But in my defense, these conversations were research for a new project I'm developing that's connected to the sign itself.

She said, "I like your sign." So I asked her to hold it.

So I asked people this question: "Why do you think most instances of ordinary police abuse go unreported?" Their answers fell into two major categories.

Answer #1: People think the police will simply ignore their reports. Some had experienced the frustration of receiving no official follow-up after filing their own reports. The general sense is "Police don't police the police. What's the point of wasting your time?"

Answer #2: Fear. There's no getting around it. People fear being further victimized by police intimidation and perhaps retaliation. They fear the pain of reliving a terrible experience over and over again.