What does the term meat-eaters refer to in policing?

• A. Officers who seek opportunities for corruption
• B. Officers who avoid corruption
• C. Officers who perform only administrative tasks
• D. Officers who focus on community outreach

Answer: (A)

Meat-eaters are officers who actively seek opportunities to engage in corruption, using their authority to obtain illicit gains. They don’t wait for corruption to come to them; they pursue it—for example, soliciting bribes, kickbacks, or other favors in exchange for influence or protection. This sets them apart from others who might avoid corruption or simply encounter it by chance. The other options describe roles or behaviors that aren’t about seeking illicit advantage, so they don’t fit the concept. Understanding this distinction helps explain why strong ethics training, supervision, and internal affairs oversight are crucial to deter those who would deliberately exploit their power.