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Police officers in the US are, at the same time, greatly respected and deeply hated - sometimes by the same people, and sometimes at the same time. For instance, when an officer is slain, the funeral processions often attract civilian well-wishers and mourners from hundreds of miles away.
At the same time, the number of officers murdered per year (not just "killed in the line of duty, which includes traffic wrecks and other accidents) is far, far higher than in any other developed country on Earth. The average number of police officers murdered in the UK each year, for example, is below one - which means there are years in which no officers at all are murdered.
In the US, several DOZEN officers are killed each year, year in and year out.
In many ways, US citizens are much more pliant, fearful, and obedient toward the police than people in other developed countries. But it seems as though that tendency is punctured by all these sudden and violent explosions of hatred toward officers that leave them dead.
Why does this schizophrenia toward police officers exist in the US?
The US has a way larger population and more officers, that may be one reason for your numbers.
Well, that's why we can look at per capita numbers to control for population. Or look at the entire EU as a whole, for example. Far, far more officers are murdered per capita in the US than other developed nations.
Police officers in the US are, at the same time, greatly respected and deeply hated - sometimes by the same people, and sometimes at the same time. For instance, when an officer is slain, the funeral processions often attract civilian well-wishers and mourners from hundreds of miles away.
At the same time, the number of officers murdered per year (not just "killed in the line of duty, which includes traffic wrecks and other accidents) is far, far higher than in any other developed country on Earth. The average number of police officers murdered in the UK each year, for example, is below one - which means there are years in which no officers at all are murdered.
In the US, several DOZEN officers are killed each year, year in and year out.
In many ways, US citizens are much more pliant, fearful, and obedient toward the police than people in other developed countries. But it seems as though that tendency is punctured by all these sudden and violent explosions of hatred toward officers that leave them dead.
Why does this schizophrenia toward police officers exist in the US?
I read 14% of the police killings are ambushes. I think a lot of the population doesn't even realize that this is something that happens regularly. I think crime in general has over the years, evolved to be a more violent but with the police training, new tactics, and new weapons available, crime on a whole has gone down. You can actually look it up per state:
This issue is a two edged sword. Many police officers have a paranoid/schizophrenic view of the public. They are actually CONDITIONED this way in the academy nowdays. I have many friends in law enforcement, and I interact with lots of cops at pistol competitions(most of these being seasoned officers) who are at a loss as to how to deprogram rookie officers from the view that the whole general citizenry is a bogeyman waiting to grab them from under their cars. This has caused an unecessary schizm between the public and the police and the old school type of officer that is conditioned to defuse a volatile situation has been replaced by a shoot first ask questions later type of breed. I'm not pulling this out of thin air, this is what I'm hearing from cops themselves. So,as to the OP, yea, I suppose that the public at large DOES view cops with some trepidation, but not without cause.
This issue is a two edged sword. Many police officers have a paranoid/schizophrenic view of the public.
Most officers don't have a paranoid/schizophrenic view of the public, they have an officer saftey first view, and how can you blame them? Look at the criminal element they have to deal with daily. A "simple" traffic stop could be their death.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber
They are actually CONDITIONED this way in the academy nowdays.
They are not "conditioned" to be paranoid, they are "conditioned" to be aware, and proceed with caution.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber
This has caused an unecessary schizm between the public and the police and the old school type of officer that is conditioned to defuse a volatile situation has been replaced by a shoot first ask questions later type of breed.
The unnecessary "schism" you talk of is because the public has little to no understanding of what it takes and why cops do what they do. If people would listen to directions instead of acting like fools, doing stupid *****, asking dumb questions when they should be listening, there wouldn't be an issue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber
I'm not pulling this out of thin air, this is what I'm hearing from cops themselves. So,as to the OP, yea, I suppose that the public at large DOES view cops with some trepidation, but not without cause.
I'm not pulling this out of thin air either. My husband is a deputy of 22+ years. and I have lived with, seen, heard all the stories, and I don't think your "friends" represent the majority of officers who do their duty out there......or maybe you misunderstand......
Why does this schizophrenia toward police officers exist in the US?
The US, as a society, despite its affluence and modern way of life, at its core ranks among the most obstinately "individualistic" on earth. Compare us with ANY other society, rich or poor, and odds are the American will come out FAR more 'cantankerous', jealous of his own 'rights', and determined that 'nobody's going to tell ME what to do'. All of American history is based on this extreme sense of rugged individualism, the ideal of 'going it alone', and the unwillingness to 'follow the herd'. We're WAY out on the end of the scale in that regard. We REVEL in our history of the lawless frontier, murderous range wars, and violent mining camps. We're FASCINATED by the carnage and violence of our own Civil War. Hollywood senses this, and has made MILLIONS glorifying a violent, uproarious past.
Americans, in addition to any other factors, are just harder to 'police' than most societies. We're stubborn, we argue, and we're not ALL that comfortable with 'authority' (and of course, our police officers are Americans, TOO).
It shouldn't surprise us that, as the world gets smaller, and we inevitably have to 'give up' at least SOME of our independence, that the old 'Frontier Spirit" lives on....and I think it's a simple as that. Americans are harder to 'convince' than most people, less willing to 'go along to get along', and far less concerned about 'what the NEIGHBORS will say', than are most other societies. When we're "told what to do", we want to know WHY?...and WHO SAYS SO?
That's been both the blessing and the bane of American society since the first "cantankerous" settlers left the East Coast, because they got 'tired of their neighbors, and all their 'rules'....and set off to where they'd be 'left alone'. Pretty hard to do that now, so the 'orneriness' comes out in other ways.
The US, as a society, despite its affluence and modern way of life, at its core ranks among the most obstinately "individualistic" on earth. Compare us with ANY other society, rich or poor, and odds are the American will come out FAR more 'cantankerous', jealous of his own 'rights', and determined that 'nobody's going to tell ME what to do'. All of American history is based on this extreme sense of rugged individualism, the ideal of 'going it alone', and the unwillingness to 'follow the herd'. We're WAY out on the end of the scale in that regard. We REVEL in our history of the lawless frontier, murderous range wars, and violent mining camps. We're FASCINATED by the carnage and violence of our own Civil War. Hollywood senses this, and has made MILLIONS glorifying a violent, uproarious past.
Americans, in addition to any other factors, are just harder to 'police' than most societies. We're stubborn, we argue, and we're not ALL that comfortable with 'authority' (and of course, our police officers are Americans, TOO).
It shouldn't surprise us that, as the world gets smaller, and we inevitably have to 'give up' at least SOME of our independence, that the old 'Frontier Spirit" lives on....and I think it's a simple as that. Americans are harder to 'convince' than most people, less willing to 'go along to get along', and far less concerned about 'what the NEIGHBORS will say', than are most other societies. When we're "told what to do", we want to know WHY?...and WHO SAYS SO?
That's been both the blessing and the bane of American society since the first "cantankerous" settlers left the East Coast, because they got 'tired of their neighbors, and all their 'rules'....and set off to where they'd be 'left alone'. Pretty hard to do that now, so the 'orneriness' comes out in other ways.
Most officers don't have a paranoid/schizophrenic view of the public, they have an officer saftey first view, and how can you blame them? Look at the criminal element they have to deal with daily. A "simple" traffic stop could be their death.
They are not "conditioned" to be paranoid, they are "conditioned" to be aware, and proceed with caution.
The unnecessary "schism" you talk of is because the public has little to no understanding of what it takes and why cops do what they do. If people would listen to directions instead of acting like fools, doing stupid *****, asking dumb questions when they should be listening, there wouldn't be an issue.
I'm not pulling this out of thin air either. My husband is a deputy of 22+ years. and I have lived with, seen, heard all the stories, and I don't think your "friends" represent the majority of officers who do their duty out there......or maybe you misunderstand......
Just so you know, I'm not insulting law enforcement, and I realize that the first thing on a cops mind is going home alive. Your husband is a 22 year veteran, not a green rook fresh out of modern day POST. There is a highly alarming number of greensticks hitting the street these days with "modern" training that has left them lacking in the abilty to react properly under stress and with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Granted dealing with the public at large is extremely difficult, and certain situations (partcularly traffic stops and domestic disturbance calls) are VERY dangerous. But a large number of inexperienced officers are tending to overreact to situations that do not warrant a forceful approach. Thankfully there ARE still veteran officers (such as your husband) that can help these kids develop the skills needed to do their job and come home alive without portraying a negative view to the public. But some of the academy doctrine needs to go back to that old school approach BEFORE these guy hit the streets. A cop has a hard job (I'm not saying they don't) and it's not a profession for just anyone. Part of the job is being able to deal with stupid people, dumba*** questions, and people that are just plain fools all the while trying to maintain a positive attitude. That type of good officer is becoming a rarer thing in todays world.
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