I remember way back when, getting behind a cop going 15mph over the speed limit. Couple miles down the road he pulled over, got behind me and hit his lights. I pulled over and he wrote me a ticket. I said I was going with the flow of traffic. I also said he shouldn't have been speeding without the lights going. He didn't like that. "I'm a police officer not one of you." Maybe we should all just become cops, then we can do whatever we want.

 

I count my blessings that I don't live where some of these respondants live. Where I come from, police officers are generally good folks. Misunderstood maybe, but mostly good folks. Crooked cops, from my view, are an exeption and not the rule. (except maybe on tv) I would like to think that most of what I am reading here is a product of too much time in front of the ol' tube. Dunno but I do know of many people who hate cops because it is popular to do so. The gangsta rap culture sure produced alot and so did the hippi era.

Like I said, I count my blessings.

 

The only thing missing from this story is "once upon a time"...

You know how I know that? If it were true you would have complained and filed complaints until that fairy tail cop lost his job and was placed in jail......

 

There are so many shows on tv about dirty cops and corruptionbecause this actually does exist. We just never heard anything until we saw it with our own eyes, thanks to camcorders. I honestly think every cruiser should have mandatory cameras installed. I'm in northeast ohio and the government is making it mandatory for the Cleveland police dept. since they have had so many fatal shootings.

 

I too count my blessings.

 

As far as dougd just said, I wanted to complain about an overzelous cop when I was younger. The cop at the desk told me "that's my buddy your talking about. You'd better leave before your mouth gets you in trouble." I went and beat his son up. If the right way doesn't work, do it your own way.

 

Just look up Marion County Sheriff Ken Ergle on the internet, I'm sure you'll come across lots of information about his misdoings.

He went down, but refused to take others with him - the guy was a drug dealer, and he was'int dealing it alone, also while your at it, you might want to do a search on the drug dealing activities of police officers in Miami as well - a WHOLE prescint was involved!

They had delved into prostitution as well. Don't tell me it was the stress of the job, or try to come up with any other lame excuses for them- they are criminals, whether it be something as routine as running red lights with sirens to beat traffic and tailgating people to something as extreme as dealing drugs and prostitution- it's all criminal activity that these same guys would string any of us up for without thinking twice.

 

I think it has a lot to do with prohibition, which consumes so much of our court and prison cost, and requires sneaky undercover opperations (when was the last time a drug crime 'victim' initiated a police response). Also, the police are called upon to violently beat strikers, protesters, civil rights workers, veterens groups, etc., all thoughout history, ie the police answer to the status quo.

 

My son, who is very independent and prefers to handle his own problems, never told me of any of this until several years later, when he was reminiscing with some friends.

Yes, I would have complained with extreme prejudice, had I known. But, then or now, it would all come down to a "he said - she said" argument, with no names or numbers available for verification.

 

I went and beat his son up. If the right way doesn't work, do it your own way

There in lies the intelligence and truth of some folks mentality.

Befoe you can respect others you must first respect yourself...

 

You know, I wasn't always a fine and upstanding citizen. Yes, it is shamefully true.

In my youth, I was arrested by a "pack" of police officers on more that one occasion. One in particular, after a long and dangerous chase, I was finally detained and arrested. What an idiot eh? Well, during this arrest, I was clubbed and at one point had a gun in my ear. The officer pleaded with me to move. (with profanity I can not repeat here). I took my lickins and was subsiquently taken to the can. After getting out, I had some great stories for the gang. Yeah, I played it up as it sure set me up with some "bad dude points". Me and the boys had lots of stories regarding our games we played with the law. These stories were told with the aim at popularity and vanity. Keep in mind that I resisted arrest while endangering inocent people.

Fortunately, I GREW UP and realized that it really wasn't cool to be a thug and that the only people who considered my heroics as a thug were thugs themselves. I have to say, when I look back, I deserved every clubbing I got.

If other kids these days, in some distant land from mine, are being unjustly brutilized by police officers, I think that is terrible and it needs to be stopped.

I just don't know how much of this stuff is really accurate. I can only figure that most is exadurated based on my personal experience.

 

I left out many of the lesser details to avoid the appearance of whining. If anything, this story is understated.

My son was merely driving across town - not away from a fight/robbery/race or crime of any kind. Tired of harassment, he confronted the cops to see what their problem was. If he had not insisted on keeping his constitutional rights, the cop probably would not have pulled his gun. Unfortunately, he had the unusual (for kids his age) habit of listening to me when I went on various rants about personal freedoms, and was only doing what he thought I would have done in a similar situation. (He was right - I would have done the same thing.)

 

I don't know your son. Heck, I hate to say it but sometimes I don't think I know my own seventeen year old son. I thought I did but lately he has villanized many figures of authority, just like dad did in the day. The point is is that you know your son much better than I can assume of his integrity. If he was wronged by the people we hire to keep us all safe, then I hope these rotten cops are held accountable for their actions.

It is a shame when bad apples cause us to lose our taste for healthy staples.(apples) Just remember that they are not all like that. I do know that there are many very good people in uniform and badge out there devoting themselves to protecting us. I regret that you have apparently found bad natured ones.

 

Well it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't repeatedly see it on tv every day. If we aren't allowed to spank our kids anymore, I don't think anyone should have to take a beating.Also to doug_ It was in my Younger days that I beat that kid up. He was just as much of a jerk as daddy.Obviously your not the type we are all complaining about.Good for you. I just keep wondering how many times there are or were wrongful beatings andstrong arming before people started filming it. PS, I moved out of my city for being pulled over at least once a week for looking suspicious going to work at 4:00 in the morning. Sometimes they were nice sometimes they were idiots. Where I live now life is peaceful, the cops act like everybody else.

 

OK, TRYING TO STEER THIS SUCKER BACK ON TOPIC....

I think a major factor is, for a police officer, he is seen as "doing his job" when he does well, and as a "scumbag" when he makes a mistake.
"Being in the public eye is never an easy task. Every decision you make WILL be scrutinized. Be prepared for it, or don't become a cop." Those words came from a friend, long time officer, newly promoted police chief, and most dedicated men I have ever met.

Where, on the other hand, we as firefighters, are volunteers. That makes a difference in public perception. And believe me, people still whine about us.

So, for those of you that are in law enforcement, be strong. You're not the only one that takes heat, you just hear about it more.