness to protect the upper class. They’re in no different of a situation from the rest of us, one missed paycheck away from missing rent or groceries.
It’s the same reason why factory workers don’t join unions or go on strike.
The system is designed to enforce compliance and keep individuals focused on submitting in order to meet their short-term, basic needs. Desperation is the design. When everyone is forced to choose between standing up for themselves or feeding themselves and their families, most people throughout history choose food.