Politically Incorrect Thread. Police Officers.

Two days ago a MAN who dedicated his life to protecting you and I was shot in an execution style. His name is Patrick McDonald. He was a proud member of the Philadelphia police force. RIP Officer McDonald. My prayers are with you and your family.
Police Officers. How in the heck can I say what I'm thinking? Tough to do, but here I go.

Officers are underpaid. They are under a microscope.

OK I feel the same way we all do. There is nothing worse than seeing the flashing lights of a squad car in your rear view mirror. I've experienced it twice. Once for speeding, once for talking on my cell phone. I was wrong on both accounts. Boo-Hoo for me. Now to the issue.

Think about this for a moment. I mean REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS. An officer showers, shaves, dresses, and kisses his/her family as he/she walks out the door like we all do. However He/She lives an absolute risk of never coming home.


A scumbag commits murder, and a cop does something as miniscule as grabbing the perpetrators arm, or mispronounces the Miranda rights and the cop just might be suspended or fired. The murderer gets to walk the street - with STREET CRED.

Every time an officer pulls over a car he is at risk. Do the math. How many times has an officer been killed while doing just that? I am paid to do my job. A police officer is paid to do his/hers. My biggest worry is that a client will not give me a purchase order. I can't imagine having to worry about being killed doing my present job.

Officers are suspended/fired due to a system which is so backwards it's crazy. I don't understand it.

Now to the part which makes me shudder, and I apologize in advance for offending anyone. Why is the racist card even an issue here in these situations? When a human being is killed by another human being, what does race/religion/sexual orientation have to do with it at all? That being said, why do we hear Reverand Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson promote racism - yes I said it. RACISM when one race commits a crime against another race, yet they say NOTHING when it is the othe way around? The media hype, protests etc.... One way only....... I realize how my words are not bonded with todays views but I am being honest. As far as my being a racist - just check my threads and posts and make your own decision.

I don't care what you are. The amount of melanin in your skin means nothing to me. If you like members of the same sex means nothing to me. Who you decide to worship means nothing to me. All I care about is that you don't harm another. Sounds silly? No just brutally honest.

I like the Dirty Harry movies, but I don't advocate vigilante justice. A dirty cop is no better than the typical offender on the street. If an officer is dirty, well then they should be tried. That being said, I don't have the cajones to do what police officers do on a daily basis. I have quite a few friends who are officers. Both in real life and here on ATS. They do their job. They like to have a beer or two with friends. They yell and scream while watching their favorite sports. They take pride in firing up the grill and cook some burgers and dogs. They go home and love their family. They get the same dog-gone bills in the mail every month that I do. They also do something that I don't.
They wear a target. Too many times pieces of garbage take a shot at that target which means a Mommy or a Daddy who is doing nothing more than doing their job isn't coming home.
If I had a magic wand, I would change it. I can't. But I ask everyone who has read this to try and make a difference. Thank an officer when you see one. Remember with 3 numbers on a phone they are there to put their life on the line for YOU. EVERY time.

Originally posted by lombozo
OK I feel the same way we all do. There is nothing worse than seeing the flashing lights of a squad car in your rear view mirror. I've experienced it twice. Once for speeding, once for talking on my cell phone. I was wrong on both accounts. Boo-Hoo for me. Now to the issue.

Try being stopped over double figures for simply having a job that requires you driving a white van in the small hours.

Hell it's no big deal though.I feel sorry for the guys when their jobs have been reduced to keeping up the quotas of traffic stops.

It's the ones who actually want to improve the peace I really feel sorry for,the rest seem to be on a power trip.Same as every career, good ones/bad ones.

But you're right on the main topic.Race/religion/creed discrimination has no place in civilisation.
We all bleed the same.

Unfortunately,American gun culture is a factor in officer deaths..
Like or loathe the gun control in UK.. Cop death figures just aren't comparable.

Im sorry to hear about the loss of life.

However, I have to disagree with you that police have it worse than anyone of us.

For instance, I kiss my girlfriend goodbye every morning and then hop on my motorcycle and drive to work every morning for 23 miles in rush hour traffic and drive back in even worse conditions. I believe my chances for being killed on my way to work on my motorcycle are just as bad if not worse than your average police officer working the streets.

I am not trying to say "oh poor me" But just trying to make a point and rebuttle to your statement.

Second, I think police officers have obtained way way way to much power. I recently had a run in with the police and my view points have changed a lot sense then.

My girlfriend has also had a run in with the police and it was kind of the last straw so to speak.

Let me tell you her story...in a nutshell

She was on her way home from my house about 11pm. No drinking, no drugs, no anything.

She make a wide right hand turn and is pulled over.

The officer says step out of the car and gives her a breath test...0.0

Officer says "I still think youre under the influence of something"

Calls another officer to have her try HIS breath test...0.0

Another officer shows up, and they try his breath tester...0.0

3 young male officers...hmmmmm

Says "yeah I still think your under the influence of something" calls a female cop to search her car and her person...

Finds nothing in on her, nothing in the car...says "your eyes still look funny to me"

Arrests her, takes her to the station and puts her in the holding cell for three hours processes paper work and has her take a drug test and releases her.

No doubt in my mind the only reason why they did that to her was due to the fact she was a 20 year old, cute, skinny, and chesty girl.

My opinion of the police is they are no different than any other citizen and are given extra power because of their title. They are in it strictly for profit and abuse of power.

ALL rights should be taken away from an officer with a uniform on. You become a tool of the law and NOTHING more. You do NOT fire unless fired upon, if you are killed...sorry...thats what you signed up for... when you took that oath as an officer you swore to serve and protect citizens...not only your fellow police officers.

I cant wait for my hate mail!!!!!

It's too bad that there are a few bad apples that spoil the entire barrel in our eyes.
Only one instance of the interactions I have had with the police was a positive one, by an officer who obviously took pride in his job, without the ego and power trip that many seem to acquire once they get their badge and gun.

I agree that everyday they leave the house, they are a target....but so are all of us, to the crimes they try to protect us from. They just act with far more courage than all of us.
Kudos to the boys and girls in blue.

I've been arrested TWICE for things that are not even illegal. TWICE! No crime was committed on either occasion. Cops don't KNOW the law and shouldn't be in charge of enforcing it on the rest of us. When you give some barely educated, power mad bully a loaded gun and tell him (or her) that they have the authority to go out and make people's lives as miserable as they want........

Sorry to mess up your cop love-fest. Carry on.

No offense meant to Semper Fi. There are occasionally some gems in the trash heap; I just don't know why they stay there.

I just believe that everyone abuses their job...Just like right now I am sitting at work on ATS...However, police officers when they abuse their power can ruin a persons life.

I believe that this country is getting to be more and more like a full police state (like V for vendetta)

I live in Phoenix, Az...we have "the toughest DUI laws in the country"

No joke we really do.

Guy I know got busted for a DUI for having his KEYS IN HIS POCKET thats right...he was at a club (drinking) was not even in his car and was busted for a DUI for having his car in the parking lot and his keys in his pocket...

You go out now after 11 here in this city and its like a ghost town. Everyone is too scared to come out of their house.

reply to post by lombozo


No place is safe these days man because of drugs. Just last year, we had a cop nearly get killed down here on a drug bust. He was trying to arrest this guy who was a notorious drug dealer from Detroit that had set up wing of his drug business. When the officer tried to stop the subject, the suspect pulled out a gun and shot the officer in the mouth. Even though the officer was shot, he was still able to draw his weapon and take out the suspect.

Originally posted by whitewave
Cops don't KNOW the law and shouldn't be in charge of enforcing it on the rest of us.

I think most of them DO know the law, the problems start when they presume we don't!

Personally I think the majority of police are like the majority of politicians...great intentions to start with, but peer pressure, egos and the need to be superior to the public causes them to react against the things they were fighting for to begin with.

How many "straight" cops wouldn't get the p*ss taken out of them by colleagues if they didn't assimilate into the "we're always right" attitude?

Who will that p*ssed off cop take it out on?

I have met very few "reasonable" cops!

Serving us as public servants is probably a chip on their shoulder too.

And remember, they're human just like the rest of us and are not immune to the expressions of fear, insecurity and all the other emotions called life.

And I know some of you may think this is a cruel thing so say and I direct it at nobody in particular:

If you have a job that requires a gun, you may have to use it and you may get shot AT.

Also, how many innocent victims have died at or in the hands of the police compared to vice-versa?

Nope, just don't trust them. Why should I, they don't trust us. An engineered viscious circle perhaps!