What's Happened to our Police Force?

Corruption has always been present in areas of power and authority. It seems however, that lately, and more blatantly, more and more of our police officers have been abandoning their roles as civil servants, and have begun taking on the title of "Enforcers." Time and time again they break the laws they are sworn to protect, harm citizens in peaceful protests, and plant incriminating evidence in order to put otherwise innocent people in jail. The point of this thread is to see if anyone has any stories of their own to share, to see who is fed up with this kind of criminal misconduct, and to discuss what can actually be done about it, as I myself have been a victim of illegal search back in the day. From the pepper spraying of peaceful protesters at UC Davis to the arresting of a Marine and civilians for dancing in public, I've had enough of this bull#. We are letting people take the freedom our Constitution was founded on and so many people have fought and died for. Their deaths have all been in vain because we are letting our country slowly start to resemble Nazi Germany. We are headed in the wrong direction, but it isn't too late to stop it. If anyone reads this, please feel free to share your experiences, or just your opinion.

There are a couple of videos that I just watched that made me want to start this thread. This stuff may have been covered already, but I don't care. I'm hoping people who haven't seen these can realize the power we're letting our police have over us. And for the people who are already aware, let this just serve as a reminder that things like this are going on around our country every day.

Here is just one example of an officer giving his partner a hand signal to plant drugs on a suspect.



There is no shortage of these kinds of videos on Youtube, along with a countless number of videos showing police brutality and wrongful arrests, but you guys can look for yourselves. I wasn't sure what forum this would belong in, but it can be moved if there is any problem.

Thanks for reading.

Too late. It's already posted.

reply to post by Manhater


Might want to read the thread. I don't care if the videos have been seen.

reply to post by apodictic


I was watching the videos. Sorry. My bad.

"It's his car. He's the one that's turned that camera on.

While this could be another example of the police doing two members of our community wrong, we've seen only the viral version, which surely has a lot cut out of it.

www.theroot.com/police-plant-coc aine-car-black-couple-utica

How can anyone come to a conclusion from a highly edited video?

It seems only one side wants their version to be heard............

How many times have you seen on Cops, people say the drugs are not theirs...............

Why did he turn the camera on if he was going to plant dope on these people............

I have to say BS to the whole story....

Someone got busted

Whether it is the cops or not, I cannot say because we do not have the whole video

reply to post by liejunkie01


I said you're allowed to decide for yourself. I don't know why he would pull it out of his pocket then, continue to search the car with it out of his pocket, and then finish the search that way.

It seems as if you missed the second video. Get back to me when that's watched.

In the meantime I'm trying to see if there's a full version available because I'm curious myself.

I found the full video. Obviously haven't watched it all yet because it's 30 minutes long.



edit: seems like he did find it in his pocket. I'll take it out of my OP then.

reply to post by apodictic


I seen him pull a bag out of his pocket. 6:41

Well, I guess that settles it.

reply to post by liejunkie01


Yeah I just edited my last post. Still doesn't settle the second video, or any of the hundreds of other videos on youtube.

reply to post by apodictic



Here's the problem, the job attracts a certain type of personality, that type of personality mixed with the wrong type of training in the police academy leads you to what we have now. Mix in a little "Us vs Them" mentality and you have the ingredients for problems.

Law Enforcement requires the Police Officer to have absolute authority and control over a situation. Give that absolute authority to a person with a loose moral compass and a person that doesn't understand that the power and control comes from them being a representative of the state and it's the uniform that has the power, not themselves and you'll have issues everytime.

As an Officer, as soon as you arrive on scene, you deal with all walks of life and need to be able to adapt yourself to the particular job you're on. Guys that are good at the job do this seamlessly without effort, almost like salesmen. They diffuse situations before they start and are good problemsolvers , this is what you need more of.

Guy's that aren't good at the job use a one size fits all approach, everyones the enemy and the only tool in their toolbox is a hammer. They take things personal and don't understand that when the public sees them they're not seeing "John Smith loving hisband and father of 2" they see a uniform. These guys may not be entirely dirty, but they see one side of the story, their side...and that's what their report will reflect. These guys gotta go.

Playing devils advocate , some people simply hate cops...they don't like the authority that the position carries with it and will badmouth cops every chance they get....some of them should be here to comment soon!

reply to post by apodictic


I agree.......

This just goes to show that people will say and do anything to make it seem that they are innocent........

They got the NAACP and the FBI to speak to the police force

reply to post by EyesWideShut


I respect officers who know how to do their job the right way. Being a Marine, you could say many of the same things as you can about being a police officer. i.e. attracts a certain type of personality, the training received in boot camp, and us vs. them mentality. however, I feel that there needs to be some sort of psychological exam to be a cop. or somehow some type of morality test. police aren't meant to attack, frame, or strip away the rights of citizens. their job is specifically stated in the oath that every officer takes. i've upheld MY oath. it's not hard for an officer to uphold theirs.

On my honor,
I will never betray my badge,
my integrity, my character,
or the public trust.
I will always have
the courage to hold myself
and others accountable for our actions.
I will always uphold the constitution
my community and the agency I serve

this also goes for anyone in the military who chooses to disobey the ROE. I feel the same way about them. People put into positions of authority, who are given weapons, should be able to demonstrate they can use them responsibly.

This is absurd how long are we going to allow this kind of behaviour from police officers. When i was in craven (which is a crazy party in saskatchewan with a bunch of people getting liquored camping and live music) i was arrested for what i will call loudly speaking my mind. I was in no way breaking any laws and decided to give someone a taste of my opinion. I was then grabbed and repeatably kneed in the chest and then wrestled down to the ground by 6 officers. One of the officers that arrested me after i had been cuffed decided to knee my ribs continually and smash my face in the gravel while i was laying on the ground with my hands tied behind my back. They then took me to the closest police station which was aprox. 15 miles away and threatened me with a massive list of charges including ressisting arrest and trying to start a riot. The officer then said that i could call a lawyer but refused me a piece of paper and a pen that i asked for (which a cop is not alloed to do btw) they then called the only lawyer that was anywhere near there because they wouldn't allow me to call the one i wanted because it was long distance. they then threw me and my still pouring blood face into a jail cell. When i asked for some papertowel or a cloth to stop the bleeding his response was a self proclaimed "yeah right!". I was the last person held there in the drunk tank because the officer that was going to try and charge me wanted to have a word with me before i got released. When he came in finally about 7 hours after everyone else got let i was told that he wasn't going to place any charges and that i was free to go. I think this was because he was scared that i was going to try and bring uppolice brutality charges. Anyway after i was released i asked if i could use a phone. The officer then said that there was no pulic phone in the town i was being held at. They let me walk out the front door and made me walk the gruelling 15 mile's in plus 45C to where i could actually do something to help my situation. I guess i forgot to mention that i got arrested with no shoes on so those were the longest fifteen miles i have ever walked.

reply to post by apodictic


Here's the difference Brother, In the Corps we were not taught "I" there was no "I" from the gate it was "This Recruit" everything was about TEAM , the crucible taught us that early. We had very little lattitude in what we were allowed to do, even when not at work (Ever had libbo secured?!?) there wasn't much thinking involved, there was a lot of following orders and reacting to a situation based on your training. Not for nothing & it sounds Effed up, but we're basically a cult.

In Law Enforcement, unless you're on a Swat/Sert/Sort team , that team dynamic isn't there... It is very much you on your own making your own decisions 95% of the time. It's not a team sport. Sure there is backup that will unleash hell if you get jammed up, and the camaraderie is there...but it's mostly because no one else can relate to the job.

In the Corps unless you're a fighter pilot , you're NEVER alone...and even then you have your wingman and maybe a WSO unless you're in a harrier.

At the end of the day, no matter what the job is, people screw it up....the only problem with law enforcement is that they're held to a higher standard...and when they screw the pooch it is usually high profile.


"That 10%" is everywhere Brother, it's not exclusive to the Corps...

reply to post by openeyeswideshut


Wow, thanks for sharing your story here. I've been curious to see if anyone on ATS has experienced this stuff first hand. I would expect so, since it's getting more and more common. I haven't been a victim of police brutality, but a victim of illegal search about 5 years ago before I joined the Marines. Long story short, I refused a search, he said he would call in the dogs, and I said go ahead. Of course no dogs came, but instead his supervisor. The officer who I refused the search to goes "I smell Marijuana can you go over to the passenger side and tell me what you smell?" (putting words in his mouth, and the officer opened the car door which he is not allowed to do I'm pretty sure, especially since the windows were rolled up.) Of course his buddy said "Uh, Marijuana?" Yes, a question. "That's probable cause, I can search your vehicle." Needless to say, there were no drugs in there. I am assuming this was just profiling because I used to look the part.

Never allow them to search your car, always lock your doors and if you have a cell phone and the officer becomes an ass, just call 911 and tell them to send hiway patrol because you are in fear for you life...911 isn't ran by the police and everything's recorded. always ask if you're under arrest or if you can go, and if they do arrest you be sure to inform them that they must take you directly to the magistrate and if they continue to arrest you call 911and tell the operator you are being kidnapped and need help...seriously

reply to post by apodictic


They coulda got jammed up, you can't search based on "The odor of burnt marijuana". It isn't enough to establish "probable cause" it would have to be "the odor of raw marijuana". Most people don't know this, and there is no way anyone is bothering a judge because they smell a lil pot. If they did they would have called a K9.

They just wanted to search in the hopes that they'd stumble upon somthing.

reply to post by apodictic


not sure about american law but i know in canada unless an officer can directly see the weed in your car he can't search you or your vehicle. That almost happened to a friend of mine who happended to finish smoking a joint not 5 mins before he got pulled over and luckily a friend of his was a lawyer and he called him straight away and had the lawyer give him an earful before he went on his merry way without searching the car.

reply to post by sweetnlow


Actually you're wrong, you don't have to be arrested immediately... you can be detained during an investigation for a period of time thats "reasonable and prudent" The rule of thumb around here is about 45 min, by then you gotta charge em or cut the person loose., or run the risk of a civil rights violation.

Don't spread misinformation, someone might read that and think it's factual and get into a situation...lol

reply to post by EyesWideShut


I think I understand what you're saying a little better now. Of course the Corps is all about teamwork. I even slipped up a couple of times after I got out of boot and referred to myself as "This recruit" to my parents until I learned to drop the habit.

We very much had the "us vs them" mentality in Iraq though. But the problem I've been seeing is that police misconduct has been getting more and more blatant. Even with SWAT teams. (remember g20 in Canada?) It seems as if that 10 percent has been growing. It's more difficult to find someone who hasn't had a bad run in with the police, than someone who has. The police are supposed to protect people. If I'm driving and I see the red and blue lights, I get nervous even if the lights aren't for me and I know I'm not doing anything illegal. That type of fear shouldn't be instilled in people. They should feel comfortable seeing that. I have a Marines bumper sticker mostly hoping that I will be treated with more respect. It seems as if I've gotten away with a couple more things than an average person would have. I think that's wrong, but I just play the game.

I do know that there's always corrupt people in positions of power (look at the government), and that any large social group will have its negatives. The thing that bothers me the most though is that the people who commit crimes get away with it, or don't get the harsh punishments that are handed out to average people for the same crimes. The court systems are favorable of police, which doesn't help much for any justice being served.