Public Corruption and Incompetence

exist because they can.

There is no systemic force in public service that counteracts even benign influences like the Peter Principle, (link) much less the malevolant influence that corruption brings.

Accountability is fatal to corruption and incompetence.

There is no accountability in public service;
particularly at the highest levels of public service.

Honest accountability to meaningful standards of conduct and competence in public service, is within the reach of legislators. It is by their deliberate choice, that there is not accountability in public service.

Legislators are unwilling to end corruption and incompetence in public service.

Because;

One cannot end corruption without exposing corruption.
One cannot expose corruption without exposing the corrupt.
The corrupt do not want to be exposed, and they have the power and resources to protect themselves from exposure.

The corrupt protect themselves from exposure, by abusing the power entrusted to them; by using the public power against the public interest.

The powerful and corrupt, whether in the leadership of the APS, or in local, state or federal government, will not allow their incompetence and corruption to be exposed.

The system cannot be relied upon to fix the system. This problem cannot and will not be solved by the people who created it, and who benefit from it.

They will not expose themselves.
They will not fire themselves.
They will not create an institution that ferrets out and exposes waste; all of which flows from their two wells;

incompetence, and corruption.