Stopped by a cop? Act like an ass. After all, it's your "right".

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
Resisting Arrest doesn't merit a death sentence.

You are absolutely correct. And there is a real problem with SOME in the law enforcement business.
Sadly, most ATS'ers SUCK at math. They can't run the numbers of how many traffic stops there are daily, and how many bad cop stories we get daily. I'd wager it's about like getting bit by a shark in NC oceans. It does happen, and sucks to be the guy with the shark attached to your thy, but knowing that tens of thousands of others didn't get bit never factors in.

These people should play the lottery. People win all the time.

a reply to: network dude

** yes i agree Dude, i live in UK and watch america regularly, and almost Every time i see one of the Many

annual videos Screaming about police Brutality, i React against the idiot Citizen for provoking the cop into

their own demise. the headline might say "child murdered by officer" when the fact is the 14 yo was 6' 2"

drunken slob mentally ill, or something similar, who lunged at the cop ! what do you expect. if a man

(anyone) in front of you is heavily armed and got hundreds of backup on the radio, and you stand there

mouthing off about your "rights", who is surprised you get tasered to the floor ? nobody in UK !!!

** just be quiet, shut up and comply. you will get 100 times better treatment, i assure you.

the cop is a HUMAN first, and a "perfect" officer second. many people refuse to get out of their cars or

refuse to give ID and stand there shouting abuse at the Officer, until blam blam someone is dead, so .... ?

a reply to: network dude

I respect your opinion and understand your position. However, police are not judge, nor jury, nor executioner, and how they feel should have no basis at all on how they enforce the law.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs

originally posted by: Bone75
a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I'd rather be alive than right.

I'd rather be dead than lose my freedom.

Wait, so treating a cop with respect takes away your freedom? Come on Chuck, I though you has some noodles in that mellon.

Given what I was replying to, I cannot answer your question without appearing to contradict myself.

I'll just say no it doesn't, but that's not what I was discussing.

a reply to: network dude

Why should I have to be the brunt of a cops bad day?

I don't care if he interacted with 100 idiots who gave him crap, why should I have to lick his boots because his butt is sore and in a bad mood?

I'm sorry -- but that guy chose to be a cop, knowing full well people don't like being told what to do. That person chose a profession in which they would see the worst of humanity.

And I'm supposed to take it from a cop when they behave badly?

No, no no ... I don't think so buddy. I'll be polite, but I'm not going to kiss that policeman's butt just in the off chance his sensitive feelings were hurt earlier by someone with an attitude.

a reply to: works4dhs

So. Can I put it this way. What if the manager at the restaurant was rude first?
What if your dry cleaning was supposed to be done 3 hours ago and now you're late to YOUR OWN WEDDING. So just because you're of authority it's somehow supposed to make it all different?

I disagree.

Maybe the stipulations and rules on who can be a cop needs to be changed?

I'm not one to argue, just love stating my opinion.

Continue.

originally posted by: network dude


Now, Imagine again that you are that cop, but this time, the guy you stopped has a major attitude, and tries to tell you all about how he pays your salary and has the right not to answer your questions. Would you be nice to this guy? Give him a break? Enjoy his company? Not feel threatened?

So if i tell a copper i pay their salaries (which wouldn't ever even come up unless the copper was being a belligerent and rude arsehole), which is the truth, then state another truth, that i have a right to remain silent, i am a) threatening? and b) deserving of 'not being nice to' ?

Ever heard the phrase 'the truth often offends'?

I would agree, had you said calling the officer derogatory names, being abusive, or somehow belittling them, but you choose the example of telling an officer the truth in a non-offensive manner, and stating my rights, as being deserving of ill treatment.

As a public official, if you dislike the truth and find the rights of the populace as an insult, you cannot expect your uniform to make people do what they have no lawful need to do.

Respect is earned.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

LOL, I am not talking about kissing his ass, or licking his boots. I am talking about treating him like he is human. Treating him like you would prefer to be treated. Nothing more. Just be respectful. He may have had a really bad day, and if you acted like a twat, he might snap and be the next guy on the top thread. But.... if you were nice, he might just relax for a second and de-escalate his own anger. (remember, cops aren't machines, they are you, me, or that guy over there)

I seriously don't' get why this is a hard thing to understand.

a reply to: network dude

When someone says to an officer, "I don't want to talk to you" and then the officer is trained not to respect that by fishing for more information, or flexes their power by any number of ways that are taught to officers: probable cause, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest... We've all seen the videos.

How, and why would you expect the general public to respect officers now? New blue are being taught to not respect a person's rights by abusing laws to incriminate as many people as possible, as arrests and asset seizures lead to promotions.

If the tough guys on ATS actually talk to cops the way they talk ABOUT cops on this forum, it's no wonder they hate the police.

I'm just as nice to cops as I am to anyone else I encounter daily who's doing their job. I sometimes avoid tickets because of my behavior.

If you treat a cop like he's scum, you'll get treated like scum in return... you have no one to blame but yourself for your bad interactions with cops. I've only encountered a couple who seemed like power-tripping clowns and I treated them like any other power-tripping clown... I said as little as possible to get through the interaction and continue on with my life.

originally posted by: Learningman


Respect is earned.

Exactly. But apparently only on one side.

The hippocricy is burning my eyes.

a reply to: MasterKaman

just be quiet, shut up and comply. you will get 100 times better treatment, i assure you.

a reply to: network dude

I look at it this way. We all have the right to act like and ass to a cop, but the second we do that, we give the cop the right to act like a dick to us.

So treat others how you want to be treated. Of course this always depends a lot on your mood at the time.

originally posted by: network dude
I seriously don't' get why this is a hard thing to understand.

A lot of it is just anonymous internet nonsense.


Some of it is from people who've had perfectly justified run-ins with the police in the past and now they hold a grudge against cops.

a reply to: network dude

What hypocrisy ? I was using your example. A cop who is polite and not throwing their weight about would get treat with respect, your example used a citizen stating they paid the officers wages, and that they had a right to remain silent, as a valid reason for said officer to 'not treat them nicely'.

a reply to: network dude

It shouldn't matter how bad his day was, he is supposed to be trained to be an officer of the law and leave his emotional baggage in his squad car. If he wants to go home at night and cry about the big mean woman who didn't want a speeding ticket, fine -- just don't take it out on me.

I agree we should treat people how they want to be treated, but I'm not walking on egg shells for a cop. Period.

They should be hardened enough to treat everyone the same, regardless of who they may have run across beforehand.

If they can't be objective, cool under pressure, and maintain emotional stability -- they shouldn't be in law enforcement.

originally posted by: Evil_Santa
a reply to: network dude

When someone says to an officer, "I don't want to talk to you" and then the officer is trained not to respect that by fishing for more information, or flexes their power by any number of ways that are taught to officers: probable cause, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest... We've all seen the videos.

How, and why would you expect the general public to respect officers now? New blue are being taught to not respect a person's rights by abusing laws to incriminate as many people as possible, as arrests and asset seizures lead to promotions.

Is it painful to be nice? Seriously, does it hurt?

Change needs to happen, no doubt about that. But with the attitudes I see here, it's going to change in the wrong direction.

As was the intent of the thread, you have the right to be mean, but being nice usually yields better results.(and to my knowledge, doesn't cost any extra)

originally posted by: Answer
If the tough guys on ATS actually talk to cops the way they talk ABOUT cops on this forum, it's no wonder they hate the police.

I'm just as nice to cops as I am to anyone else I encounter daily who's doing their job. I sometimes avoid tickets because of my behavior.

If you treat a cop like he's scum, you'll get treated like scum in return... you have no one to blame but yourself for your bad interactions with cops. I've only encountered a couple who seemed like power-tripping clowns and I treated them like any other power-tripping clown... I said as little as possible to get through the interaction and continue on with my life.

Problem is some cops think you're resisting/interfering with investigations/being unco-operative/acting suspicious when you stand up for your rights. They threaten you with everything under the sun hoping you will cave to their demands, and they are allowed to lie to you during their encounters.

Remember, the next time a cop walks up to you with his hand on his gun, you might be the next unarmed citizen shot as you reach for your license or insurance papers. After all, you didn't understand his grunted order for an ID and made the mistake of asking 'what?' and made his attitude toward you go negative.

Police tend to ask questions in order to find a reason that you are a law breaker. Not answering tends to make them believe you do not respect their authority.

There are screw ups on both sides of people/police actions. Doubt every one will make it to the middle.

originally posted by: ExternalForces
a reply to: works4dhs

So. Can I put it this way. What if the manager at the restaurant was rude first?
What if your dry cleaning was supposed to be done 3 hours ago and now you're late to YOUR OWN WEDDING. So just because you're of authority it's somehow supposed to make it all different?
I disagree.
Maybe the stipulations and rules on who can be a cop needs to be changed?
I'm not one to argue, just love stating my opinion.

Continue.

We all have bad days. if person one has a bad day and lashes out at person two (also having a bad day) things escalate and both persons' days get worse, whether they're cops, dry cleaners, customers, etc. sometimes, when person a is mean to you, the best thing is to accept it, maintain your politeness, and de-escalate. Like anyone else I hate being insulted but I hate conflict even more.
'having a bad day' doesn't justify a law officer (or anyone else) being rude / unprofessional, but in the real world it happens. sometimes we are aggressors, sometimes we are aggressed.