laager mentality 

The idea that since every man (and his gun) is needed for the common defense of the group, any one man's behavior, short of murder, must be tolerated, even including mild insanity and such serious crimes as rape. (From the Afrikaans voortrekker word 'laager' - a circle of wagons forming a defensive perimeter, as when the days journey was done and the group settled in for the night)

When the cop shot the unarmed perp his buddies closed in with their laager mentality and made a thorough investigation of the facts impossible, intentionally misplacing evidence and confusing investigators.

laager mentality by paulpaxman October 31, 2010