After firing 137 shots at an unarmed couple, it's doubtful any Cleveland police will even be fired

This, ladies and gentlemen, is your America.

In 2012, an unauthorized police chase involving one-third of Cleveland’s police force and 59 unsanctioned officer vehicles ended with 13 officers firing 137 rounds at two unarmed black people, killing them on the spot. Only one of the 13 cops who shot at Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams was brought to trial, and he was found not-guilty in May.

Now, having successfully avoided criminal charges for the deaths of Russell and Williams, who were initially pulled over for a turn signal violation, the 13 cops face termination from the city’s police department for firing their weapons. Internal disciplinary hearings initiated by the safety director began this week.

Often called the Brelo case, after Cleveland Police Officer Michael Brelo, who was the lone officer charged in the egregious shooting, few people have any faith whatsoever that any officers will be disciplined for their reckless actions. Initially claiming that Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams shot at them, it turned out they were completely unarmed and that their car, a much older model, simply made a loud backfiring noise.

It's outrageous that it has taken three years for the safety hearings to even begin. But the fact that such egregious actions may or may not result in the termination of the officers involved is a sad sign of the state of American policing. Officers, particularly in Cleveland, can get away with damn near anything at this point.

And almost one year after Cleveland Police shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice, prosecutors claim they are still investigating.