What turns the police from friend to enemy?

Originally posted by Witness2008
reply to post by badmedia

 

Maybe Kwapp is some type of law enforcement, most likely a security guard.

Ugh, now there's a profession where most of them really ARE corrupt.

Security guards really have no power at all, their job is to simply be a witness and then call police, yet they go around acting like god and detaining people and bossing them around.


How come no one ever complains about security guards? Hmm, it's that magic "E" word again... Envy. Becoming a security guard isn't hard, anyone can do it. Becoming a police officer is. To put it simply, people hate the police because they are jealous they could never become an officer themselves.

Hey, nothing personal against people like that though. Envy is a human emotion, and very natural.

Originally posted by ThatDGgirl

UNBELIEVABLE!

You are pleased that you insulted me??!! I told you the straight up truth and see where it got me?

Yes I am, perhaps it will make you a better person.

I never really understand people like you who get offended at things and then go home crying.

People like that must live a very sad life. Life is just not worth it if you go around getting offended or insulted at every little thing.



Guess what, life is tough, you are going to be offended and insulted, it's part of life. Going around crying over spilled milk isn't going to solve anything.



People say things that offend me every day, I just smile and laugh it off. My life is very enjoyable. Even before I became an officer, when I was a teenager/early 20's working civilian jobs. I remember good ole' Jeff who insulted me and mocked me any chance he could get, just to get under my skin. I could have gotten pissed off at him and then been mad the rest of the day, but I just laughed and smiled through his insults. I went home from work every day a happy person, not a rotten one like most men.


Just smile. It really makes life better.

Hey, maybe that's why I became a cop, because I can put up with stuff like that without taking anything personally - and you have to, when you get insulted at least 5 times per hour, lol.






[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

First of all, I believe in the law. I also don't believe in criminals thwarting justice.

That said, I am increasingly concerned with what is an epidemic of police abuse and misconduct toward law-abiding citizens in the United States.

I'd like to link these video's so that people can be better informed and protect themselves. Know your rights.

First, some advice;

A) Be polite with all interactions with the Police, or any law enforcement agency. Don't ever touch a Police Officer or call names.

B) Carry a camcorder with you in your car and if possible, on your person. Carry your cell phone with you at all times. If being detained, be polite and ask the nature of the detention. Do not be threatening. Show your hands and then flip your cell phone or mobile to record while being detained. This will record the conversation and any possible false statements made by Police.

C) Most importantly. SHUT UP. Don't call the Officer names. Don't tell them about your favorite TV show. Stick your tongue in your mouth and SHUT UP. Anything you say, can and will be used against you, even if innocent. Say a lot, a lot will be used against you. Say a little, a little will be used against you. Say nothing and nothing will be used against you.

Don't mouth off, don't disrespect the Officer and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

Anything you say, can be used against you and CANNOT be used for you.

Know your rights, flex your rights. And if you have a question on Police practices, call the duty Officer, file a complaint and follow through. Unfortunately, due to the "blue wall of silence" it's likely your complaint will be ignored. However, it will be DOCUMENTED. And a repeated documentation of Police harassment, stalking, criminal behavior or illegal behavior can be admissible in Court.

Document, Document, Document.

And one more tip;

Don't break the law. This may be the hardest tip to follow, but don't break the law. Obey the law, don't be an a-hole and 99% of life falls into line.

This caveat goes for the people with Government Ink on their paychecks as well. Who increasingly ignore it. And why the aboves posted.

Best to all.

reply to post by JackSparrow


Jack, all very good advice. Best part is where you recommend people to just obey the law.

People seem to have this notion that we go around beating up innocent people for fun - we don't, there's PLENTY of real law breakers we can do that to, we don't need to do it to innocent people.


Really, the law isn't that hard to follow. I've never broken a law in my life besides traffic laws, and I live a very happy and enjoyable life, so I don't really see what I'm missing. I've also never, never had trouble from any police officers, ever. They have all been very polite, kind, and understanding to me, with the exception of one who was visibly agitated and made me feel uncomfortable. (Yes,we are talking before my current profession.)

Perhaps that is now why I now do what I do. I might not have been so keen on becoming one, if I had for example sold drugs and beat my wife and had the police come knock some sense into me. Then my view on police might have been a wee bit different.









[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

Here's the video's, sorry the not including them in my last post.

I highly reccomend everyone here view these.

The Law is what makes us a civilized society. When that breaks down and we have people acting under color of law abusing the basic Constitutional principles this country was founded on, we have a problem.

Something I'm not sure people are aware of is the American law enforcement system. In America, Sheriff's are elected. They serve the people. That is why law enforcement officers are considered deputys, they are deputized by the Sheriff. I truly believe the American law enforcement system is not only the most ethical, but democratic in the world.

That is why we have to be proud of our Law, our Constitution and our traditions as ethical people. We ARE witnessing a slide towards an increasing Police State in America and this is against what is best for our nation and it is not in the best interest of the people of this nation.

That said;

Here's the links, I haven't figured out hotlinking them yet. Criminal Justice students take note, you may have a future in Law, pay close attention. Anyway, I liked these;

Don't talk to Cops part 1

www.youtube.com...

Don't talk to Cops part 2

www.youtube.com...

Dealing with Police Part 1

www.youtube.com...

Dealing with Police Part 2

www.youtube.com...


Best to all.

reply to post by E-ville


the only reason there are seat belt laws is the plain and simple fact that seat belts literally Save Lives.

on accidents 45 miles an hour and up a person has a 98% percent chance of survival with a seat belt. survival rate without the seat belt? 3%, with a 1% margin of error.

get shot put through your windshield one good time and i garuntee youll never get in a car without a seat belt again, if you survived.

I have never been treated poorly, and im a dirty 24 year old hippie/hopper. sheer common sense should dictate they hate my type, cause i live in some pretty redneck places. on the other hand, chiefs and sherrifs arent particularly nice to me, but then again, no one is usually very nice to them.

Any time i have been pulled over i mutter a string of Ned Flandersish expletive deleteds, but i always speak to the officer calmly. i have only been stopped, patted down and searched one time, because i had just woken up and my face was crusty from dead skin i guess and the cop told me i looked jacked up and he asked me where the coke was. It was 7:30 in the morning and 34 degrees outside, so i was shivering. i laughed and asked him if it looked like i could even afford coke and he had no comment. I got lucky cause i usually have pot on me though,

[edit on 22-10-2008 by drsmooth23]

Originally posted by Kwapp

Originally posted by ThatDGgirl

UNBELIEVABLE!

You are pleased that you insulted me??!! I told you the straight up truth and see where it got me?

Yes I am, perhaps it will make you a better person.

Funny, I always thought compassion and understanding were the way to go. Silly me. Insults are SO much easier. Tough love, huh?

Originally posted by KwappI never really understand people like you who get offended at things and then go home crying.

People like that must live a very sad life. Life is just not worth it if you go around getting offended or insulted at every little thing.

WOW!! That is a TREMENDOUS amount of presumption. I'm really starting to understand why you're a cop! If you don't know what's really going on in someone's life, just fabricate until you have a theory that works for you! LOL

Originally posted by Kwapp You tend to pick up habits from other people, it's human nature.

People say things that offend me every day.....
............ I remember good ole' Jeff who insulted me and mocked me any chance he could get, just to get under my skin. I could have gotten pissed off at him and then been mad the rest of the day, but I just laughed and smiled through his insults. I went home from work every day a happy person, not a rotten one like most men.

Do you even realize how badly you are incriminating yourself???? I think good ole Jeff rubbed off on you ALOT more than you think he did. And "like most men"? My husband never comes home like that.

Originally posted by KwappJust smile. It really makes life better.
Hey, maybe that's why I became a cop, because I can put up with stuff like that without taking anything personally - and you have to, when you get insulted at least 5 times per hour, lol.

So, do YOU feel the need to insult others at least 5 times per hour? Or are your charming ways just a natural by-product of your employment/lifestyle?


Well, I'm off to lunch with friends on my day off. Hope your day is just wonderful!

Warden and Prisoner Test

I came across this after reading OP and i thought it might explain alot of things.

The Lucifer Effect

And another one that mentions about why good people turn bad.

[edit on 22-10-2008 by Prometheus Ascendent]

I think we all have a sort of low-level understanding that the police should protect us and uphold the law. They should not be revenue-generators. When I see a citizen pulled over by an officer I just know that he's being issued a ticket for an absurd amount of money for some trivial "offense". This erodes my respect for police officers. Someone here commented that the revenue just goes back into the community. That's no justification. We all know government is corrupt, greedy, inefficient, vexing, and repressive. I have no desire to feed more money into this messed-up machine.

Ok I tried not to reply to this thread, but emotion got the better of me.

In defense of Cops, they deal with the dredges of society on a daily basis. When exposed to these types on an ongoing basis, they become desensitized like all of us would and may treat innocent people in a similar fashion without realizing it. I like to call this "negative business". Negative business is never good for the people exposed to it, so i try very hard to avoid it. Cops are people, and if you can illustrate to the cop that you are not one of the dredges, odds are you will be fairly treated.

On seatbelt laws. Although its the law, I have had opportunity to be ever so thankful that I wore one when I t-boned a New Yorker. Wrote off the car I was in, felt like an exhibition ride, but without the safety's. The seatbelt is your friend. I now make sure that anyone in any car I'm in wears on, not because of the law, but because watching them fly through the window face first would be exposing myself to "Negative business".

Now bad cops exist. (Just like life on other planets, but with greater frequency). You can generally tell a bad cop by...well, nothing. So it is always in your best interest to be polite to the cops, and be aware of your rights. Say nothing, when in doubt, say nothing. If you missed that ..SAY NOTHING. Nothing you say will make things better for you. Nothing you say will get you out of trouble nor make things go faster for you. When asked "How fast were you going" reply with the speed limit. Saying I was 5 over is admitting to the crime. (You have a right to not incriminate yourself, so use it)

Cops are NOT your boss. Cops actually work for you, but that doesn't mean they answer to YOU. Remember the "negative business" statement above. If you are stopped by a police officer who asks if it is ok to search your car, its ok to tell them that you DO NOT CONSENT TO ANY SEARCHES. They are only asking your permission because they need it. If you allow it, and they "Find" a gun under your back seat (see tow truck drivers comment) they can prove it was YOUR GUN. So when they say they will just bring the dogs out, let them. If you aren't carrying a bunch of drugs or such you would have nothing to fear as long as you didn't let them search your car in the first place.

Cops are necessary in our society. But not all cops will be law abiding citizens themselves. many cops have earned the contempt that joe average feels for them. It is the good cops responsibility to turn in Bad cops, but being a snitch to IA is about the same as being a snitch to a cop. If The good ones really stood up for the people and to the bad ones, there would be alot fewer bad cops making alot less people dislike cops.

Now having said all of that, I would not like to be a cop. I wouldn't like the pay cut, and there is far too much "Negative business", day to day than I could take.

Thanks for reading
..Ex

Oh, and PS. I would agree with the speed laws a whole lot more if the radar traps were only set where speeding would be hazardous to the public. But far too often you see a cop behind a bush trapping on a road that no human would ever walk on, miles and miles from nowhere. So the public safety comment just doesn't cut it in this case.

[edit on 10/22/2008 by v3_exceed]

Originally posted by WhamBamTYM
I think we all have a sort of low-level understanding that the police should protect us and uphold the law. They should not be revenue-generators. When I see a citizen pulled over by an officer I just know that he's being issued a ticket for an absurd amount of money for some trivial "offense". This erodes my respect for police officers. Someone here commented that the revenue just goes back into the community. That's no justification. We all know government is corrupt, greedy, inefficient, vexing, and repressive. I have no desire to feed more money into this messed-up machine.

That's it in a nutshell.
This is why police are no longer about public service and have converted to public extortion. Ever go to fight a ticket?

Courts have turned into super complexes designed to further aid them in extortion. Everything is designed to look intimidating and discouraging. Pre-hearings, where you sit in a room with another POS cop who tries to tell you that you WILL lose if the cop shows up to court who wrote you the ticket, and all this concentration camp-like structure about the place. They lie to you to deter you from fighting extortion by telling you they will make a deal for a lesser charge.

I think these days it's not too difficult to understand that the police do nothing to serve and protect your interests. They serve and protect the financial interests of whatever city/county/state they work for. They are a business built on corruption.

And that is why ANYONE becoming a police officer ought to know going in thet they just took a step into the dark side, and that one day they are going to pay the price. And good for you if you do! I have no sympathy.

If anything, all the police do is complicate life for citizens who for the most part are already dealing with enough sh*t as it is.

reply to post by Kwapp


I'd like to leave you with these words (found on Springer's sig ...THANKS! LOVE THIS!)

Never argue with an idiot, he'll only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience!

Oh, this is easy! Remember the class bully in grade school? Would you believe it, that's the cop!

The whole system is corrupt from the police to the judges.

You forgot some, the lawyers, the 'law'makers, and the bureaurats.

WOW !!!

A lot of points are being made...kinda like the Blind men and their description of an Elephant.

The key word here is "Blind"...because each of those men being blind saw the subject of their description in the way that suited them, and in the way that their minds could rationalize it.

Long story short, I've been verbally abused by Law enforcement officers, for no "good" reason, using language that you would never use to a female,(and your mother would wash your mouth out w/soap) yet, when I complained about it to their superior(actually the liaison officer, I was listened to and apologized to by him on their behalf and they were reprimanded. In otherwords, I got my satisfaction....

Human beings, no matter WHO OR WHAT THEY DO JOB WISE, some do become jaded...be it a doctor, lawyer, cops, or even the local grocery clerk. Seeing other human beings at their worst, their best seems to disappear...enforcing rules that one may not agree with just to keep food on the table, they just quit trying...they forget their "high ideals" why they chose this line of work, in the first place and adopt the give a sh** attitude that is so prevelent in the world today.

Suspicions and distrust run high, and fear rules, no such thing as understanding....forget that all it really is nothing more than an elephant.

~Holly

Originally posted by WhamBamTYM
I think we all have a sort of low-level understanding that the police should protect us and uphold the law.

Who is "us" though, "us" that should be protected? Should everyone be protected by police? Just the good people? Or the criminals too?


Surely criminals do not fit into that category of "us" that police should be protecting and serving. So how do we define criminals? Aren't criminals people who break the law?


And cops only arrest and fine people who break the law. So doesn't that mean that police, are indeed, doing just what they should be doing?


Sorry for going off on a philosophical rant here, but am I not right?

Originally posted by WhamBamTYM
They should not be revenue-generators. When I see a citizen pulled over by an officer I just know that he's being issued a ticket for an absurd amount of money for some trivial "offense".

Maybe, maybe not. I'd say about 65% of the cars I pull over are for traffic violations, but still a good chunk of them (obviously 35%) are for other things, usually more serious crimes.

Now, the thing is, sometimes pulling someone over for a traffic violation also reveals other things, like stolen merchandise in their car, drugs, or even arrest warrants for very serious offenses. So you have to figure those in too.

Originally posted by WhamBamTYM
This erodes my respect for police officers.

Think outside the box, rather than in.

Why not instead have no respect for people who speed and allow themselves to get pulled over in the first place?


After all, if they stayed under the speed limit and didn't break any other obvious traffic laws (like going through a red light or stop sign which is much more dangerous to others than speeding), then the cops wouldn't BE ABLE to be "revenue generators".


Of course, it's easy to just blame the police. But in the end, they are just doing their job. The people who force the police to pull them over aren't doing their job, their job is not speeding and being a danger and breaking laws.






[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

And just for the record, I do agree I would like to see police doing less traffic laws and being less of a revenue source.

When we say to you "ok you're free to go" and you drive off after we served you your summons (ticket), ever notice how we stay pulled over on the side of the road as you drive off?

That's because we have to spend the next 20 minutes filling out 10 full pages of paperwork just for our little 5 minute encounter.

It's not fun. Really, it's not.


I don't mind filling out a ton of paperwork for a serious crime, but it gets stressfull after awhile having to do it 3-10 times a day just for small traffic infractions.


Trust me, we don't like to pull you over for speeding either. Really, we don't. Unless you are doing something ridiculously clumsy like driving fast through a school zone or residential neighborhood where there are kids, then yes I'm going to find every single thing in the book to throw at you.

[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

Originally posted by Gregarious
Oh, this is easy! Remember the class bully in grade school? Would you believe it, that's the cop!

Har har har, none of us have ever heard that one before. Think of something origiinal. What's next, calling us "pig"? Borrring.


On the record, I definitely was not a bully in school. But no matter how I answer the question, you will find some way to counter it to justify your envy of police.

If I say that I was a bully, you will say that's why I'm a cop. If I say I was the kid that GOT bullied, you will say that's why I'm a cop because I'm releasing my pent up aggression on society. If I say I was homeschooled, you will say that's why I'm a cop, because I never had any social interaction. If I say I was the cool kid in school, you will say I'm a cop because of that because I'm a stuck-up cocky jerk.

No way I can really win this argument, no matter how I answer or what I am, I'm automatically the "bad cop".

See, I've heard it all junior. Really.




[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

Originally posted by Holly N.R.A.


Long story short, I've been verbally abused by Law enforcement officers, for no "good" reason,

And only police do this to you, or do other people do it as well?

Originally posted by Holly N.R.A.when I complained about it to their superior(actually the liaison officer, I was listened to and apologized to by him on their behalf and they were reprimanded. In otherwords, I got my satisfaction....

Everything we do is recorded, and yes police departments take complaints against officers very seriously. We have to be very careful about what we say and do. The department would rather fire us and ruin our good career over a very small and minor accident, than having the whole department look bad because of us.


Trust me, when you complain, it gets heard, and the officer always gets reprimanded in some way shape or form. Just because you aren't there in the station and can't see or hear it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.


That's really why I laugh at some earlier posts that say "I complained by nothing happened, they all stick up for each other..."


And, how, may I ask do you actually know nothing happened after you complained, people? Do you work for that police department and know what goes on in the inside? Or are you again, just making stuff up that is just laughable at best?



[edit on 22-10-2008 by Kwapp]

Originally posted by Kwapp

Who is "us" though, "us" that should be protected? Should everyone be protected by police? Just the good people? Or the criminals too?


Surely criminals do not fit into that category of "us" that police should be protecting and serving. So how do we define criminals? Aren't criminals people who break the law?

"us" are the citizens who work and pay for your job. So yes, criminals do fit into that category.

Just goes to show how ridiculous your arguments are.