In the 1997 movie “L.A. Confidential,” one character said of a police sergeant who was enduring a grueling situation: “I wouldn’t trade places with (him) right now for all the whiskey in Ireland.”

It’s easy to echo that sentiment in regard to Chicago police officers.

As if the city’s maddening number of homicides isn’t enough of a burden, actor Jussie Smollett — on whom Chicago law enforcement had wasted considerable resources and countless hours — was inexplicably cleared of all charges in an apparent hate-crime hoax.

And now, we’ve come to discover, it seems Chicago police can’t even arrest a drug suspect without being harassed or threatened by a menacing crowd.

The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this month that a pair of officers struggled to control rowdy onlookers as one man resisted arrest and another ran off while carrying drugs.

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The group “implied that they had weapons” and made threats, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Tribune.

“Out of an abundance of caution, he backs away from the arrestee. An individual comes and grabs the arrestee and another individual comes and grabs the narcotics,” Guglielmi added.

Ultimately, said suspect was able to allude arrest and possible charges — thanks to a little help from his friends.

As Tribune columnist John Kass wrote about the episode: “The street is officially no longer afraid of the Chicago police.”

“If the cops had fired their weapons, news media would have been all over them, metaphorically skinning them alive. Politicians would have demanded their heads,” Kass added.

Instead, the mob ruled — and neither media pundits nor Democrats voiced concern.

Perhaps most troubling is what that shameless incident means for the immediate future when it comes to Chicago-based crime.

The idiom “Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile” is taking root on the streets, as would-be criminals and cohorts think they can act with impunity.

It would appear that consequences and repercussions are fading like the morning mist.

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Both men who tried to escape from the two officers were arrested Wednesday and charged. Still, when one considers that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s hands were ostensibly tied in the Smollett case, one must wonder if that city has morphed from being a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants to being anti-justice in general.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the decision for prosecutors to drop charges against Jussie Smollett a “whitewash of justice.” https://t.co/X6ORN9SLzu

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) March 26, 2019

Evidently, even when Windy City authorities make an arrest or charge someone, they’re in a no-win situation: Damned if they do or don’t — always feeling the need to look over their shoulders.

When your mayor is disgusted and the police chief is “furious” with a high-profile case’s outcome, law and order doesn’t stand much of a chance.

At this rate, it’s difficult to imagine any job in America less desirable than that of a Chicago police officer.

The city, much like that bullied “L.A. Confidential” sergeant, is reaping what it sowed.

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