The Police And Us
I want to start off by saying that I am slightly prejudiced on the side of the cops. My favorite cousin's son is in law enforcement. When I was in the retail business, many of my customers were police officers. In my dealings with the police, I have found all kinds of people. I've had a rude cop give me a ticket as if he was talking to a drug dealer, I've had another cop give me a speeding ticket almost apologetically saying how he realized I was trying to just pass a slower vehicle. I have, however, noticed a strong dislike of police prevalent in the Gulch. Not for a single event or even a series of events, but just police in general. Those who are on the con side seem to think that police are getting too militaristic. That they overstep their bounds on a regular basis and hassle regular citizens inordinately. I'd like to know the general feeling in the Gulch. Are there experiences that reflect on the general actions of the police, or are there just individual incidents? What does the Gulch feel is the general trend? Should we fear the police more than the criminals? I personally think that imposing bad generalities on the police is beginning to become a prejudice opposite of mine. What do you think?
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Are doctors honest?
Are retail clerks dependable?
(more later)
There are good cops. I kind of pity them. And, frankly, other than power-trip stuff they are all in it for the retirement. Few are in it to help society (not that I blame them). As a result, we get what we've got.
By and large the police actually do a public service, unlike our political public servants who only serve themselves.
I also am horrified by the treatment and the rush to judgement of the administration in many recent cases that are local events not federal cases. Police are innocent until proven guilty just like other US citizens and should be afforded an unbiased support for their work.
I say just about every interaction because I volunteer at my schools athletic events where I have to hang out with a PO for 4 hours and we get along just fine.
I've been pulled over at least 2 dozen times (speeding or cycle out of lane) and only have received 2 tickets, so for the most part they have been kind. But I do not trust a single one of them. I have seen them lie in court, modify their report to satisfy a prosecutor, and seen them arrest an innocent person in the most offensive manner. As they talk to me like I am a criminal, I talk to them as they are a criminal. I am sure they are not all like that but since I do not know which ones are honest or not, I treat them all as if they are dishonest, and will do anything to get a conviction.
thats my experience.
But hey, it's a great day to get outdoors, and knott deal with a cop.
I think our police are way too militaristic, but that doesn't put me on the con side or make me prejudiced against police officers. Many police officers, esp retirement-age officers who did the job prior to the SWAT-team militarization and war on people who use drugs, object to way we do policing today.
My thought for solving the problem is to have few laws and only laws that are almost universally accepted. That way the police have an army of citizens who are completely on their side. Then the police should mostly patrol the neighborhoods they know and do so on bike or foot when possible so they frequently interact with the people they serve. I think we should reduce prison sentences and use the savings to hire more police officers, since criminals are more likely to respond to the immediate risk of getting caught rather than how many years they'll be jailed if they do get caught.