Post by Daria Morgandorffer on Nov 26, 2014 11:00:13 GMT -5
I had a really bad experience when I was 18 with the cops and it's left me nervous about the PD to this day. To be fair, I WAS at an illegal rave, but they actually swarmed the entire place with Swat teams and had us line up against the wall. All were armed with large weapons. We were being screamed at like we were the scum of the earth- they clearly assumed that we were all holding drugs because every one of us was searched VERY inappropriately while being made to put our hands against the wall and "spread 'em". I was sober and scared to death. I remember the cop calling me "honey" while searching me.
Haha, I actually found the article from 2001:
"On July 14, Fort Wayne police shut down a soiree dubbed "Northern Lights" at Trax Reception Hall, 2710 Nuttman Ave., after finding several party-goers using drugs. They arrested one juvenile and five adults, then searched more than 500 people.
"There were drugs just about every five feet," said one undercover detective, describing the floor of the hall after the rave was over. (MY NOTE- this statement is ludicrous. Absolutely not true. Dealers were arrested and most people that were going to take drugs that night were already on them by the time the SWAT teams busted in)
Police and politicians are waging a war against party drugs through enforcement and public service announcements. Meanwhile, many rave advocates - many of whom agree that drugs should be eliminated from the all-night parties - are working to clean up the rave image and cling to their right to dance.
"We don't want the drugs there," said Jeff Caldwell, a local disc jockey who also goes by the name Jack Ackshun. "The legitimate crowd is there for the music and the vibe."
Post by cookiemdough on Nov 26, 2014 11:00:21 GMT -5
I have not had a good experience with police officers. Even for being pulled over for a ticket they have been unnecessarily rude and I felt bullied every single time. I have never disputed a ticket so it is not like I was being mouthy.
I honestly have not had a ton of interaction with cops outside of traffic/car accident situations. I've been pulled over a couple of times and the officers have been nothing but kind, and I've gotten in 2 accidents (neither my fault) and the officers have been respectful, prompt, and never been a problem. Beyond that, a neighbor once called them on my XH and I when we were fighting (way back in college) and they were kind to me then, too. So yes, I would say I trust them as a white, middle class female. They have never been anything but kind to me. I also have been nothing but respectful to them, so our interactions have been very polite and formal.
I have to think that most cops go into the force because they are interested in helping people and protecting their community. I am positive some do it because they want the power or the gun, but I would hope those are less common. Every profession is going to get some bad apples, but the majority are not going to be bad people. I also think that law enforcement is one of those professions where those working in it experience compassion fatigue. They may go into law enforcement thinking they are going to be good cops and help their community, and then after years of seeing bad shit and being frustrated with the systems and people in them, they get frustrated and stop being able to see both sides and maintain that compassion. That of course in no way excuses bad behavior - I think once that point is reached, it's time for a new career or to get behind a desk at least. But I can see how it happens.
I've always been interested in law enforcement myself and actually went through the first step to becoming a part of the Chicago PD (like 10 years ago). Ultimately I'm glad I didn't go that route because I think it would be a very hard and dangerous job. Stuff like what happened in Ferguson makes me feel like I want to go into law enforcement again... not because I support what they have done, but because I DON'T and would love to be a good cop who actually does help people and treat them fairly.
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Nov 26, 2014 11:13:14 GMT -5
Its complicated, but generally no. My professional contacts with the police have been uniformly good, but my personal ones have been uniformly bad. I also generally like the police officers I personally know.
I'd like to think its a few bad apples sort of situation,but I get more doubtful as I get older.
Post by mominatrix on Nov 26, 2014 11:14:06 GMT -5
No, not really, despite being of a demographic that should.
Start with my experience in my hometown, of the kids who I knew as kids who went on to become LEOs. They weren't the kind kids. They were the bullies, almost to a one.
Add in the experiences I had in my former job, where I got some inside insights to a number of local departments, and those insights were rarely good.
Yes, I've had some positive experiences with some LEOs. And it could be that a majority of LEOs are good/kind/wanting to do the right thing.
...but the profession attracts an unsavory type, AND the training/institutions of the profession do little or nothing to weed them out / convince them to change their ways. People who are there because of the power, because they get to wear a gun and swing their dick around.
It doesn't help that the job requires them to be in the thick of shit a lot of the time.
But, I want to say that I'm not a person who's generally trusting of strangers, anyway. Just because somebody has a badge and state-sanctioned weapon doesn't mean I'm more willing to trust them than any random on the street.
...chalk it up to a history of being bullied in school. By some kids who grew up to be cops. So, there's that.
Post by 2curlydogs on Nov 26, 2014 11:14:20 GMT -5
My interactions with police in uniform are mixed, but generally negative. I've been mansplained repeatedly for traffic stops, though never made to feel uncomfortable.
Plus the one time I wanted/needed a cop to come they refused to dispatch someone. I was alone returning to my car from the theater late at night and found the driver's side window smashed in. I had to clean up all the shattered glass in my dress and heels. I was not best pleased.
The only cop I've personally known was a homosexual black man. So not exactly the typical hick dick swinger MW was talking about. I don't know if he's still with the force. We lost touch years ago.
I have not had a good experience with police officers. Even for being pulled over for a ticket they have been unnecessarily rude and I felt bullied every single time. I have never disputed a ticket so it is not like I was being mouthy.
IME, this is a big part of what gives the average cop a dick reputation in day-to-day situations. I know they are trained to speak with authority so as to establish the appropriate power dynamic in any encounter, but many of them treat every single encounter as a reason to bully.
Also, someone commented on why the terrible officers are protected. If they are unionized, the union is legally obligated to defend their jobs, even if the union doesn't want to. There are ways to soft-pedal a defense, but in many cases, job protections for unionized police officers are extremely difficult to overcome.
I do trust most officers, but I'm well aware that there are bad ones out there, and that sometimes it's a whole entire city's department that is rogue.
My interactions with police have all been after becoming a prosecutor: personally, professionally, and socially. I've encountered the dick swingers, the ones that just want to "little lady" a female attorney who doesn't agree with them, and the ones that overblow every single case. But the majority are people just trying to do their job and go home without getting shot and without shooting others.
I rarely encounter police, but I most likely would start recording with my cell phone if I was accosted. I know multiple people who avoided charges because they recorded interactions.
Regardless of skin color, never piss off the Popo.
I think my bias is pro cop. I think the cops in my city are awesome. I think CHP is good. I'm also pro law and order. I am a white middle class woman so my opinions are easy and that's the problem.
I think there are many bad cops. I think burning shit down is the only way some people have of getting their voices heard. I think this is especially true for people who have been historically and brutally oppressed.
I have not had a good experience with police officers. Even for being pulled over for a ticket they have been unnecessarily rude and I felt bullied every single time. I have never disputed a ticket so it is not like I was being mouthy.
IME, this is a big part of what gives the average cop a dick reputation in day-to-day situations. I know they are trained to speak with authority so as to establish the appropriate power dynamic in any encounter, but many of them treat every single encounter as a reason to bully.
Also, someone commented on why the terrible officers are protected. If they are unionized, the union is legally obligated to defend their jobs, even if the union doesn't want to. There are ways to soft-pedal a defense, but in many cases, job protections for unionized police officers are extremely difficult to overcome.
I come from a demographic that should trust police officers and worked at a youth shelter where I met one amazing, kind officer, but in general I don't trust cops either. I feel like they are unnecessarily rude - to women more than to men also. I have mostly been stopped for traffic incidences myself, but I feel like a cop always approaches the situation as if they have to be loud and rude to get authority. I also did some protesting years ago where the campus cops were just total jerks trying to incite people to react and get arrested. Fuck that - I don't just respect your authority b/c you are mean and carry a gun. If you're kind and enforcing a law without being a jerk or rude, that is one thing and I saw that at with the cop who worked with the youth shelter kids - he had authority, but also was uniquely kind in how he used it.
In my rational mind, I know they are trained to be jerks and that as a whole the police force wants to "protect and serve." However, in all my personal interactions, they don't assume that the public is knowledgeable or even want to actually listen to someone. Usually they have already crafted what has happened in their mind and want to just hear the details that support that. I'm guessing that is a defense mechanism b/c they do see the bad more than the good in society, but I also think the more that police interact with people in the community they work in, the more empathy they have and the better they are at being kind, but still have authority.
Oh and although I don't have any close police friends, my friend and I were once hit-on by a couple police officers and one guy actually said, "I could show you my gun, honey. It's pretty powerful, if you know what I mean." Oh and a cop who was dating a woman next-door ran over my 8 week old puppy when cutting through our PRIVATE driveway in his cruiser, Princess was her name, when I was like 4 years old and all he said to my parents was, "Sorry Man, I didn't see her. At least she's a puppy so you can get a new one, right? I'll pay for it if you don't report it to my supervisor." Blech - between those, every personal interaction I've had being slightly negative, and systemic racism/classism issues that are reported on across the country, I think I'd be sad if one of my kids wanted to be a police officer when he grew up. It would feel like I didn't teach him to be kind and loving. I know that's wrong, but I don't know how to fix that perception.
Post by penguingrrl on Nov 26, 2014 11:44:07 GMT -5
I've been very fortunate in that I've had mostly very good experiences with the police in my life. I realize how privileged that makes me.
As a kid I lived in a small town in NJ where the cops were absolutely part of the community. The town had 6,000 residents and its own force (typical of NJ). The police knew all the kids and took care of them. Many lived in town and I went to school with their kids.
When my dad tried to kill my mom they protected all of us and for many years after that they routinely drove by my mother's house to make sure all was well. One officer absolutely saved my brother's life when he was arrested for breaking into a house because he recognized my brother was clinically depressed and needed help not jail. When my sister was caught sneaking out as a teen they would drive her home and have her sneak back in the way she left because they wanted her safe, but didn't want to get her in trouble (stemming from knowing my father was violent).
And the one person I know for sure I grew up with who is now a cop is one of the kindest people I ever knew. He was a HS football and wrestling star and also in marching band with me and was awesome. I also have two uncles who are retired police, one of whom was county head of juvenile probations and is a wonderful man.
My interactions with NYPD when I lived there were mostly good as well, although I once called 911 for help and nobody ever showed up.
I completely recognize that I'm incredibly privileged to have had such wonderful experiences with police and it makes me sad to know not everyone has had the experiences I have had.
Post by heliocentric on Nov 26, 2014 11:45:47 GMT -5
I have never had a bad experience with a cop personally, but I do feel nervous around them. I know there are really great cops and that the bad ones make it harder for all of them. I guess I struggle because it seems like there isn't a big push to punish or correct the bad cops. Maybe it's happening and I just don't see it, but it feels like they are protected and it gives them all a bad name. I wish the good ones would stand up against the assholes & bullies. My nephew and his wife a police officers and the wife is always outspoken about defending cops. I understand it must get old to feel picked on on a regular basis, but the blind support for anyone else in a uniform is off-putting. It feels a lot like the UVA students and administration who don't want to ruin the reputation of school by admitting that some people there are doing horrible things so they just ignore it.
I also think police underestimate the little things they do that make people distrust them. A friend volunteers at a domestic violence shelter and has horrible stories about how the cops used to help the women, but then talk shit about how "those bitches deserved it." And I routinely see LEOs running lights and speeding. Maybe they are doing it for a good reason, but when their lights & sirens aren't on, it comes off as them being entitled to ignore the rules the rest of us need to follow.
Post by LoveTrains on Nov 26, 2014 11:46:40 GMT -5
I am so jaded after my house was robbed and they never called me back and I was unable to file a police report. And I was the victim of the crime! Bah. We have had issues with corrupt police in our city, but I certainly don't think they are all bad. I think there are a few bad apples, and I also think that our city officers are pulled very thin because we have the lowest officer count in 30+ years.
But I can totally understand why there are wide swaths of the population who do not trust the police and see them as an adversary.
After I watched "Fruitvale Station" I had an arguement with my XH. I was just super sad about how it all happened, and he some comment that I was being to harsh on the police officer, blah blah blah.
In the end, I said, and still think, that I could act far more aggressively than any of the un-armed black men who have been shot, and the outcome would be far different. I am not going to test my theory, but I am sure that a confrontation between me and a police officer would not end with me being shot...even if I "reached into my waistband" (because it seems like all these unarmed folks reach into their waistbands)
Post by secretlyevil on Nov 26, 2014 11:56:32 GMT -5
My answer is yes but I'm not exactly comfortable around them. Um, hello gun?
Most of my personal experience with police have been speeding tickets. My first job out of college was doing marketing for a drug education non profit. One of the programs was a scared straight boot camp. I went to observe. I will never forget one of the officers calling out an 10 or 11 year old boy and screaming at him. I got up and left before the tears started falling. A different officer followed me out. It got ugly in that I lost my shit on him. That poor little kid was probably 100 lbs sopping wet and you could see the terror on his face. It was too much.
Another it's complicated, and depends on where I'm at any given time. When I'm at home in Mayberry by the sea, and all the places I've actually lived, I love police officers. When I'm at work, or in the surrounding inner city areas, I'm much more hesitant. The school police that comes to campus every now and then = complete tools. When I'm driving through skid row or the roughest parts of town, I want them as close as possible. My BILs who are both members of SWAT, I love.
Another it's complicated, and depends on where I'm at any given time. When I'm at home in Mayberry by the sea, and all the places I've actually lived, I love police officers. When I'm at work, or in the surrounding inner city areas, I'm much more hesitant. The school police that comes to campus every now and then = complete tools. When I'm driving through skid row or the roughest parts of town, I want them as close as possible. My BILs who are both members of SWAT, I love.
I do. That said, I have the privilege of believing that the police are probably going to be on my side because I'm white, upper middle class, and suburban. Were those things not the case, I'm not sure I'd feel the same way. Of course, there are some assholes among their ranks (as with any profession.)
Another it's complicated, and depends on where I'm at any given time. When I'm at home in Mayberry by the sea, and all the places I've actually lived, I love police officers. When I'm at work, or in the surrounding inner city areas, I'm much more hesitant. The school police that comes to campus every now and then = complete tools. When I'm driving through skid row or the roughest parts of town, I want them as close as possible. My BILs who are both members of SWAT, I love.
School police are the worst.
My HS actually had an amazing community liaison officer, but I think we were the exception. I went to an enormous school, but he studied the yearbook and would just chat with kids in the cafeteria to get to know people. He definitely tried to start off the year with everyone on a positive note. I wish every school officer were as friendly and dedicated as him.
I'm having a very tough time with this. As a whole, yes but there are situations I wouldn't trust them in. And I struggle with how to teach this to my kids :/
Post by tacosforlife on Nov 26, 2014 12:44:56 GMT -5
I'm another it's complicated. I've had some bad police experiences, but my experience with the DC police has been far more positive than I would've expected from a department in a big city with a high minority population and high poverty.
Some of that I'm sure is because I'm white, but I've been a witness to two encounters with black men (including standoff with a mentally ill and potentially armed man) that were handled really well.
It's complicated. I have pretty vivid memories of watching a friend be detained by the police (not school police. We didn't have those) through our home room window in our high school parking lot for acting suspicious.<---He was walking through the parking lot of his expensive private school while being a black male teenager. He was out there with them for about fifteen minutes until someone told the principal who went out and asked WTF they were doing.
There were several current and former police officers at my law school (it was the only state funded public law school in the state, so it was the go-to choice for career changes within law enforcement). I sat next to a couple in my crim pro class. One guy was really smart, thoughtful, and well reasoned. Then one night he was on foot patrol and someone purposefully ran him down from behind with their car. For no other reason than that he was a cop. I know he lived but I'm not sure if he has walked since.
There are good and bad people in the world. I try not to generalize or make assumptions about someone I don't know based upon what they happen to do for a living. I don't really trust strangers of any sort.
Post by lyssbobiss, Command, B613 on Nov 26, 2014 13:01:44 GMT -5
On the whole, not really. And I think it's because I grew up in a very privileged neighborhood and the cops were bored, they overlooked all sorts of serious drug offenses because money talks, and they were generally just mean whenever I had any interaction with them. So, bored white assholes protecting rich bored white assholes. And even though I moved away and cognitively know that's not the case, my gut instinct is to believe that they're corrupt and shady.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."