Quote:
Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese
Based on this statement and also your tag line, it makes me wonder about the mindset of modern cops. Is it common for most police officers to constantly feel threatened? Based on my own experiences, I have noticed most cops to be even more on edge these days, even in situations where they aren't on duty, backyard party, etc..
So you know, Im not disrespecting you or your public service. Just trying to understand. I've been around cops who were good and bad. I'll assume you were a fine upstanding officer who helped people and made the world a little better.  |
That is an excellent observation. I feel that you are correct in your feelings about cops being on edge. As you said even at social situations you can be made to feel uncomfortable. I never shot an innocent man yet I went to dinner with some friends the other night and spent an hour explaining the actions of a cop I do not even know. As we see from situations like the Brown case cops are immediately second guessed the minute anything like this happens. The facts of this case have not yet been released yet the officer has already been publicly convicted and sentenced. I would say that people rioting in the streets, throwing Molotov cocktails and shooting at police would cause any rational thinking person to assume an us against them mentality.
There are two things a Police Officer can do while at work they can do their job to the best of their ability or they can roll up the windows turn on the AC and ignore everything going on around them. Thankfully for most of us the choose to do their job.
When I became a Police Officer 30 years ago I actually felt good about what I was doing and really loved the job. I loved helping people in some of the darkest times of their lives and making those times a little easier for them. As time passed and public opinion changed I could not wait to retire.
When 9/11 happened everyone loved cops again. I remember every morning driving down the West Side Highway on my way to the WTC and people were lining the road and cheering as we drove by. I would be walking down the street and people would come up and thank me and want to take a picture with me. Thankfully those were some of my last days as a cop and I went out with fond memories of working with the public and not against them.