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Don't tell me about "bad apples", please. A few very "distinct" personality types are over represented among cops. You don't have to be a sociologist to notice that, if you are lucky not to have in person "communications" just watch how recklessly and disrespectfully many (if not most) of the arseholes drive these days.
The only question is - why? Why people with power & control mental "issues" are hired disproportionally over other personality types? Is it intentional (police state is almost here, if you didn't notice) or the number of psychopaths in police departments reached the critical mass, they hire and promote folks just like them?
There is little doubt in my mind that a certain portion of our population is somewhat turned off by our overly-sensitized, over-commercialized street scene. Not all of us are able to deal with the demands for feigned self-effacement and too much "May I help you? / Have a nice day!" that our over-sweetened society conditions too many to expect. Police work has a natural attraction for many people nearer the opposite pole -- but the majortiy aren't closeted psychopaths, either. The most outspoken, it would seem to me, would more likely become correctional officers.
A police officer is society's garbage collector; he/she might assume a drastically different persona when the uniform comes off, but the fact remains that most of us are conditioned that "When it's a situation you can't handle, call the cops." Plenty of paper and ink has been devoted to the changes that role works on the individual's personality --- and why police officers have one of the highest suicide rates of any occupational group.
And perhaps some of the critics should recognize that if law enforcement has an "us/them" personality, a lot of the smelly stuff on the other side sticks together as well.
Case in point? Occupy Wall Street.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 11-04-2012 at 01:13 AM..
Agree with everything above. Social problems of all sorts go under the radar until they affect the White community, then suddenly there's a hue and cry. I also agree that there are good cops, but there are a LOT of cops who lie to cover up for each other.
Question: why aren't there more Black police officers? I live in a Hispanic state and I've worked in Native American communities, and a lot of the Native kids want to go into law enforcement, and most of the cops I've seen in my town are Hispanic, men and women. If there's a problem with police brutality in AA communities, why don't more AA's go into law enforcement, so they can be assigned to those communities?
I would say that there are more decent police officers out there than not. Alot of police officers are decent. However, there are many corrupt and dishonest officers. Back in 2000, in the Atlanta area, one former sheriff sent a deputy to murder a newly elected sheriff. An even more cruel injustice was that the sheriff who was elected was set on getting rid of the corruption in the county sheriff office. You had a sheriff setting out to do right, and then he was shot down by another officer who was ordered by a defeated sheriff who probably was corrupt.
As for why not more African-Americans go into law enforcement, well, I think there are a variety of reasons. In many places like Atlanta or DeKalb County, there are a large number of Black officers. Some are assigned to predominantly Black areas. However, if there aren't more Blacks going into the police force, it could be a litany of issues. Some African-Americans view joining the police as "joining the enemy". There might be other reasons. It is something I've never thought to ask.
But you posed a good point. Alot of issues go under the radar until White people start to be affected by it. And police brutality isn't the only example. School violence is another issue. The 1990s to early 2000s saw alot of school shootings, mainly in suburban high schools. Some people were thinking "We don't live in San Diego, Atlanta, Denver, or Portland, so we can't possibly have those problems". Then 4/20/1999 happened, the Columbine Shooting in Littleton,CO. Everyone long associated violence with inner city schools. No one gave school violence a thought because it was something that occured "In Denver, not Littleton". Suddenly, school violence was being taken more seriously. I went to a suburban middle school at the time. No one had ever thought about the idea of school shootings until that day.
A police officer is society's garbage collector; he/she might assume a drastically different persona when the uniform comes off, but the fact remains that most of us are conditioned that "When it's a situation you can't handle, call the cops." Plenty of paper and ink has been devoted to the changes that role works on the individual's personality --- and why police officers have one of the highest suicide rates of any occupational group.
And perhaps some of the critics should recognize that if law enforcement has an "us/them" personality, a lot of the smelly stuff on the other side sticks together as well;
Case in point? Occupy Wall Street.
Are you suggesting Occupy was a violent riot? That is the way cops responded to them, with overwhelming force, in some cases excessive force. Occupy was peaceful resistance. I did not support Occupy because I was swayed by the media, which made them a laughing stock. It's a shame, because they had the right idea, but never seemed to have any direction or particular goals.
Are you suggesting Occupy was a violent riot? That is the way cops responded to them, with overwhelming force, in some cases excessive force. Occupy was peaceful resistance. I did not support Occupy because I was swayed by the media, which made them a laughing stock. It's a shame, because they had the right idea, but never seemed to have any direction or particular goals.
Those of us who remember the "police riot" connected with the infamous Chicago Democratic Convention of 1968 recognize that both civil authorities and those of us of a more conservative orientation quickly came to understand that turning the demonstrators -- either the then or now -- into martyrs was the last thing anyone wanted.
OWS was, in the vast majority of cases, handled with kid gloves -- which will, perhaps necessarily, simply encourage the spoiled little brats to take greater liberties, or engage in stronger provocation, the next time around.
You have no idea what a Police Officer's deal with on DAY to DAY basis. I worked Law Enforcement for 12 years and vouch that this was my best career and most challenging career. The problem is that you do not have a sampling of your city's filth. Walking around your city during the day with law abiding citizen is not the problem areas. Go the bad side of town, sit there for days on in and watch the commotion. Matter of fact, go on a ride along, not 1 day, weeks.
Matter of fact, go find a customer service job at a window, i.e. court house, welfare department, etc. These jobs do not compare to Police work but at least you have the opportunity to see the pricks that Police deal.
Finally, I have been pulled over by a overly aggressive cop. You must understand their vantage point. Be respectful, ask for permission i.e. speak before moving and do as your told.
Back in the early 50s and before the police were a part of the community and there wasn't a divide between the police and the citizens of the community. The people were the eyes and ears for the police. Then sometime in the early 60s or so the police started to become alienated from the citizens and then by the late 60s many people looked at the police as a threat of sorts. Its too bad but thats the way it happened.
Don't even go there about the 50's and part of the community crap. That's BS!
Back then, people of color could not do anything, racism was everywhere. Pedophilia was ignored, stupidly the children were scorned. Business owners forced employees to work in cancerous environment. Or how about the mentality of the past where Fathers would simply leave their family. "Honey, I'm going to the store" and not come back....that's jacked up! Do I need to go on!!!!
I think a lot of the problem is the recruitment of ex military for civilian law enforcement.
The military supports an "us vs. them" mentality that may be fine when fighting a war, but tends to define American citizens as the "enemy" in domestic law enforcement.
Military also trains solders to react to any kind of resistance or opposition with overwhelming force.
This kind of training may have its place in SWAT teams, but is causing a lot of police brutality in dealing with regular citizens that we are seeing on video nearly every day. This is causing more mistrust of law enforcement and the feeling we are becoming a police state.
Totally agree.
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