Good Cop / Bad Cop

[MJS]

The OP has acknowledged that most LEO's are good people who do their jobs correctly, etc. Are there some bad apples who overstep their authority and violate people's rights? Certainly, and when it is determined that this did in fact take place, said officer should no longer be an officer and should face any other consequences called for by their actions.

We seem to be in agreement that:
1) Most LEO's do their jobs according to the law and respect people's rights.
2) A small percentage of them don't.
3) Those who fall into that "small percentage" are wrong

Not trying to be flippant here, but I really fail to see exactly what this thread is trying to accomplish...?

Its an excuse for people who have had some 'misfortune' with the cops, to bash them. Can't be done in the LEO thread, so it was brought here. Interesting how a) the good things the cops do are never brought up and b) no solutions are ever mentioned. Oh well....

 

[Cryozombie]

Do too much, they get **** on, do too little they get **** on. Funny how nobody comes up with a solution though.

How about doing Enough? Not too much, not too little. And doing it well, with respect for your community, the people who live in it, and the rights those people are supposed to have under the law?

 

[MJS]

The term Scumbags in my post referred to actual criminals. You know... the small percentage of overall Americans that make the cops job a necessity.

But the overall attitude I see is that those Small percentage make the generalization of the population at large ok, because in your own words "Whats the alternative?" (Which I would paint as: Maybe assume that whole, ya know... innocent until proven guilty, and treat people with respect until it is determined that they don't deserve it) while at the same time crying out "It's so unfair the way you people paint cops because of a tiny minority of them that do bad things... you people are biased!"

It's hypocritical AT BEST. And you know it, cuz I've seen your posts and I don't think you are stupid.

John, with all due respect, I bef to differ on the small percentage comment. If it was really that small, then why do we hear so much about prison overcrowding?

 

[Cryozombie]

Its an excuse for people who have had some 'misfortune' with the cops, to bash them.

Funny... I see it as an opportunity to point out the inequity between the way cops do things, and they way they want them done to them. But that's just me. I take issue to cops going "But we have to do it that way, what other choice do we have" while saying "Its horrible cop bashing the way people perceive us" I don't think the badge earns you the right to special treatment, sorry.

There are plenty of "Good" cop stories. Plenty of cops doing things that are good for their community and the people in them. Problem is, while I'm sure its nice to be recognized for that its the job you signed up for and what we expect from you... so it often goes without saying. I don't get high praise when I keep the servers at work from crashing, but you can damn bet I hear about it when they do. That's how it works just about everywhere.

But MJS, and Arc, and Drac, and the rest of you "Honest cops": Thank you for doing your best... continue to do so.

 

[MJS]

How about doing Enough? Not too much, not too little. And doing it well, with respect for your community, the people who live in it, and the rights those people are supposed to have under the law?

Ok, and who determines what is enough? Your version, my version, and 50 other versions will probably differ. If I lived in a high crime area, I'd expect more than if I lived in a low crime area. The dept. I work for has put extra cops in the problem areas, to address the quality of life issues, as they call them, ie: drinking in public, loitering, loud music, etc. I'd be anything that many people view that as bs, and make claims that the cops should be out fighting real crime. We see it all the time. A bank will get held up, and someone will say, well, if the cops weren't bothering someone on the street, maybe they'd have gotten there quicker. Yet the old lady who feels intimidated because 5 guys are on the corner drinking is afraid to go anywhere.

 

[Cryozombie]

John, with all due respect, I bef to differ on the small percentage comment. If it was really that small, then why do we hear so much about prison overcrowding?

Topic for another thread, I think. I'd be going off on a tangent about unjust laws we are working to change and "political crimes" and the percieved ineptitude of the system.

 

[MJS]

Funny... I see it as an opportunity to point out the inequity between the way cops do things, and they way they want them done to them. But that's just me. I take issue to cops going "But we have to do it that way, what other choice do we have" while saying "Its horrible cop bashing the way people perceive us" I don't think the badge earns you the right to special treatment, sorry.

Then address them with someone, such as the mayor or chief. They're the ones who set the policy, and many of the things they (the cops) have to do, is a directive from the higher ups, because of the citizen complaints. Like I said in another post, there are 5 cops alone for the Main St/North End area where I work. Yet 1 per. dist. for the rest of the city. Hmmm....so the huge apt/condo complex that we have in the city has one cop, so while he's on one end of his dist., its open season for the people who steal cars in that area.

There are plenty of "Good" cop stories. Plenty of cops doing things that are good for their community and the people in them. Problem is, while I'm sure its nice to be recognized for that its the job you signed up for and what we expect from you... so it often goes without saying. I don't get high praise when I keep the servers at work from crashing, but you can damn bet I hear about it when they do. That's how it works just about everywhere.

Sad but true. Many times, the behind the scenes people never get the credit they deserve.

But MJS, and Arc, and Drac, and the rest of you "Honest cops": Thank you for doing your best... continue to do so.

I'm a dispatcher John, not a cop. My Grandfather was a cop, and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps, but for the time, have put that on hold. I will admit that there are some lazy *** cops where I work, but fortunately, the good ones, the ones that make a difference, outnumber the others.

 

[Archangel M]

"Quality of Life Enforcement" will have a larger impact than having cops sitting on banks waiting for a robbery that may never come. Sucks for the people who are just loitering around on the corners with 40 oz in paper bags...cops should always be dealing with someone other than ME...you know how it goes.

 

[Cryozombie]

Ok, and who determines what is enough? Your version, my version, and 50 other versions will probably differ. If I lived in a high crime area, I'd expect more than if I lived in a low crime area. The dept. I work for has put extra cops in the problem areas, to address the quality of life issues, as they call them, ie: drinking in public, loitering, loud music, etc. I'd be anything that many people view that as bs, and make claims that the cops should be out fighting real crime. We see it all the time. A bank will get held up, and someone will say, well, if the cops weren't bothering someone on the street, maybe they'd have gotten there quicker. Yet the old lady who feels intimidated because 5 guys are on the corner drinking is afraid to go anywhere.

It's a point, to be sure, you can't please everyone. Are 5 guys drinking on the corner breaking the law? Someplaces maybe... but not everywhere. And where it's not, it sucks to be that old lady. Where it is, sucks to be them. But I was addressing your post where you lamented doing too much and being wrong, and doing too little and being wrong.

 

[Archangel M]

Cops are a bit like soldiers. There were some real tools in my unit, but on the whole I never knew a better group of guys. People dont paint "Soldiers" with the same brush that "Cops" seem to get, but the comparison is very similar.

 

[Cryozombie]

Then address them with someone, such as the mayor or chief. They're the ones who set the policy, and many of the things they (the cops) have to do, is a directive from the higher ups, because of the citizen complaints.

I have no real reason to. I said earlier, I have had good run ins and bad run ins with the cops, but I'm discussing it here, because this is a discussion board. My only real gripe with the way things are being done in my neighborhood is an administrative one, and how the City is using those cops to generate revenue that is then lining the pockets of the corrupt village board, rather than being put to its stated use, and that has little to do with the cops, and is being dealt with on a different level.

 

[MJS]

I have no real reason to. I said earlier, I have had good run ins and bad run ins with the cops, but I'm discussing it here, because this is a discussion board. My only real gripe with the way things are being done in my neighborhood is an administrative one, and how the City is using those cops to generate revenue that is then lining the pockets of the corrupt village board, rather than being put to its stated use, and that has little to do with the cops, and is being dealt with on a different level.

So, if something is happening in your neighborhood, and you don't like it, as a taxpayer, why are you not doing anything about it? I certainly can't help or change anything, so if you have an honest concern, you should address it to someone who can help you. Not saying you can't talk about it here, but if you're looking for a solution.....

 

[Cryozombie]

So, if something is happening in your neighborhood, and you don't like it, as a taxpayer, why are you not doing anything about it? I certainly can't help or change anything, so if you have an honest concern, you should address it to someone who can help you. Not saying you can't talk about it here, but if you're looking for a solution.....

We voted in a new Village president... its just a matter of seeing what she does. I didnt say I was doing nothing. I said it was being dealt with on a different level. Like I said, my real issues in my neigborhood is how they are being used.

In the end, despite the title, I didn't see this thread as a discussion thread for the happy-go-lucky good things cops do, lets make em feel warm and fuzzy thread... but rather a thread about bad cops or bad things cops do. Then the cops jumped in with a "Why meeeeee!" attitude. If someone wants to start a "Cops are the Greatest People" thread, I have some good cop stories I'd post in there... It's just a sad fact that I have far fewer of those.

 

[Archangel M]

Because most people only have a handful of experiences with the police and most times they are getting a ticket, or are the victim of a crime.

BTW: "Good Cop" is in the title too.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

I suppose everyone has a different experience.

 

[Drac]

How about doing Enough? Not too much, not too little. And doing it well, with respect for your community, the people who live in it, and the rights those people are supposed to have under the law?

Believe or not Cyro, that is my (and a lot of officers I know) goal..Doing just enough to get the person the person cuffed and into the cruiser.. I attempt to start a dialog with almost every encounter..Unfortunately it always seems to wind up in a physical altercation when the person decides that they are NOT going to be cuffed or go to jail..

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Bad cop stories:
The one who pulled me over, came on like the king of dagotopia (stereotypical itallian goon, complete with shirt half unbuttoned, the gold chain and theforest of hair), wrote me up for speeding, then lid in court about the situation to a judge who could care less. I paid the fine, took the points, and told who I had to tell about it.

The cops who took hours answering mydomestic call concerning a drunk neighbor blasting his music at 4am.

All of the ones I see regularly violating MV laws for apparently personal reasons.


As to profiling, sure. Pull over everyone who looks Middle Eastern because they did 9/11. Now, while you're at it, pull over everyone who looks White because they are the ones who do school shootings, and blew up the Oklahoma Fed. Bld. Once you have them over, pull over all the Dark Skinned people because Mexicans are doing a lot of the drug smuggling, and Blacks the bulk of the violent assaults. If we missed anyone, pull them over too for being different. Now that everyone's off to the side, let me through, I'm late for work!

 

[Drac]

As to profiling, sure. Pull over everyone who looks Middle Eastern because they did 9/11. Now, while you're at it, pull over everyone who looks White because they are the ones who do school shootings, and blew up the Oklahoma Fed. Bld. Once you have them over, pull over all the Dark Skinned people because Mexicans are doing a lot of the drug smuggling, and Blacks the bulk of the violent assaults. If we missed anyone, pull them over too for being different. Now that everyone's off to the side, let me through, I'm late for work!

Well with that schedule there goes my quality time at the donnut shop...LOL

 

[Drac]

I wasn't always a cop, I did A LOT of stupid stuff..I have had my share of run ins with local law enforcement because of the company I kept and being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

I have NEVER had any problems because I was respectful, if questioned I answered without lying...I never played the irate citizen routine or the you just messing with me cause I have long hair (that was a gar-en-teed cop attracter back then).I was never cuffed because I never gave them reason too..The cops in the late 60's and early 70's didnt have to worry about being recorded on someones cell phone and were prone to be a little brutal..

 

[Drac]

Know what the LEOs are looking for.

Avoid being what they are looking for.

Makes any potential encounter go a lot more smoothly.

Bravo Carol..But that would be too simple for most...Most people wear a sign that says Stop and Question me.