Police overtime budget cuts (Boston: credit, stores, assess)

[msRB311]

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/f...ACjWQ0EJ84ewyk

what a terrible guy

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by id77

Overwhelmingly, people don't choose to be bus drivers, janitors, or construction workers unless you mean they choose to be a bus driver or construction worker instead of a janitor. Those are the types of jobs that people who do them cite as reasons why kids should pay attention in school so they can grow up and be smart and get those engineering jobs instead of picking up trash off the street for a living.

This is full of generalizations. Many construction workers are intelligent talented skilled tradespeople who earn good income. The world is full of people with different intellectual ability, talents, skills, and interests. Not everyone is cut out to go to college, and not everyone wants to. Many people of average or lower intelligence are perfectly happy being a bus driver or janitor. And then there are the incredibly talented people who are more interested in their music or art and drive a bus as a mean to pay the bills.

Originally Posted by id77

Police officers are a rung above that on the ladder. It can be a respectable job, but there is a bit of a problem with it being overrun with ex-military grunts who very much want maintain a similar tough guy role at present. Cleanse the forces nationwide of people who are just in it for the control and domination and it will be respectable again.

Again, a generalization and stereotype. Do you have any evidence to support your claim that police departments are overrun by former military "grunts"? Or that of those grunts are the type that want to maintain a tough guy image? Not all military are grunts and most don't project a tough guy image.

Originally Posted by id77

None of this is about physical difficulty or danger, though. Doing construction is even more dangerous than being a cop, but it pays less unless you're a foreman, crane operator, or other specialized job.

This would depend on a number of variables to include how "danger" is operationally defined, where the cop is working and what unit, and what type of construction you are referring to. The job conditions for cops are not the same around the country. The skill and education levels also fluctuate based on compensation.

Originally Posted by id77

If you're asking why physically demanding jobs are rarely ever on par with mentally demanding ones in terms of compensation, it's because there's always more physically-able people than mentally-able ones. As I said previously, if you paid cops the same as engineers, you'd typically get 1000 applicants for every opening whereas engineers typically get 0-5 for every opening, even at that pay. Why? There's a lot more people who can risk their lives and bodies to do something physically demanding than there are people who can do advanced mathematics or sciences. Same logic applies to those crane operators, too -- there's not many who can do that, so they demand higher wages.

Policing is not generally about being a brawny brawling tough guy--although there certainly are those and there is such a thing as "command presence." But much of it is actually more cerebral. It requires the ability to assess and respond to sometimes complex situations involving people, using interpersonal skills, applying the law, and using discretion on a case by case basis, as well as writing investigative reports that will support a charge. Yes, there is a physical element, but your characterization of it as being like a bouncer in a bar indicates you may be a little out of touch on what the role actually involves in an average to large sized municipality. I would also bet there are a respectable number of police officers the better police departments around the nation whose intellect would be comparable to many white collar professionals, with triple digit IQ's in the 110-120's. Granted most of them will either leave at some point, or seek promotional or specialty grades, but just because someone chooses public service doesn't mean they aren't as intelligent as your white collar counterparts.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by id77

If asked what a cop does, if the first thing that comes to mind is catch/arrest/shoot at bad guys, you’re part of the problem. If other cops or your union come before your community, you’re part of the problem. If you go into any situation assuming the other party is the enemy and a potential threat, you’re part of the problem. If you think simply having the badge entitles you to respect and deference from civilians, you’re part of the problem.

The problem is many of these ideas are also exactly what is taught to soldiers. Cops are not soldiers. Cops are not meant to be domestic military, but through failures in our system we’ve allowed them to become militarized. That’s a big problem that needs corrected.

That is extremely ignorant and demeaning to those who have served. Of those veterans I know, some of the most honorable and level headed people you will find and I would feel more than fortunate to have them serve my community in any capacity. You should apologize for this comment.



And fwiw the only cops I have come across who think they are soldiers, are state troopers (who in a sense ARE soldiers and have to play that role should $hit hit the fan).

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by msRB311

that does seem a little odd that in a city like chicago where people are killing each other every day that the cops are the ones to fear.

Yeah really...

[msRB311]

I also don't know where this 'tough guy' military stereotype keeps coming into play. Maybe there is some penile envy going on here or some of you don't feel like men who are contributing much to society? The tough guy stereotype is old. Weak men are never desirable.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I also don't know where this 'tough guy' military stereotype keeps coming into play. Maybe there is some penile envy going on here or some of you don't feel like men who are contributing much to society? The tough guy stereotype is old. Weak men are never desirable.

Like all web forums you have the resident expert "know-it-alls" who can tell you everything about everything, without ever having done any of it. The unfortunate thing is that when you know everything, you never really learn anything new. There is also a level of elitist classism on this particular board that I find astounding. A very privileged lot here.

[wolfgang239]

Some people live in their own elite bubble. They have no concept of the motivation or mindset of the people who come fix their plumbing or operate the subway. To them they are just "taking up tables at good restaurants" or getting drunk at Sox games. You can see this divide growing everywhere, and I laugh when people wonder why trump did so well. They clearly live on the other side of the wall.

I know people who paid plenty of attention in high school, college or grad school and have been very successful. They work one of these dirty peon jobs like a cop, lineworker or construction because that is what they enjoy. A tale of two worlds on here, unbelievable.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

Some people live in their own elite bubble. They have no concept of the motivation or mindset of the people who come fix their plumbing or operate the subway. To them they are just "taking up tables at good restaurants" or getting drunk at Sox games. You can see this divide growing everywhere, and I laugh when people wonder why trump did so well. They clearly live on the other side of the wall.

I know people who paid plenty of attention in high school, college or grad school and have been very successful. They work one of these dirty peon jobs like a cop, lineworker or construction because that is what they enjoy. A tale of two worlds on here, unbelievable.

Right on

[msRB311]

How is being a cop a peon job? To me a peon job is a job that requires no training with little pay. Like a walmart cashier, receptionist at a dental office, starbucks barista, mcdonalds/papa ginos cook, etc. Not a Boston cop. I'm also not trying to belittle those other jobs but they are jobs a 16 year old could do.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by msRB311

How is being a cop a peon job? To me a peon job is a job that requires no training with little pay. Like a walmart cashier, receptionist at a dental office, starbucks barista, mcdonalds/papa ginos cook, etc. Not a Boston cop. I'm also not trying to belittle those other jobs but they are jobs a 16 year old could do.

I think it was facetious. The point is that a certain ilk views it as a peon job; it isn't. People should be respected regardless of what they do. Police are helping to maintain the social contract and public order. They are called upon to wear multiple hats and deal with the crap that society as a whole can't or won't deal with. The people on Walmart, the dental office, coffee shops, grocery stores, and Mickey D's are doing all the crap that many of us rely on to live our lives. Too many people take it all for granted. Spoiled brats.