Whats your opinion of the Police in your country?

[Aur0ra145]

Most police are great people. I go out of my way to be kind to them and strike up conversation when I see them at the gas station or other places. They are people too and the community needs to do their part to incorporate the police department into the community.

 

[loc978]

Varies by individual police officers, in my experience. I'm actually kinda buddy-buddy with some state and county cops in my area... and in the city I've never had an issue with 'em...

But I've heard people recount personal horror stories, and seen plenty of shit on the news to know that there are a bunch of 'em out there who abuse their power [http://www.occupythegame.com/pepper_spray_cop1.jpg].

Still, I'd never prejudge one based on what another did. I know what it's like to be called a murderer for the actions of some douchebag who happens to wear the same uniform as me... and who happened to disgrace said uniform.

 

[Ldude893]

I live in Hong Kong, which is a part of China. I've said all that's needed to be said.

Well actually, the police in Hong Kong are decent considering Hong Kong has a different political system. The rest of China? Buck them all so very much.

 

[thylasos]

Outside of the Met, which tends to get into the news the most for racism and corruption, British police have a reputation for honesty, fair-handedness and competency, thankfully.

People doing a difficult job where they hae to deal with a lot of stick. Good on them.

 

[Dogstile]

UK here, they're usually ok. Have met a few bad ones but considering they're not exactly considered intimidating around here, most people just ignore them.

You know the police are underpowered when five of them show up to stop a fight and both people keep fighting

 

[SenseOfTumour]

In the UK, and imo, I think they're like soldiers, in that they're generally decent people, who sometimes have to do shitty things because the people in charge are twats. Sure there's going to be a few bad apples, but, I've only had one mildly bad experience with a police officer and many decent ones.

I've seen some pretty nasty stuff on youtube, mainly from US cops who think they're above the law because they've got a gun and a taser, but, of course, you only ever see the bad ones, who's going to post a video of a cop being polite and helpful?

 

[keiji_Maeda]

The Gardai in Ireland are generally ok. Of course a profession where you have power over your fellow man will attract dicks but they tend to be nice people. Unfortunately their job involves catching criminals which as you can imagine doesn't make them popular with said criminals and leads to ingenius phrases such as "oink" "pig" and my personnel favourite "I'm going to slice myself off a side of bacon". These phrases were then adapted by wannabe hard men, who mutter it well out of the earshot of the police.

I saw a mobie about a gardai in Ireland once, it was named (aptly) the guard. He was a world class olympic swimmer, a crack shot, and a defender that racism was an intregrated part of his cultural heritage.

Beyond the racism thing, he seemed a pretty bully guy.

 

[keiji_Maeda]

Indeed, it's important to remember that most of them are just trying to their job, which isn't exactly the easiest job you can have, to say the least. It really is a shame that the twats tend to overshadow the honest effort of everyone else. But my theory is that the twats are evenly distributed in the ranks, so whenever a non-twat at the top calls for a change, a top-twat will step in to help out his twat buddies on the field.

But things can get better. The Gothenburg police has become far, far better in dealing with riots since the disaster in 2001. Basically, the reason it escalated out of control like it did was because the responsible commander of the police pretended he was Aragorn or something, and kicked the thing off by ordering a march he particularly didn't like to be charged by mounted police. They hadn't done anything yet, it seems he just wanted to make an example of some sort.
Really, his policy of "Beat, detain and kekekekeke ponyrush everyone that looks lefty until they go home" only served to escalate the whole thing into a riot, ending with vandalism, tear gas, shots fired into crowds and other things that never had to happen.

The Gothenburg police are much less aggressive these days, they tend to remain in the background and hold a dialogue, and only forming up in riot gear once it's really needed. It does work, and I'd gladly mail the biggest fruit basket I can find to the lads and lassies who managed to railroad that policy change past the testosterone-trolls.[/quote]


Good to hear, i haven't exactly been to Gothenburg a lot lately. And my feelings about the rightness about the 2001 oppositional rally is to say the least, mixed.

But the effeciency of horses as a riot deterrent isn't exactly the best plan even in my short book on crowd controll. Now if only we could get some happy Gothenburg policemen over to MAlmö.....

 

[Enkidu88]

The Seattle Police Department seems to go into full-on SWAT mode a bit too easily, and they were unnecessarily confrontational during the Occupy protests. They've also been deleting and hiding dash cam videos to cover up improper conduct, so yeah, I don't have a lot of respect for the leadership and tactics of the SPD. I think the organization as a whole needs to be overhauled.

That said, I've known several beat cops in the SPD that are nice guys and the two times I've been pulled over they've been cordial and respectful. I try to treat cops with respect unless they give me reason to do otherwise, but that's my philosophy when I deal with anyone.

 

[The Ubermensch]

Western Australia Reporting

Coppers aren't bad as a statement, but you do get good cops and bad cops. Around here a bad cop, or rather I should say an over-zealous cop, tend to either learn their lessons quickly with a brick to the head or get posted on traffic. I think its an issue with the training; unfortunately the shield wont protect you from a gang of ten hoodlums when you're out on your own, but that's what they seem to teach

Traffic police, now I hear things, but... I drive pretty damn recklessly and not once have I been pulled over. When I went to get my motorcycle licence I was riding with only a learners permit for a good 4 months (the first week I actually had it, I came off for the first time... Oggy Knobs people! they fucking work, only the break pedal and the exhaust were superficially damaged). I've been pinged for speeding a few times, but never been pulled over for a booze bus or... anything really, by some fucking miracle.

Still... as the song goes...

The instant we get complacent is the instant corruption sets in

 

[Callate]

Varies enormously state by state, and even city by city and service by service (say, police vs. sheriff's department vs. state troopers.)

I have a fairly high opinion of my local sheriff's department, who blocked off the scene to prevent further accidents after a van rammed my car.

The Seattle police whose essential response to our car being broken into was "you should have had a wheel immobilizing device"? Shall we say... not so much.

 

[Clearing the Eye]

I am firmly of the belief that while respect and credit can be and indeed are deserved in some cases, the police force, like any government body, should come under a certain amount of mistrust and criticism from the public and they should also be made aware of this scrutiny. While I don't advocate any form of blatant unrest for its own sake or the bullying and abuse of police officers in any way, I believe it the responsibility of the public to hand out both applause and harsh critique evenhandedly. It can be a fine line to tread, but the old adage of "A comfortable government is a corrupt government," is quite accurate.

I make it my duty to ensure the police I come into contact with are given no quarter and stick to the word of the law to the up most degree. For example, if asked a question or requested to allow access to private property, I insist proper paperwork be sought by the officer(s) and provided to myself before any such assistance will be provided. I do this not because I have anything to hide, but to ensure any regulatory group or other such arm of the government not be given access to shortcuts or allowed passage past civil rights.

With this in mind, I respect the vast majority of police officers for their sacrifice (their job is a hard, underpaid one that takes a lot of dedication) but would not allow the force on a whole to rest on its laurels.

 

[JochemHippie]

They're people like any other, and the pay isn't that hot. So the ones that do the job do it out of a more idealistic sense. Few rotten apples discarded ofcourse.

Low rate of armed murder and other crimes, and everytime the police fires a shot it's frontpage news with a article about why it was fired. I'm pretty happy with that.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I don't disrespect the police here in the UK, though I do resent the constant erosion of even a semblance of civil liberty. They don't always get things right, but I think the major issues with the force (eg. racism, etc) are much less relevant these days. The nicest thing I can probably say about them, is thank Heavens they aren't american police.

 

[AstylahAthrys]

I live in a small town in America, so the cops here are crazy bored trying to arrest every public drunk and pull over any kid driving they see. I got pulled over for "driving too long on the turn lane" because I was lost, but they wanted to know if I was drunk or high or a kid breaking curfew (it was at 2 am). I wouldn't mind them being bored, but the jails in my county are way too overcrowded from minor crimes. You just have to wonder what is wrong with the system if innocent people get nervous whenever they see a cop car drive past.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Outside of the Met, which tends to get into the news the most for racism and corruption, British police have a reputation for honesty, fair-handedness and competency, thankfully.

People doing a difficult job where they hae to deal with a lot of stick. Good on them.

UK here, they're usually ok. Have met a few bad ones but considering they're not exactly considered intimidating around here, most people just ignore them.

You know the police are underpowered when five of them show up to stop a fight and both people keep fighting

Our police are friendly but inneffectual. Or are they friendly BECAUSE they are inneffectual? Or ineffectual BECAUSE they are friendly? I have no idea. Either way i felt safer on the streets of Paris with all these armed policemen making a presence clear than i do in england where i NEVER see police on the streets. I dont feel very safe. I do feel very safe from police brutality though.

 

[manic_depressive13]

I'm sure they do a fine job when they're not intimidating participants of peaceful demonstrations or harrassing homeless people.