What Happens When Good Cops Brake With The Thin Blue Line:

Here are three examples of genuinely good cops that broke with the BS and tells all, like what actually goes on in some precincts, actions like these should be common place but so scarce they take on a heroic dimension especially because it affects careers, ostracization and harassment, I don't know if some of these interviews were posted before hand but be warned both are quite long, the first is a story with a commentary I tried to find a vid without the commentary from the uploader but to no avail however his commentary is very poignant as he asked WHERE IS THE SUPPORT THE COPS CROWD SUPPORT FOR THESE COPS..and I might add where is the BLACK LIVES MATTER FOLKS coming to their aid, to me they seemed abandoned by all.
I know I am asking a lot of you guys to view full interviews that's 43 mins long, I think it's important to hear their full stories.

Good Cop Suffers Retaliation And Death Threats For Reporting Racist Chief

Two Clatskanie police officer families are enduring the brunt of the harassment after they filed a complaint against their police chief, alleging he made racist comments while on the job.

On Tuesday, the City of Clatskanie released a statement urging community members to, “respect the rights of the individuals who brought this matter forward.”

Ex-BPD Cop Joe Crystal Blew The Whistle On Corrupt Police & Paid The Price

On October 27, 2011, Baltimore police officer Joe Crystal witnessed two fellow cops beating up a drug suspect after the suspect, fleeing from the officers, kicked in the door of a home belonging to another officer's girlfriend. Faced with the difficult decision of whether to turn in his fellow officers, Crystal felt he had to do the right thing, and reported the officers’ actions to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

As a result, Crystal was labeled a "snitch" and a "rat cop" by many of his fellow officers and subjected to threats and intimidation -- including having a dead rat placed on his car’s windshield. Eventually, in 2014 he bowed to the pressure and resigned from the Baltimore PD.

In this exclusive interview, Crystal and The Young Turks’ Cenk Uygur discuss:

- Crystal’s background, and how he grew up always wanting to be a cop.
- Working with an officer who could have been the real-life Pryzbylewski from “The Wire.”
- The consequences of turning in his fellow cops.
- The difficulties he’s faced in finding another job.
- The critical difference between police culture in big cities and small towns.
- Why cops are always inclined to protect one another.
- How cop culture and gang culture are similar.
- Whether community policing is a possible solution to the “us vs. them mentality of urban police forces.
- Why police training is an important part of the problem.
- Why he remains hopeful that policing can be improved.

Ex-Baltimore Cop Michael Wood Exposes Police Culture Of Corruption & Abuse

Former U.S. Marine and Baltimore police officer Michael A. Wood, Jr. made headlines when he Tweeted about the abuses he witnessed fellow Baltimore police officers perpetrating. In this interview with The Young Turks’ Cenk Uygur Wood reveals the truth behind the “us vs. them” siege mentality pervading urban police forces that leads to a culture of corruption, racism and abuse, and what can be done to bring change for the better to policing in the United States.

a reply to: Spider879

But......but.......it's only a few bad apples.

How can they claim this?

I'll have to watch these and pay a mind to their solutions to the problem of bullying. Bullies tend to "rule the roost".

Like school yard bullies that rule the playground, they are difficult to resist. Everyone knows a bully is looking for victims, any victims. Go ahead and tell teacher, see where that gets you. There will be another recess. The other kids look away because they don't want to be next.

Bullies know this. They have an image to uphold. Some people never grow up, they got tidal locked with their emotions at an early age. The only thing they can do to keep from facing themselves and their repressed anger is to let it out (blame) someone else.

Must be hard to work so hard to be a cop, get sworn in to enforce the law, only to come to the realization that some cops are 'above the law'.

In my day it was Serpico. He finally wrote a book about his experience, made into a movie.

a reply to: Spider879

Yup.

I started a thread on Joe Crystal and another on Wood a while back and also follow Wood on Twitter, but hadn't heard of the Clatskanie one.

This is a pretty good example of why most probably don't speak out. They're not man enough to do the right thing and would rather "fit in with the pack" and reap the benefits of that acceptance and gang mentality. Sad thing is, at least with Crystal, is dude had to move out of state because of the harassment and threats against him, and if I correctly recall, his family. Talk about upstanding model cop behavior (by those who are harassing).

Sick.

a reply to: Spider879

If it was only a few bad apples then the good ones would rally around the other good one that whistle blew.

Therefore I postulate that there are only a few good apples. And a few bad while the rest have been compromised and need thrown out too.

a reply to: Spider879

I can't watch videos right now, and I'm familiar with all of these stories, but could you just give a brief recap of what remedies they recommend? I don't need too many specifics, just enough of an idea so I can do some searching? I admire and respect these guys, and everyone who tries to fight the corruption and brutality. They're doing what they can to protect us from the bad cops... we need to find solutions to protect them too.

And something to keep in mind before throwing the good cops under the bus, look what happened to these guys... they are no longer on the force... one less good cop to balance out the bad. In an ideal world, the bad cops would be the ones kicked off the force, but that's not the reality. I don't think the good cops have any good options at this point. It seems that a major part of police reform should be providing better options for good cops to report bad cops and bad behavior -- for example, an independent outside agency that good cops could report bad cops too, whose investigation would not be thwarted and tainted by internal politics.

originally posted by: IslandOfMisfitToys
a reply to: Spider879

If it was only a few bad apples then the good ones would rally around the other good one that whistle blew.

Therefore I postulate that there are only a few good apples. And a few bad while the rest have been compromised and need thrown out too.

I'm looking at it from a different perspective: The rot starts at the top. This kind of harassment and abuse could not happen unless it was sanctioned from on high. In that situation, what options do good cops really have? They could all quit, but then we'd be left with only bad cops. That serves no one's best interests. How do we fix the rot at the top?

a reply to: Spider879

Truth is stranger than fiction.

but, these 'bad cops' are people first. they didnt become cops and then become bad; same for the 'good cops', they are inherently good people.

so the problem is not corruption keeps the 'bad ones' in charge or whatever, its putting those people in law enforcement in the first place.

I know that there are good people that become cops and turn bad.
I have seen it.
I have a relative that would have never broken a law before he became a cop.
That all changed.
He became a cop and learned how the system works and what he can get away with.

I saw a viral Facebook post this morning, started by a cop, complaining that a worker at a Starbucks told him that he had to be a paying customer to use the restroom.
He was all bent out of shape because she didn't bend the rules for him just because he was a cop. She told him where the nearest public restroom was down the street, but he admits that he left with an attitude, then continued to rant about the black lives matter type of things.

originally posted by: IslandOfMisfitToys
a reply to: Spider879

If it was only a few bad apples then the good ones would rally around the other good one that whistle blew.

Therefore I postulate that there are only a few good apples. And a few bad while the rest have been compromised and need thrown out too.

Good theory.

I'll also add that however many good cops there are, they need to give back to the bad ones what they bad ones are giving to them via death threats, intimidation's, etc. The good one's know which bad ones are doing this. They almost have to. Even if they don't know specifically who the people are, they know which ones are just generally bad, and they should target them the same way they are targeted. Give out death threats. Decapitated Rambo dolls and spent shell casings in their mailboxes Paper bags of dog sh** by their front door.

Oh wait.........I forgot........Good people don't do that sort of thing. They sit back and accept what's done to them.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: Spider879

I can't watch videos right now, and I'm familiar with all of these stories, but could you just give a brief recap of what remedies they recommend? I don't need too many specifics, just enough of an idea so I can do some searching? I admire and respect these guys, and everyone who tries to fight the corruption and brutality. They're doing what they can to protect us from the bad cops... we need to find solutions to protect them too.

And something to keep in mind before throwing the good cops under the bus, look what happened to these guys... they are no longer on the force... one less good cop to balance out the bad. In an ideal world, the bad cops would be the ones kicked off the force, but that's not the reality. I don't think the good cops have any good options at this point. It seems that a major part of police reform should be providing better options for good cops to report bad cops and bad behavior -- for example, an independent outside agency that good cops could report bad cops too, whose investigation would not be thwarted and tainted by internal politics.

Well in the case of the two Baltimore cops, they both recommend community policing and communication with civilians ie meet and greet at rec centers getting to know people as people not apart or different from themselves, training in how to descalate tense situations instead of ratcheting it up, change the current cop culture which is more inline with gang culture than anything else.

originally posted by: butcherguy
I saw a viral Facebook post this morning, started by a cop, complaining that a worker at a Starbucks told him that he had to be a paying customer to use the restroom.
He was all bent out of shape because she didn't bend the rules for him just because he was a cop. She told him where the nearest public restroom was down the street, but he admits that he left with an attitude, then continued to rant about the black lives matter type of things.

And they shouldn't, IMO, get special treatment because they are cops.

Reminds of once when I went to chick fil a. The drive through was horrendously long, so i went inside to get my food to go, hopefully faster. I ended up having to wait 15-20 minutes to be served and get my food. BUT, while I was standing in line a customer came in, who the employees knew. So they opened a register and took his order. A little while later a local cop comes in, and he goes right to the counter and orders. And here I am standing in line for 15 minutes and haven't even ordered. Needless to say I let management have it.

The restroom thing is kind of silly, though. Should have just let him use it. People stop in fast food joints all the time to simply use the restroom, but I guess Starbucks wants to be uppity.

"What Happens When Good Cops Brake With The Thin Blue Line:" Answer: They slow down.

a reply to: butcherguy
"He was all bent out of shape because she didn't bend the rules for him just because he was a cop."

Incorrect, starbucks corporate policy, er..'the rules', is to encourage cops to frequent locations.. along with firemem reduces liability. I bet, and sincerely hope, she gets fired. A cops vest doesn't protect the bladder, getting shot / stabbed in a full bladder increases risk of infection / complications.

As far as officer lady balls being ostracized and called out for being a douche, good!. I celebrate his misery. He's no hero or pillar of virtue, hes a humorless religious zealot too sensitive for the gallows humor that comes with the job.

This wasn't racism,..this was humor amongst co-workers in private... officer lady balls betrayed that privacy based on his "beliefs" on voodoo & the invisible man. People make fun of other people in this world,...some of you metrosexual princesses crying tears of offense need to grow reality some balls.... like none of you hypocritical pantry waists have never once told an off color joke in private.

There is nothing to suggests the chiefs long career reflects his "beliefs" were racially biased, or racist... everything to suggest he told a bad joke in front of a jesus freak.

Racism defined: the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

a reply to: intrptr

Cops must pass the MMPI, a personality inventory that psychologically damaged 'bullies' and other social rejects fail...lol..it takes 100 applicants to hire 3. You could be the "most wrong" on the internet today ..lol...

There is no thin blue line, or a fat one either... doctors avoid second guessing other doctors in court, thin gauze line?. Same with Fighter pilots, thin bomb line?. Uh, no.. most of you ladies wont understand, but there's an adult world out there... where highly paid & trained professionals have big boy jobs making life or death decisions when crazy #e happens...on a daily basis.

A cop or doctor who second guesses fellow professionals... based on the premise they evacuate flowery excrement and bask in a glow of human perfection, find out real fast.. there's no love for self righteous holier than thou douche bags, who soon find their every judgement, reported by co-workers as less than crap.

Hard work?, no..eh, tedious at times..mostly cops love love their jobs & can't imagine getting paid lots of money to do anything else. People would line up around the block to do it free. Its an exciting, interesting, unique & fun career...

Perhaps the best benefit.. is the ridiculous amount of girls attracted to the uniform. I considered most smoking hot chicks out of my league at 20 years old, then I got hired... at 22 I was getting laid like a rock star, banging airline stewardesses like porn chicks. While traversing the mall one day, a bikini model jumped off her perch, bounced over, handed me her # saying "I want to fk a cop"... a group of 5 teenage dudes saw this, cheered & gave me a standing ovation. What other job is that considered just another day at work?

a reply to: GovtFlu

A cops vest doesn't protect the bladder, getting shot / stabbed in a full bladder increases risk of infection / complications.

If you are really serious about going with this as a reason (you know, cops don't dare have any piss in their bladder, in case they are shot or stabbed), it would be advisable for cops to wear a full time catheter and a piss bag so that they have an empty bladder at all times....
which, incidentally, would increase their chances of a urinary infection.
What are you going to do?
Good thing civilians don't ever get shot or stabbed..... because they don't get bulletproof vest issued to them on the taxpayer's dime.

a reply to: GovtFlu

Yes, girls love a man in uniform, even more than one whose heart isn't readily visible. Real girls that is.

I'm glad you enjoy your job. Sounds like fun… sometimes.

Not my cup of tea (arresting people, not "banging chicks").

I couldn't sleep nights.

originally posted by: GovtFlu
a reply to: intrptr

There is no thin blue line, or a fat one either...

There is a thin blue line. Cops get backlash for snitching on other cops.

My personal take is a lot has to do with Fraternal Orders of Police that make it a brotherhood sort of thing where they are supposed to always have each other backs, which is a great thing, until cops start getting away with unjust actions and because of this brotherhood mentality they look they other way and hope the public does not see it.

I do realize the police are still middle class working people and most took the job for all the right reasons. They can not help the unjust laws they have to enforce, they can not help their higher ups forcing them to become a revenue generator, they can not do anything about our kangaroo court system, for profit prisons and revenue generating probation programs.

The problem with the police brutality culture is much bigger. It is almost like the uniform cop is just a pawn in a much bigger game.

a reply to: Spider879

Now these are the cops we should be supporting. These are the ones that deserve our time, energy, and money if need be.