Like Nicolae Ceaușescu at the very end in Romania, they don't ever expect to face the retribution they so richly deserve. He was confident of remaining in power right up until the short trial and the firing squad.

When the police pullback comes, and it will, slowly at first then all of a sudden, a lot, and I mean A LOT, of people who have harbored pent up frustration are going to take their chance at some payback.