Alex Salazaar News Today

>> alex: to quote nietzsche, "those who chase monsters need to be careful that they dont become monsters." i thought i was going to arrest the bad guys. i never thought i would become a bad guy myself. >> anthony: did you become a bad guy? >> alex: oh, i did, yes. >> anthony: how bad? >> alex: i became very aggressive, and beating people, losing control, and using excessive force when there wasnt really any need for me to do that. i mean, i worked the most infamous police station ever known. it ...

Think the victim thinks when they place a phone call? do you think they have high hopes that i believe my call is going to be handled with the same fervor as somebody calling from beverly hills. >> alex: well, there are good officers that come in and they do help. theres also many who lose that empathetic feeling of looking at someone with brown skin or very dark skin and they say, "you know, why am i helping out this person? its a stupid mexican." and i saw that being projected upon these peopl...

People at their most desperate and ugly that you become desensitized and maybe even turn into a monster. >> alex: just think about it. everyday theyre looking at the worst of society and maybe they have a partner that gets killed or shot. its all very overwhelming. many turn to alcohol and drugs to medicate. and im not trying to be an apologist for the police, because you know, they do need to be held accountable. but we need to help them, we really do because they are out there and theyre the o...

The line, repeatedly. >> alex: to quote nietzsche, "those who chase monsters need to be careful that they dont become monsters." i thought i was going to arrest the bad guys. i never thought i would become a bad guy myself. >> anthony: did you become a bad guy? >> alex: oh, i did, yes. >> anthony: how bad? >> alex: i became very aggressive, and beating people, losing control, and using excessive force when there wasnt really any need for me to do that. i mean, i worked the most infamous police s...

You just live here." >> anthony: was that an understatement? were there cops that bad? >> alex: yes, there were. yes, there were. i was one of them. the problem was very systemic. we dont have so much that problem anymore. it does happen. >> anthony: this is not a nature of the job, when youre asked to everyday go in and look at people at their most desperate and ugly that you become desensitized and maybe even turn into a monster. >> alex: just think about it. everyday theyre looking at the wor...

Help out, they certainly have to do their job. >> anthony: but what do you think the victim thinks when they place a phone call? do you think they have high hopes that i believe my call is going to be handled with the same fervor as somebody calling from beverly hills. >> alex: well, there are good officers that come in and they do help. theres also many who lose that empathetic feeling of looking at someone with brown skin or very dark skin and they say, "you know, why am i helping out this per...

>> alex: well, there are good officers that come in and they do help. theres also many who lose that empathetic feeling of looking at someone with brown skin or very dark skin and they say, "you know, why am i helping out this person? its a stupid mexican." and i saw that being projected upon these people who all they wanted was help. ♪ ♪ >> anthony: elisa sol garcia grew up in boyle heights and is no stranger to the challenges facing the latino community.

Worst of society and maybe they have a partner that gets killed or shot. its all very overwhelming. many turn to alcohol and drugs to medicate. and im not trying to be an apologist for the police, because you know, they do need to be held accountable. but we need to help them, we really do because they are out there and theyre the ones who are going to show up at your home. >> anthony: mexican-american, living in east l.a. and a victim of a crime, you calling the police? expecting a sympathetic ...

I never thought i would become a bad guy myself. >> anthony: did you become a bad guy? >> alex: oh, i did, yes. >> anthony: how bad? >> alex: i became very aggressive, and beating people, losing control, and using excessive force when there wasnt really any need for me to do that. i mean, i worked the most infamous police station ever known. it was called rampart. won best picture for denzel washington for his portrayal of this really bad police officer. >> denzel: "im the police. i run shit her...

Lines became blurred, the job ground him down and he crossed the line, repeatedly. >> alex: to quote nietzsche, "those who chase monsters need to be careful that they dont become monsters." i thought i was going to arrest the bad guys. i never thought i would become a bad guy myself. >> anthony: did you become a bad guy? >> alex: oh, i did, yes. >> anthony: how bad? >> alex: i became very aggressive, and beating people, losing control, and using excessive force when there wasnt really any need f...