A message to cops...

[ZLP]

Looks like somebody got a ticket today and wants to cry about it with a cop hating thread. LOL

[Dan J]

There are good and bad cops Unfortunately for the good ones their aszhat brethren negate all their good work. The crap cops are nothing but a nuisance to law abiding citizens

[cstreit]

Made it to point one and wish I could have my minute back.

If I were a cop, even a 200# musclehead, I'd rather have more guys around to arrest one drunk than fewer. People can be jerks and why risk your personal safety by playing lone wolf?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Made it to point one and wish I could have my minute back.

If I were a cop, even a 200# musclehead, I'd rather have more guys around to arrest one drunk than fewer. People can be jerks and why risk your personal safety by playing lone wolf?

Well, I tried to tell you.

[kach22i]

A message to cops.

Now this is the part of the article where I say "I know that police officers have a tough job," but they don't. Being a cop isn't hard, it's dangerous. There's a difference. Being an engineer, teacher or airline pilot is hard. Being a logger, deep sea crab fisher, coal miner or firefighter is hard and dangerous. Being a cop is dangerous, but usually not hard. Driving around, issuing chicken-**** tickets and filling out paperwork isn't hard, it's annoying.

...................................Cities have made $171,402 more since this article was published just from cops paying meters and tickets like everyone else.

I think the author has a good point about "being dangerous".

I wonder how he got to that $171,402 figure?

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Hawktel

I don't think it should be illegal to record cops.

Are Cameras the New Guns?

Totally agree. If they were not worried about getting caught doing something illegal, this would not even be on the books.

[looneybin]

Originally Posted by silverwhaletail

bullets cost money.

people like you would argue that "saving money" by cutting police range training budgets is a false economy and that the few dollars saved by buying less bullets could very likely be multiplied a thousand times in a civil lawsuit against the city/police department as the result of an errant round striking a bystander.

elections have consequences. choose your city councilmen/city managers carefully.

or don't. and put up with what you get.

i would never argue that the police need to "save money" by cutting range time - i'd even donate a box of bullets.

I'm just saying they need to hit what they aim at. I also don't want to hear about "adrenaline" or "in the heat of the moment" that's why you train.

I also don't vote for liberal hand-wringing anti gun nuts.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by azasadny

You could say negative things about any profession, cops just get more attention because our contact with them is so memorable. What about the cops that have helped you. I've had several help me out , as well as firefighters. Several have probably saved my life...

i've had run ins of both types. but the one that sticks out in my mind is the time i ran out of gas on the freeway on my old triumph motorcycle. a police officer showed up about five minutes later, with a full gas-can, poured about half of it into my tank, waited to be sure the POS would fire up and then waved to me as i drove off. and he wouldn't take a fiver for the fuel.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by azasadny

You could say negative things about any profession, cops just get more attention because our contact with them is so memorable. What about the cops that have helped you. I've had several help me out , as well as firefighters. Several have probably saved my life...

Yes and no....

A good cop can do everything for you and really save the day.

On the other hand a "less than good cop" can absolutely ruin your life and for the most part you have no recourse. Good friend of mine had this happen and its absolutely ruined his life. Went from being a respected member of the community and owning a multi-million $$ house to living in a shack and unemployed for much of the last 10 years. Long story, will not detail it here but the two cops involved were later busted later on and are no longer members of the force. It was a domestic violence situation and turned out that his wife had done this before with another ex-husband, so she knew how to make it work in her benefit once she had some cops who would "look the other way" with her situation.

As well "any profession" does not have the capability to shoot and wound or kill you. Realize that there is a lot of stress there but also feel that it should be an "open book" situation and if they are concerned about being video'ed at a bust or arrest, then there is a problem.

Before anyone asks, I have several friends in LE and they are really nice guys. Just hope I never meet up any of those who are different.

[patssle]

Cops kick down doors and shoot homeowners dead, shoot dogs in cages, and terrorize in general - all over an ounce of drugs.

One snotty neighbor can ruin your life with one phone call about smelling weed coming from your place.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by patssle

Cops kick down doors and shoot homeowners dead, shoot dogs in cages, and terrorize in general - all over an ounce of drugs.

One snotty neighbor can ruin your life with one phone call about smelling weed coming from your place.

huh. i have a neighbor that i truly dislike. somehow, i don't think this would work....

[Tobra]

Well of course not in Utah, maybe California

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by azasadny

You could say negative things about any profession, cops just get more attention because our contact with them is so memorable. What about the cops that have helped you. I've had several help me out , as well as firefighters. Several have probably saved my life...

I have not had any contact with LEO or Firemen like the ones you describe, not yet anyway

[Hawktel]

Seems like a bunch of his good points are ignored.

Example. Being a cop is dangerous work. But fishermen, Logger, Airplane Pilot, Farmer/Rancher, Mining machine operator, Roofer,Sanitation worker,Deliveryman/Truckdriver, and Industrial repairman are all more dangerous.

And its not even the vaunted criminals that kill cops. If you take away traffic accidents, that cause 56% of the fatalities, suddenly being a coach, or a umpire is now a more dangerous profession.

And out of that original list the cop makes more than any of them except the rancher and airplane pilot.

Who will guard the guardians?

[patssle]

Originally Posted by nynor

huh. i have a neighbor that i truly dislike. somehow, i don't think this would work....

Six police from Houston's anti-gang task raid the home of Pedro Oregon Navarro. Officers storm his bedroom, where Navarro awakes, startled and frightened, and reaches for his gun. Police open fire and shoot Navarro twelve times, killing him. His gun was never fired. Police found no drugs or evidence of drug use or sale in Navarro's home.

Police obtained Navarro's address after pulling over a car of three men, one of whom they arrested for public intoxication. Already on probation, the suspect offered a "tip" on a nearby drug dealer in exchange for his release. Police agreed to the bargain, and obtained Navarro's address from the suspect.

Irene Gilliam Hensley

On August 14, 2002, police in La Porte, Texas stormed the home of 88-year-old Irene Gilliam Hensley on a paramilitary raid after a tip that her grandson Charles Gilliam was growing marijuana in her backyard.

The tip came from an aunt who had had an argument with Mr. Gilliam, and police decided to raid after an officer peeked over Hensley's fence and confirmed the presence of illegal plants. According to the Houston Chronicle, the warrant specifically stated that the officer who peeked over the fence had experience identifying marijuana plants.

The plants turned out to be okra. Police found no drugs in the home.

On July 27, 2004, police in Houston, Texas break open the front door of Blair Davis, a landscape contractor. Police scream, "Down on the Floor! Down on the Floor!" while pointing an assault weapon at Davis's head.

Davis' first thought was that the invaders were criminals dressed as police, a continuing problem in the Houston area. The team of 8-10 police officers push Davis to the ground and handcuff him while they search his home. They're acting on a tip from a confidential informant who says Davis is growing marijuana in his home.

The plants in question turned out to be hibiscus. Police would never apologize to Davis.

Nobody cares because it doesn't happen to *you*.

How the War on Terror Has Militarized the Police - Arthur Rizer & Joseph Hartman - National - The Atlantic

[id10t]

Originally Posted by steve185

I didn't bother to read the link, i can imagine what it says. I have been a police officer for over twenty years. Funny about people who don't like police officers, they are always quick to call us when the sh#t hits the fan.
I treat people with respect and usually have no problems with the people I meet in my work.
I really don't care what you might think of my profession, if I needed everyone to like me I would have joined the fire dept.
Steve

I have an issue with cops - but I'm ok with law enforcement officers...

[silverwhaletail]

Originally Posted by looneybin

i would never argue that the police need to "save money" by cutting range time - i'd even donate a box of bullets.

I'm just saying they need to hit what they aim at. I also don't want to hear about "adrenaline" or "in the heat of the moment" that's why you train.

I also don't vote for liberal hand-wringing anti gun nuts.

I was arguing your point for you, but I must not have done a very good job. Sorry about that.

I agree with you on all counts about police marksmanship and training/readiness.

And I'm sure that you are very conscientious when you cast your vote.

[legion]

My only exposure to on-duty cops has been during traffic stops. I don't think I'm in the minority. I always answer politely, never challenge, and show tremendous patience.

I've had one cop dress down for being a potential homicidal maniac for going 5 mph over the speed limit to pass two semis on the interstate. He made an impression, but not the one he thought he was making.

I had one cop spend 45 minutes trying to prove I was drunk at a sobriety checkpoint (not a drop in me). When he failed to trip me up, he started writing tickets for window tinting being too dark (it wasn't) and a headlight being out (it wasn't). He also made an impression.

I had one cop nearly rear-end me on the interstate because he wasn't paying attention as he came down the on-ramp at triple-digit speeds to try to catch the guy in front of me. The normal routine of checking your mirrors and moving over doesn't work when the other guy is travelling that fast.

My friend was t-boned by one cop driving home late at night (he's a pharmacist at a 24-hour pharmacy) because the cop elected to run a red light at high speeds without his siren or lights on. The police report reflected that my friend was at-fault, and both the video from the cop car and the intersection camera mysteriously went blank 10 seconds before the crash and stayed that way until the vehicles came to a rest.

What am I supposed to think when every interface I have with one profession has them coming off as arrogant, aggressive, and/or dangerous? They are entrusted with great power, and they choose to use it on thngs like spending 45 minutes playing mind games with me that thanks to the laws in Illinois, refusal to participate in somehow means I'm guilty of a crime. I keep hearing about the "good ones", but they aren't the ones that most of the general public seem to run in to.

Edit: I'm sure there are good cops out there, and I imagine they are the guys that leave me alone. But if the good guys don't do something about the jerks, the police will continue to have a public image problem.

[gtc]

Originally Posted by steve185

I didn't bother to read the link, i can imagine what it says.

Hah... sounds like typical Cop rationale.

[Joe Bob]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Totally agree. If they were not worried about getting caught doing something illegal, this would not even be on the books.

It's an unrealistic interpretation of wiretapping statutes already on the books. It's mostly the audio not the pictures that get people in trouble.