The police arent being used as scapegoats. They are doing this to themselves. The ones who are using their badges to hunt and kill like a sport is self explanatory. The cops who silently sit by and do/say nothing are just as guilty as the wrong doers. These are the same folks who expect civilians to step forward and tell them who shot John so they can solve crime....BUT they wont tell on each other.... double standard. Scapegoats? No...abuse of power? Yes. Brotherhood protection? Absolutely.
The key to this is to kill and make sure that person doesnt get a chance to tell their side of the story. They dig up their past, illuminate it and destroy a dead mans character.