Poll: Are Broad Generalizations of Police BS or Honest?

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Broad generalisations are always bs. Sure, you do get people like the 'casually pepper spray everything cop', But most of them are upstanding guys who do a very difficult job so we get to feel safe. Calling all Police officers 'Pigs' and the like every time one steps out of line is just as stupid as calling all gamers socially incompetent nut-jobs every time a 12 year old decides to re-enact scenes from'Manhunt' on his best friend.

 

[Heronblade]

I have more reason to trust random police officer X with my life, my property, and my privacy than any other random citizen Y, so no, I don't have any problem with them as a whole.

Granted, there are some bad apples in that group who need to be punished quite harshly in my opinion, if only to prevent supporting the impression mentioned in the OP, but they are by far in the minority.

 

[Jak23]

It's not the actual police I fear, it's the people in charge of them combined with the power police have that makes me worried. The majority of officers are fine.

Well said.

 

[RaffB]

I follow the same rule with police that I do with anyone, They get my respect when they earn it.

Iv'e had a fair few encounters with the UK police force in my time, mainly due to friends being little shits. Now, the ones which actually treated me like a human being and with respect, I got on fine with, co-operated with and even had a few funny conversations with them.
The ones who instantly treated me like shit and showed no respect at all? I was a god damned brick wall to them.

Because of the powers that police have and how easy it could be to abuse them, I feel that they should always be mindful that respect is a two way street.

 

[orangeban]

I've had incredibly bad experiences with the police in my life, so I'm not inclined to trust them. I'm sure the majority are nice people looking for justice, but the bullies and power-hungry bastards fuck it up so bad that I really don't feel that safe around the police.

I think the problem with the police force is that you get two types of people joining. People who want to uphold the law, and bullies who like power and ordering people about.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

When you have the cops, in all seriousness, look you dead in the eye and say 'Listen, I'm a police officer, kid. I can put you away for as long as I like'... that puts you in a state of fearing them. My crime? I was running to the train because it was the last one of the night.

It also happened to be in the Bronx.

I've talked to a lot of police officers. A lot of them told me they have less patience because they are in areas that don't respect them or they get a lot of crap. And you know what? Ok. I can get that. But if you treat me like someone I'm not because you don't have the patience or you are wary... and your first response is to threaten me with power I don't have so I feel helpless under your will? Great. Go ahead. That doesn't make me respect you, though. It makes me think you are a problem.

And my parents went through the civil rights movement. They raised my brother and I to have a healthy respect for the law because they can do whatever they want, and it makes no sense to get snatched up because you want to look big in front of someone who doesn't care. And yes, I have respect for the law.

That does not mean every person in a police officer has instant respect for me, although they will demand respect for them. That's a lesson that years of interaction (and read: not criminal. I never even got a speeding ticket) has taught me.

 

[suitepee7]

As the topic states:

I have seen (to me) far too many people who are perfectly happy to hate, distrust, fear, or otherwise blame Police Officers as a group under hugely broad generalizations. We also see it all over the media- before anyone even reads more than the headline, the Police are automatically at fault, and it seems like no amount of facts or truth change people's biases.

Seriously, as a former officer myself, I honestly have no idea where people justify the hatred. Bad experiences? Sure, I've had them myself and I was a police officer. However, I have yet to find anyone who can provide me with enough evidence to justify these huge, sweeping claims people seem to make or believe.

your poll question is impossible to answer. you have given two choices and a yes or no answer... but no i think a lot of people seem to hate the police, because its something to hate. some cops to stupid things, but as a whole the police force are fantastic asset to society (most police forces) and we would be fucked without them.

also, if you get in trouble with the police, it is most likely because you were doing something wrong. don't blame the police officers, blame yourself for being stupid enough to do it, and then do it in front of a cop.

 

[The Funslinger]

It's not the actual police I fear, it's the people in charge of them combined with the power police have that makes me worried. The majority of officers are fine.

Yeah, but one thing that worries me (concerning the people hugely against police officers) is how people are so able to see what they want to see.

A while ago, someone made a thread about a police shooting, including a youtube video of the incident. Basically two police were trying subdue a drugged up individual wielding a crowbar. The incident culminated in one of the officers shooting the man.

The thread was full of (blatantly wrong) people saying that it was injust, that the officer was trigger happy, and a more peaceful solution should have been used.

What these people were blatantly ignoring was that the video also showed them shooting this man in the neck with a taser. Due to the drugs in his system, he pretty much shrugged it off and attempted to assault the officer responsible. It was then that his partner pulled his gun and opened fire.

In war time, there have been documented cases of drugged up insurgents taking direct bursts of assault rifle fire, and for a short time continuing as though they were nothing.

 

[Weaver]

I just see police do bullshit things all the time they would ticket people for. There is one that likes to park on the street with his lights on (blocking a lane of traffic at rush hour) at Tim Hortons every day to get his morning coffee, then illegally U turns back into traffic.

It's also worth noting the coffee shop would take like literally 2 minutes to WALK to from the police station.

And they can get away with it, because the only person who can call him on it are other cops, and they won't. But this tilt of justice and law is somehow just okay?

 

[Esotera]

Yeah, but one thing that worries me (concerning the people hugely against police officers) is how people are so able to see what they want to see.

A while ago, someone made a thread about a police shooting, including a youtube video of the incident. Basically two police were trying subdue a drugged up individual wielding a crowbar. The incident culminated in one of the officers shooting the man.

The thread was full of (blatantly wrong) people saying that it was injust, that the officer was trigger happy, and a more peaceful solution should have been used.

What these people were blatantly ignoring was that the video also showed them shooting this man in the neck with a taser. Due to the drugs in his system, he pretty much shrugged it off and attempted to assault the officer responsible. It was then that his partner pulled his gun and opened fire.

In war time, there have been documented cases of drugged up insurgents taking direct bursts of assault rifle fire, and for a short time continuing as though they were nothing.

I think I remember the thread, and recall that most people seemed to be in favour of the police officers, or at least I was. There were a few people against it but this was mainly due to being misinformed about the entire situation or holding a belief that police use warning shots rather than shooting to kill (which would be pretty dangerous). It'd be more a case of bad reporting causing resentment than anything else, in my opinion.

The police have a really hard job to do & the majority just want to make a difference. There's of course going to be a minority that behave badly, and they're reported on disproportionately.