Other than union lawyers, the other folk involved could be other officers, heads of department, members of internal review boards, judges, magistrates, lab work

Other than union lawyers, the other folk involved could be other officers, heads of department, members of internal review boards, judges, magistrates, lab workers, district attorneys, politicians, etc. I agree that lawyers can help, but the lawyers are a mere formality if the process is corrupt in the first place. Unions are not normally some kind of magic shield, they are collective bargaining and pooled legal fees and have not provided the same level of protection that the police enjoy, in the other areas in which they exist.