Cops, what cha gonna do?

I am blessed to live in a town now that has a quality and responsible police force. Watching the five o'clock, I saw a story of a kid being held up by an off-duty officer because of a clearly marked toy gun. It made me shake my head, and remember that I wasn't always so lucky. The city I lived in before moving out to the wide open spaces had horrendous police. Corrupt, bully, and non-responsive at best. Lazy, though, would be an honest word for them. Now, I've been spoiled by a police that help people out of ditches, and take a look under the hood to help old ladies out when their car breaks down.

It's such a contrast. So I was wondering, what's it like where you live? Are the cops protecting and serving, or are they something less?

reply to post by Lasr1oftheJedi


Where I live most are ok only a few bad ones I know of and thats from hear say. All I have met save one were good people.

Interestingly enough....

The cops from where I was a teenager literally pulled over young adults just to ask them if they had any drugs. They would harass the hell out of people..

I have stated in a previous thread that I personally know a person who was shot in the back and paralyzed, who sued for 3 million, know a man who was tazed off a roof and received 6 figures in a settlement, and another who had a similar story.

They were short with people, always expected the worse... and seemingly pulled out their gun every single damn chance they had.

Now... I stay out in the wide open, out in the woods... surrounded by farms. I share drinks at the bar with police officers, joke about how much I hate the Packers, and just have an over all good time. They are good people out here, a far contrast from the suburbs from which I'm from.

Although... there were a couple good ones from the burbs, they let me and friends off on tickets and such. Not just minor offenses either... we were idiots, and the cops realized this.

I guess it all depends on who you run into, I've seen the best and worst of them. Over all, I respect the hell out of em, and sincerely appreciate their sacrifices. Those who go on an authoritarian ego trip, suck... but you don't always get the best of fruits from a single tree. Some come with worms... ya know.

It has been my experience that city cops are rude jerks. Country cops are a bit nicer. All I know is, we don't have a lot of cops where I live out in the boondocks. They couldn't get out here fast enough if there was a break-in or whatever anyway, hence our being heavily armed. Out here, people know they themselves ARE the first responders. A cop could take 20 minutes or more to get out here, and that's if he hurries the hell up.

Overall, I'd say our little podunk country police department is decent enough. They mostly deal with domestic violence in town, drunken rowdiness, and shoplifting at the local convenience store / gas station.

Plus, they wear white cowboy hats. What's not to like about that?

Orlando, Florida. You're better off taking your chances with the crack heads and gang bangers

I live in a small town. The police are very active with our elementary school. They talk to the kids about strangers, how to call for help, etc. They also direct traffic whenever our students do holiday parades. Every single officer that I've worked with has always been courteous and easy-going.

I think the larger the city, the larger the police force, which increases the chances of having a bad cop.

I've never had any interactions with the police in the town I live in now, so I can't say either way. I've never heard anyone complain, so I guess they're ok.

I do have some stories, though (all good),

The town I used to live in had only two cops. They knew everyone in town. In fact, one I went to high school with. I came out of the bar one afternoon half lit and started to get into my car to go home. One of the town cops (not the one I went to school with) pulled up across the back of my car and asked what I was doing. I said I was just locking the car door and was going to walk home and take a nap. He said "Good idea" and told me to lock the car and he would take me home. He dropped me off at my house and told me to not go back until I sleep it off.


My nephew and I were coming out of Casey's one night (again, half lit) with a case of beer when we noticed Olan (same guy as before) looking forlornly at the flat tire on his squad car. We asked if he needed help and he said he had never changed a tire before and had no idea what to do. We took the spare tire and tools out of his trunk and changed the tire for him. He was really appreciative and told us so. He took a sideways glance at the case of beer on the sidewalk, smiled and said, "You guys behave yourselves". We said we would and he left. I don't think he wanted to see us get into the car.


I was working the late shift for a janitor service and got off work at around 1 am. My car was out of commission at the time, so I called my mom to pick me up. We were driving home along a county road with just a farm house here and there when sparks started shooting out from under the hood ( I later found out that a bearing on the alternator had seized up). Mom pulled over and turned the car off. I told her to wait there and lock the door and I would try to get some help at a house that was just up ahead. As I was walking along the road, a car pulled over just ahead of me and stopped. I was a little leery, but I walked toward the car.

The dome light was on and I could see the driver had something in his hand that he kept raising to his mouth, then holding it down. I figured the guy was smoking something which made even more cautious. I approached from the passenger side and he reached over and threw the door open. The car was a ratty looking Fiat, I think, and the inside was strewn with pop cans and trash. The driver was a guy about 30, unshaven and wearing an old army jacket and bandana. He asked if I needed help and I explained the situation. He said he had just gotten off work and was heading home. He was talking on a radio, which was what I had seen him holding up to his mouth.

I recognized it as a police radio and asked how he came to have that in his car. He explained that he was an undercover detective for the county. He arranged for a tow truck to come out and a county car to take mom and me home.

I have a few more, but this post is getting too long.

Originally posted by FissionSurplus

Plus, they wear white cowboy hats. What's not to like about that?

Funny you say that I was watching COPS last night and they were in Texas.He said a lot of tourists stereotype and think that that all the cops there wear them and they're generally surprised when they see that his department didn't.I don't recall what town it was though.

As for the op,the town I grew up in PA was generally small and the police were helpful and didn't really give you a hard time.There was quite a few times were my friends and I got in trouble and the cops would be called..they'd take our names and numbers and said they would call our parents.They never did. I guess it was just a way to scare us.We too young and stupid to give fake numbers

Now here in Florida...it's a bit different.I've found the Sheriffs department to be a lot more strict than my local township police.They always seem to have a chip on their shoulder.But that could be because they deal with a lot more crap than the local ones do.

reply to post by JayFlores


I'm not too far from Orlando and while I haven't had problems with the OPD I know a few people who say they have.Thank god I don't go into Orlando that often.

There is a major problem with police brutality in the city I live in. But I can honestly say the cops
I have dealt with here have always been courteous to me. Then again, I am white and I'm
a woman. If I was a black male, well, things may have turned out differently.

Kelly Thomas... need I say more? Would love to have the experience you're having with your local LEO's.