The American Spectator

PCC| 1.8.10 @ 6:30AM

A quick ride to jail (or a 50,000 volt shock) is always ensured when you commit the most serious crime of all: "Contempt of cop."

Alan Brooks| 1.8.10 @ 9:30PM

Kafka isn't a bad read, is he?

Melvin| 1.8.10 @ 7:37AM

The old adage of, "You get what you pay for," definitely applies in this case.
Most recently Chicago is toying with the idea of dropping the entrance exam, in favor of saving money and making the police department more diverse.
You hire an idiot your going to get an idiot. But in this case many idiots are carrying tasers, and a sidearm.
This isn't doing any justice for the thousands of law enforcement personnel who on a daily basis put their lives on the lives to at least try to make
us safe.
These dedicated law enforcement are not only having to endure the human refuse and crap on the street they also have to put up with new age bureaucrats who live in protected gated communities eager to try the next thing off the Liberal shelf of tom foolery.
So I imagine it could be said, that by Chicago dropping it's police department entrance exam it will allow thugs who get caught for murder and mayhem to cop a plea bargain that if the district attorney drops the murder charges the thug will join the Chicago PD.
Another big reason that many in law enforcement are heavy handed is that they know that law-abiding citizens won't fight back.
So don't feel bad while getting pulled over by a Crip or Blood gang member turned Chicago Police Officer who tasers you and then beats you within a inch of your life for wearing blue or red.

John Navratil| 1.8.10 @ 5:43PM

Melvin,

So we have thuggish police who have to deal daily with human refuse. What does it take to make them both go away and leave me alone? Answer : a culture of respect for others.

There are no easy solutions, but hear are just a few suggestions.

(1) Kick the trouble makers out of school. Leaving them in makes school a jail for the rest.
(2) Throw real criminals (property crimes and assaults) in jail, every time. It's the certainty of the punishment which makes the deterrent.
(3) Get rid of "nanny state" laws such a seatbelt laws, trans-fat bans. (I'd also lump a bunch of the drug laws in with these).
(4) Post reasonable speed limits (almost ALL are set too low) as most persons only interaction with the criminal justice system is for speeding which is mostly a revenue game.
(5) Investigate taser use by an officer as diligently as that of a firearm (I confess I don't know if this isn't already the case).

In general maximize individual freedom while discouraging those who would minimize it.

Unfortunately, it is a natural tendency for law-makers to make laws. This leads to tyranny.

The good news it that the crime rate is dropping so maybe we are doing something right.

John McGinnis| 1.8.10 @ 7:44AM

Mr. Peters,

Please keep up!! The 9th circuit court of appeals (yeah that one) has just ruled that use of tasers indiscriminately is unlawful. So much of the punch of this article will be moot.

The downside is they also classed its use with that of a baton. So I am sure we will see more cranial injury cases...

Ned| 1.8.10 @ 1:10PM

Would that be the 9th Circus Court, the most reversed venue in the land...? Don't hold out too much hope for anything coming out of Fairyland to hold up long, or elsewhere....

Excited-Delirium blog| 1.8.10 @ 2:05PM

The 9th Circuit Court is actually middle of the pack for being overturned. The 15/16 figure bandied about by some folks is using the incorrect denominator. The correct denominator is that court's total volume, which is huge.

See my blog for much more information on this and other taser related topics.

WRTolkas| 1.8.10 @ 7:55AM

Gentlemen,

I can see that this post will have lively responses. As for my humble opinion, I once had very high regard for our men in blue and the government. Both have slipped badly since my little stint in Viet Nam (and of coarse this current administration has not helped) and reading horror stories during the "no-knock" law phase on the so-called war on drugs. We had a college student darn near fatally shot in his dorm room last year by a police officer. What was the college student doing to get shot? He opened a door for the officer.

What I hate to admit is, I found an excellent video on Youtube put out by, of all people, the ACLU on your rights when confronted by the police - a list of do's and dont's. I had my two teenagers what that video. Basically what the video stated was:
1. Don't get stupid
2. Don't get violent
3. Don't volunteer anything
4. Keep your mouth shut.
5. If you are incarcerated demand to see a lawyer.

Police are not there to protect you. They are to uphold the "law" and arrest someone - anyone. It is up to the jury set you free - maybe. The days of Andy of Mayberry are over.

Have a safe weekend,

WRTolkas

Mike| 1.9.10 @ 6:20PM

I hate Cops. They are all on some kind of power trip. They get this "Us against Them" training in the academy. They are constantly told, "you are training for the fight of your life". They come out with enormous power over people, they have the power to hold you against your will, the power to take away your freedom, your life, if they feel justified in doing so. They just have to document everything on their affidavit. If they can show probable cause you are screwed, if not dead! I know about first hand. I went though an academy in 2001, and I was on the street for two years, until I saw the light. The only five words you need to remember are, "I have nothing to say".

David| 1.11.10 @ 12:42PM

The ACLU is on target. Kid's are programmed to believe that the cop is their friend....all driven by the DARE propaganda programs. After my daughter received a MIP (minor in possession) while in college.....funny how it was okay for me at the same age.....I explained to her that "cops are not her friends" and even if "she has a beer can strapped to her forehead, the answer is NO when asked if she has been drinking". All this from a very conservative upper middle class white man!

Barb| 1.12.10 @ 9:08AM

The student and his roommate (recently convicted, btw) were drug dealers, and the officer was prosecuted and punished. Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, etc.

Melvin| 1.8.10 @ 8:10AM

"Police are not there to protect you." OK, so what you are saying that is our responsibility to protects ourselves and not live with the common perception that Police are to protects us?
I more or less agree with your statement, but when did law enforcement make the shift from enforcing/upholding the law to protecting or are they synonymous with each other?

WRTolkas| 1.8.10 @ 10:47AM

Dear Melvin,

I know what I wrote may be considered controversial. However please read the Supreme Court's 7-2 decision in the Castle Rock v. Gonzales case. The finding was is there is no federal constitutional right to police protection.

So yes, my perception is, it is my responsibility to protect myself, my family, my neighbors, and my pets. I still have guarded respect for law enforcement; however when push comes to shove, I make no apologies for whatever I have to do to protect my family. Yes, I'll phone the authorities; but I will not wait or depend on their timely arrival.

Regards,

WRTolkas

PolishKnight| 1.8.10 @ 2:27PM

The police often don't uphold the law (but this is also often the case with judges.)

I know of several men who were attacked by their girlfriends including one who kicked in a door, police were called, the police arrested the man and asked the woman if she hurt her foot!

People look the other way when a politically correct, either in leftist or even conservative terms, group is benefitting. The police are like my cat: pick on mice, not rats. A mild mannered working class guy coming home from work you can taser for talking back. That's been going on for decades. The fact that they're tasering soccer moms, the most protected, privileged group in world history makes me wonder if the police are getting more aggressive OR maybe we're entering an era where privileged women are no longer the PC group of choice anymore.

Northern Rebel| 1.8.10 @ 8:52AM

I wish "President" Anti-Christ, Dead face Pelosi, And soon to be out of a job Harry Reid, would be tased, everytime they lied, which would be 50,000V's 24-7.

AJ Vicknair| 1.8.10 @ 8:55AM

I am surprised at the level of ignorance that permeates this article. I have been in law enforcement for almost four years. I decided to get involved with "the job" because of my love of freedom and the rule of law, not because I am a "thug" or a power trip waiting to happen.
One case the author refers to is out of Coronado, California. The young man who was tased was pulled over at around 2am for not wearing his seat belt. During the course of the traffic stop he began muttering to himself and slapping himself about his face and head. I have seen encounters turn violent after violator’s exhibit behavior of this sort. It could be just a person angry with himself for doing something stupid (as the young man claims), or it could be a potentially violent offender psyching himself up to fight. Add to the situation the fact that the man wasn't wearing any pants, and I can easily see how the officer might have thought this young man's unusual behavior could potentially be a precursor to a fight.
The officer further stated he gave the young man verbal commands to step back and away from him (the officer). Then, according to the officer, the young man moved suddenly in his direction. The young man disputes the officer's claims and stated he heard no commands.
Given the experience and training I have had in my short time on the job, I have to believe the officer would not have put things in his report that were not true. There are severe penalties (i.e. loss of job and prosecution) for falsifying a police report.
The unknown risk traffic stop is one of the most dangerous encounters a law enforcement officer can have. Upon observing a violation and deciding to initiate a stop, the officer has no idea who or what is in the car or what their state of mind might be. We must always be in "condition yellow" because at any moment we could be facing a potentially life threatening situation. Just weeks ago four Lakewood PD officers were murdered in a coffee shop while doing paperwork. We have to be ready because no one else is there to rescue us. Sometimes this leads to actions that might seem, to an outside observer, to be overly aggressive or even brutal. I can understand this completely. But why is it so hard to give a person who literally puts his life on the line every day the benefit of a doubt instead of hanging the label of "thug" around the necks of law enforcement in general?
I am the first to admit we have some very bad seeds within the ranks of police officers. Believe me when I tell you those of us who love the job and take our oath to heart cringe every time one of them makes us all look bad. But the case in California, at least from what I have read, is not one of them.
It seems the author wishes use this as an example of more government intrusion into our lives. And yes, there are many laws on the books that are completely ridiculous. But police officers are charged with enforcement, not legislation. We don't get to pick and choose which laws we want to enforce. Most of us hate the idea of someone telling us how to live our lives from cradle to grave. We don't want to be viewed as an agent of big government because we take our safety and the safety of the public seriously. If you disagree with a law, call your state legislature and lobby them to change or repeal it.
I am a frequent visitor to The American Spectator website and enjoy the content greatly. I am, however, disappointed in the sloppy nature of this rant. It is certainly below the usual high standard of this great publication.

Big J| 1.8.10 @ 10:36AM

Excellent post, officer.

On the rare occasion that I get stopped for a traffic violation, I roll the window down, hang my hands out the door (dome light on at night), and maintain that position until the officer arrives. I find this to be the most pleasant way to greet one of you guys, and immediately puts the officer at ease.

Hand him my insurance, license and CHL, and DON'T LIE ("Do you know how fast you were going? Yes sir.")

Knock wood, but I always receive either a written or verbal warning, and sent on my way.

There are good and bad people in all walks of life. You are correct. To paint law enforcement in the manner the author does is completely unfair.

I appreciate you guys.

Sean| 1.8.10 @ 11:32AM

The problem is that we have way to many police officers whose only job is to generate money for the government. Most police officers have volunteered to become nothing more than a parasite on productive society. The vast majority of officers are out doing "traffic enforcement" and not fighting real crime. That is why they are increasingly losing respect. In fact to me they have more than once put my life in danger in order to give out traffic tickets. It isn't fun having to slam on your breaks to avoid the cop who cuts in front of you to pull over someone for a minor violation.

Pete| 1.8.10 @ 12:04PM

Have to agree with you, Sean. They have incentives to bring in money - and it is easiest and least dangerous to prey upon law abiding citizens to achieve that goal. I wish they would get paid some kicker based on the seriousness of the criminal they caught...that would make more sense to me.

And unfortunately, the statement "There are severe penalties (i.e. loss of job and prosecution) for falsifying a police report." creates incentives both ways. Cops all stick together on this and judges give them the benefit of the doubt...I have seen this personally.

I certainly do not count on police alone to protect my family, nor would I ever choose to live where BS laws are in effect to disarm everyone but the criminals.

Douglas Skinner| 1.9.10 @ 9:51AM

Dittos Sean. I can't remember how many times I've seen cops pull someone over in a location that presents a significant danger to other drivers. And I've seen the cops drive dangerously on many occasions. No sirens, just dangerously. I've seen two cruisers going in opposite directions down a narrow street obstruct traffic for purely social purposes (I could distinctly hear the converstion, they weren't even hiding it!). Part of the reason for these things is no doubt the decline in standards (in particular standards for personal character) brought on by diversity requirements and other types of political correctness.

Kevin| 1.8.10 @ 1:58PM

", I have to believe the officer would not have put things in his report that were not true. " Good Lord, you have GOT to be kidding. Cops are TRAINED to lie. The cops I knew in New York thought NOTHING of planting guns, stealing stuff and bragging about it. Get real.

John Navratil| 1.8.10 @ 6:13PM

Mr. Vicknair,

Well, it seems you have no difficulty as an apologist for the Coronado Officer McPherson.

I mean no personal disrespect to you and respect your choice of career. However, it seems odd that an enforcer of the law would present such a defense of someone unknown to him, other than that he is a brother officer, particularly after a court has had a chance to review the events.

You state "I can easily see how the officer might have thought this young man's unusual behavior could potentially be a precursor to a fight.". Yet the court states -- We agree with the district court that Bryan did not pose an immediate threat to Officer McPherson or bystanders despite his unusual behavior. It is undisputed that Bryan was unarmed, and, as Bryan was only dressed in tennis shoes and boxer shorts, it should have been apparent that he was unarmed. (...) First, when explicitly asked if he “[took] a step out of the car” or a “step out away from the car,” Bryan testified “no.” There is, therefore, a genuine issue of fact on this point, one that, on this procedural posture, we must resolve in Bryan’s favor and conclude that Bryan did not advance towards the officer. Second, even if Bryan had taken a single step toward Officer McPherson, this would not have rendered him an immediate threat justifying an intermediate level of force, as he still would have been roughly nineteen to twentyfour feet away from Officer McPherson, by the officer’s own estimate."

There is no doubt that there are many good and some bad officers as there are in all good and bad in all walks of life. I take your word that you are not, nor do you wish to be a "thug". However, you have taken up the defense of another officer against the finding of a court. This officer is accused of thuggish behaviour. How do you defend this? Did the court err?

Kyle| 1.9.10 @ 8:59AM

Mr. Vicknair,

As I fellow officer I must completely agree with you on just about everything you said. It is hard to explain to someone who has not worn a uniform before what it is like. There is nothing more relaxing than returning home and putting on civilian clothes and, at least somewhat, lowering the burning in your mind to constantly be looking behind you and all around for any possible threats you may encounter. It's also impossible to explain to someone what it is like to approach a vehicle at night, all the while having very little knowledge of the vehicle, much less who is operating it. As you said, there is no one to rescue us...we are the cavalry and when it all hits the fan, it's still up to us to deal with.

I too cringe every time I hear/read about a case of police brutality or officers acting unprofessionally. However, like all professions, police officers are just people. Like all others, these people in law enforcement will make mistakes, will mess up, and will, occasionally, do horrifically evil things. However, just because some officers are lacking the character and professionalism to do the job the right way, that doesn't mean the majority of officers are very upstanding individuals who want to do their jobs to the best of their ability, keep the public and streets safe, and go home to their families at the end of the night.

This article and subsequent comments have become very sloppy and are showing the extreme amounts of naivety that exist in our society. I'm unsure about other states, but in Georgia we have laws on how much revenue may be garnered through traffic citations. Also, many officers may stop people for what seems like minor infractions, ie, headlights or taillights out, changing lanes w/out signaling. These are items that create probable cause to initiate a traffic stop. Yes, an officer could write a citation for such a violation, but often times we simply use it to stop someone to see if there is more to it.

Just yesterday, an officer in my unit stopped a vehicle for expired registration. 15 minutes later when I arrived we were calling our counter-narcotics unit out after discovering more than a pound of marijuana inside the vehicle. Cops aren't just out to write people citations and give them a hard time. I must have stopped 20 vehicles last night after nightfall in a seedy area of town, all for minor violations. I was looking for drugs and other serious offenses; 20 cars, 20 warnings, even to the two drivers who were extremely rude right from the start. So to those who think cops get off on writing tickets to everyone and everything they stop, that is simply not the case and perhaps you should look deeper and understand why many traffic stops are initiated. After all, Timothy McVeigh was caught after an officer stopped his car for having no license plate.

Mike| 1.9.10 @ 6:25PM

BRAVO SIERRA!

Spyndrilleum| 1.9.10 @ 10:08PM

Bolshevic?

Muleskinner| 1.8.10 @ 9:08AM

In my lengthy trucking career I have encountered numerous police officers and state troopers,ditto for my recreational pursuit on two wheels. The vast majority of police are good cops,God bless them. The key to dealing with the man behind the badge is to remember his last name is always "sir",no matter his age. Use ma'am for females of course.

PJ| 1.8.10 @ 10:57AM

I wholeheartedly agree, give the police officer, the gun holder, respect & you'll get respect in return.

In many police depts, the cops are required to practice at the range once or twice a yr at most. Not too sure about the Taser. To be confident & relaxed in using a revolver or semi-automatic, at least twice a month of practice shooting at a range using a minimum of 500 rounds should be required. IMHO most of these officers are not 100% comfortable using their handguns. Never encourage a police officer to take his gun out of the holster.

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 1.8.10 @ 2:32PM

Use Ma'am when addressing female police officer's, unless of course, the female police officer's last name is Boxer, then be very careful.

Northern Rebel| 1.8.10 @ 9:14AM

Seriously, in about 1990, the New Britain, Connecticut detectives were looking for me, for a charge that turned out to be "Taking a car without the owner's permission."

They came into the club I belonged to, (think Elks, not a strip club)and asked me If I had seen myself.

I turned myself in the next day, only to be humiliated by these denizons of the law, as they attempted to make me feel like a common criminal.

It wasn't like these fools had nothing better to do, because this was a big time drug town, and gangs ran rampant in New Britain, Connecticut.

These morons were incapable of distinguishing between me and murderers! If it wasn't happening to me, I would have laughed at their feeble attempts to be Dick Tracy. They even had the one-liners down! It was so pathetic, I almost laughed in their face, but knew better, because they were looking for an excuse to hit a taxpayer, that paid their salary.

The moral of the story is, you can't depend on anyone who gets paid with a gummint check!

I'm sure if I was one of the drug dealers who regularly paid them bribes, I would have been treated with the utmost respect, in New Britain, Connecticut. (I'm using the actual city name for a reason)

Instead, I was just a taxpayer, involved in an infortunate incident, that corrupt police officers became a part of.

Thank God, they didn't have tasers back then!

Dr_X| 1.8.10 @ 9:20AM

Driving is now a privilege and not a right, the courts have declared that you have no expectation of privacy when you drive. This now allows cops to randomly stop and search people in the name of D.U.I checkpoints. How this is not an unreasonable search is beyond me. They can now use thermal camera to spy on you as well as monitor your electric usage then search your home in the name of probable cause for growing hydroponic drugs.

A quick way to being pulled out of your car an beaten is to try to record (video or audio) a traffic stop, yet the police can use dash cams against you.

I’ve been in court on a traffic violation where the cop lied and said I was driving recklessly and I was veritably abusive to him. I calmly argued the point and the cop started yelling in court and I simply said to the judge “Now you can see who was really abusive” the charge was dropped.

I agree the cops are not there to server and protect, they are there to bully and generate money for the city or town. Our local police are not allowed to use radar guns due to their abuse of them in giving tickets for even minor speeding infractions. (Less than 5 mph over the limit) Yet some still used them until they were sued.

People need to challenge the police. You should demand a trail for all tickets, even if you were speeding. We need to speak up when we see police abuse and video the abuse and take it the courts and put it on the airwaves. This thug culture must be stopped!

Ned| 1.8.10 @ 1:19PM

ALWAYS go to court for a traffic ticket, although going to trail can be costly. However, if you show up at court, and plead guilty your fine will likely be reduced... and in the meantime, you have made the transfer of your money to the court many times more exensive on their end... they still have your money, but much less of their "own"...

Louis Jenkins| 1.8.10 @ 9:25AM

The taser is truly a dangerous but useful weapon. Once used the probes themselves are treated as evidence, at least locally in my neck of the woods. Tasing those with health conditions is a tenuous proposition, but when used in training sessions it is usually healthy persons who are tased. But so is a baton. I've seen some bruised and battered hands and broken fingers when the blow went the wrong way during training, not to mention when it was used to subdue the 'bad guy.' The taser is less lethal than three rapid rounds and allows the officer an intermediate use of stand off force in a bad situation. It is a winning solution for them. The taser is losing public support just because of well publicized incidents, and may be dropped from use some day as more wonder weapons are developed. What worries me more is the militarization of Law Enforcement and the Thug Policeman scenario mentioned above. Public service is a calling. It sure can't be credited to high wages.

Appleby| 1.8.10 @ 10:04AM

When I worked in Atlanta, down on Peachtree Street, it was common to see police officers busting office workers who jaywalked -- crossing in the middle of a very long block to get from office buildings on either side -- while drug and weapons deals were going on in plain view on the corners of the same streets. One of our lawyers, ostensibly an Andy Griffith type (but that was to put you off your stride), informed the ticketing officer that since his time was billed at $700 per hour, the $5 jaywalking ticket was saving money for both the firm and the clients. He then pointed out a weapons transacation and asked why he was being ticketed and the thugs in plain view were going free.

The officer said "Y'all don't shoot back."

Melvin| 1.8.10 @ 10:43AM

Precisely what I mentioned earlier. Is this a conscious decision on the part of the law enforcement personnel or is it more a default/survival type of thinking as Ray mentioned.
Now before the law-enforcement crowd gets their boxers in a bunch, when I say law-enforcement this is a pretty broad description that encompasses and oath and a badge, such as DEA, FBI, TSA and the like.

Ray Spitz| 1.8.10 @ 10:13AM

I have been pulled over a few times, and I used to go shooting with some cops in SASS. I've never met a bad one. I HAVE met some scary ones, along the lines of "I'm glad they're on our side."
Cops are here to enforce the law and serve the government. They are not here to protect you; this has been established in court. They regularly encounter the worst sort of people your city or town has to offer and tend to lump everybody they encounter in the course of their work with those categories; in their minds you're guilty until proven otherwise. IMHO, this is actually a survival trait.
Keep these facts in mind and most encounters will go well.

Thomas| 1.8.10 @ 11:47AM

There are literally hundreds of millions of enforcement contacts every single day in this country, from traffic stops, to suspicious incidents, to homicide arrests and gang wars. The number of those that result in the use of any kind of unwarranted force is minuscule. Yet in a significant number of those same contacts, the person being contacted exhibits rude, abusive and event violent behavior. This year, the President of the United States chastised an officer for investigating a reported suspicious incident that could have saved a college professor from a significant property loss. The professor, instead of being grateful for the efforts of the officer, not only responded abusively, but then went out into public and continued to the point that he disturbed the rest of the residents in the area and was arrested for breach of the peace. The contactee behaved like an ass and the holder of the highest office in the land castigated the law enforcement officer. Something is seriously wrong in this country.

If you do ot break the law, you probably will not even have any contact with a law enforcement officer. So, there should be no problem, right? Drive ten miles in any urban or suburban area. you will see 60-80% of the drivers are violating the speed limit, a number of people running stop signs and red lights, turning from the wrong lane across traffic and even sitting and blocking the roadway unnecessarily. And 50,000 people die every year on the roads, more than are murdered every year. This is in addition to the murders, rapes, robberies, thefts, burglaries and a dozen other crimes that cause monetary and/or physical injury to others. This is a nation of law breakers. And when caught, these people whine, cry, become belligerent and basically do everything in their power not to be held responsible for their actions. Is it any surprise that people talk themselves into being arrested or tazered?

A strange evolution has occurred in our society. As little as 50 years ago, calling someone a name, getting in their face and screaming at them, or laying a hand upon them would more than likely engender a rather violent response. And, strangely, this country was a more polite place. Now-a-days, people feel that they have the "right" to say and do anything that they want and no one has the "right" to be offended or take offense. Yet, the people with practice this behavior are usually the least likely to put p with behavior with which they disagree.

Now, as law enforcement agencies draw their employees from the general population, there are going to be some bad apples; just as there is in the rest of the population. Law enforcement officers deal with a significantly larger number of abusive, abrasive, violent and down right dangerous people everyday than do the rest of society. And, yet very few of these people suffer any kind of violence at the hands of law enforcement officers.

If you want to be treated with dignity and respect, then you first have to treat others that way.

Spyndrilleum| 1.8.10 @ 3:16PM

Please offer some references for your use of "miniscule" and "significant," as related to your depiction the numbers of bad cop decisions and bad citizen behavior, respectively.

NavyBrat| 1.8.10 @ 12:12PM

The saying that there are a-holes everywhere also holds true for cops, as it does everyone else. Most cops are doing a completely thankless & extremely dangerous job. They take their safety very seriously, as well they should in this day & age. However, there ARE the bad apples. The guys who steal drugs out of the property room & sell them (City of Memphis), the guys who were the geeks in high school & now have a gun & a badge & set out to reinvent themselves as Harry Hard Arses, & just your regular, run of the mill schmucks. It's THESE schmucks I believe Mr. Peters is commenting on. Our over-regulated society doesn't help.

"First, the system and its laws are becoming more and more officious. Books such as Three Felonies A Day detail the near-impossibility of not violating some state or federal law (inadvertently or not) just by dint of getting out of bed and going about your day. The country is so thick with Thou Shalt Nots -- laws, rules and regulations -- that there's almost always a reason for some cop to pester you. When you get indignant and object, it's open season."

This paragraph right here tells me everything I need to know. And there is more truth that poetry to the sentiment. As a wise man once said:

"The more laws, the less justice."...Cicero

Timothy Atkins| 1.8.10 @ 12:30PM

Would the taser not be used if the people simply complied with the orders of officer? We here in the Northwest have recently had six officers killed . . . These who put their lives on the line for our protection and we will force them to protect themselves from us? I do not understand the lack of compliance of adults in our society and the message it sends to the young adults and children. Authority is in place for our protection and our submission to that authority is our responsibility before God Himself. Should we not affirm their position by our own submission? Does this lack of submission demonstrate a lack of submission to God from people in oue society? All I see with ones tasered are arrogant, prideful people who do not want to obey authority and angerily voice opposition to being caught in breaking the law. All of you others who will never need to tasered [like myself] can reply . . .

Bruce| 1.8.10 @ 12:37PM

Ya know .. reading most of these comments - except te one by the young officer - makes me glad I'm retired after 25 years of laying my ass on the line for a bunch of schlubs who wouldn't (or couldn't) do the job we do every day for any amount of money. I survived 4 gunfights, being stabbed a few times trying to disarm scumbags (instead of shooting their asses), and more hospitalizations than I care to think about. For what? For the likes of many of you crybabies? You're talking about an infinitismal percentage of cops - most from departments with low standards and less training - and branding an entire group of men and women who put it all on the line every day they leave their home.

Yeah - dumbass - we want to go home to our families the same as you. We should roll around in the street with some idiot who refuses to follow simple directions? Tazers and other "less than lethal" devices were invented because people were getting shot for many of the same reasons - within legal guidelines for use of force! Most cops would rather be locking up bad guys than playing games with nitwits who think traffic laws are there for OTHER people to follow - but unfortunately a lot of our time is spent pulling these same nitwits out of wrecked vehicles.

Tip for ya ... obey the law, and follow the directions an officer gives you and you won't have a problem!

Zmetalmilitia| 1.11.10 @ 3:14PM

The one point most of the comments made by the cops on here is, is that they chose their career. With that, the dangers come along with it. If you don't like it, get out. No one made you become an officer. Why choose a profession and then complain that no one is grateful for screwing with people's lives.

When cops arrive at a scene of an accident, they direct traffic and wait for the fire trucks and paramedics to arrive. They do not pull bodies out of wrecked vehicles.

Bruce| 1.8.10 @ 12:44PM

By the way - if you crybabies want an example of morons getting tazered - and their story how it occurrreed - watch this little gem:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=eaf_1258270221

There are two sides to every story, dig?

Good luck to you, Officer Vicknair. If you wanted to be loved you should have become a fireman instead of a cop. I pray you make your 20 and get the hell out.

Spyndrilleum| 1.8.10 @ 1:40PM

Thanks for showing true respect for those you "serve" and true love for your "service." It's good to see that you haven't become bitter and elevated above your subjects.

Bruce| 1.8.10 @ 5:03PM

I should have respect for people like you? You're kidding, right?

I loved my job, and did it very well for those 25 years - earning 27 medals for superior service and valor, and not getting a single civilian complaint. That in a ghetto area, and ranking in the top 10 (out of 300) in the precinct in both arrests (felony) and summonses as well.

So what's YOUR claim to fame?

Obey the law and you'd never have to worry about me, dope.

Crusader| 1.8.10 @ 8:17PM

Wow what a total freaking TOOL! My only wish is that the thugs who shoot at the thugs with badges would stop using cheap 9mms and start using 45s--you can get a decent Ruger for just a little more than the "gangsta" Tec-9. Might be less jack-ass, scumbag, cops like you demanding "respect."

John Navratil| 1.8.10 @ 8:57PM

The words that everyone should fear are "If you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.".

Those completely negate any concept of liberty. How do you know? Ignorance of the law is not excuse. First it was no seatbelts, then no cell-phones in a school zone and on and on. No smoking in a public park. God forbid you drive 10 MPH over on an empty freeway. You can't get away from this. Books are written on the number of laws we break inadvertently, every day.

Yet to you, Spyndrilleum is a dope! I suppose I am too!

I don't want to worry about you, at all. But I will tell you that your attitude makes me fear you.

Also - I have no claim to fame. I don't need it.

Spyndrilleum| 1.9.10 @ 9:05PM

Bruce, I looked at your linked blog, and I think you would agree with me on most things.

Apparently this article struck a nerve and triggered an emotional reaction, blind to the real issues.

You seem to promote individual liberty and freedom. You seem to believe that citizens have rights.

Do those beliefs remain intact when you approach a lowly citizen who has no badge? Your comments only berate citizens (or schlubs to you) and praise police as if they are all as spectacularly stellar as you believe you are.

Maybe you should step back and realize that while you, and most cops, are honorable, there are cops and laws that are not. That discussion should not offend you. I served honorably in the military, but I can rationally discuss real problems that exist in the military without getting my feelings hurt.

But your reaction to my comment actually proved my point.

Tom| 1.10.10 @ 10:09AM

You're full of shit. Police officers recieve civilian complaints for looking at an arrestee crookedly, there is simply no way you could possibly spend 25 on the job without garnering one. Especially with your super cop resume. It is normal for defense lawyers to file complaints on arresting officers simply as a tactic to lessen that officer's testimony.

ZJC86| 1.10.10 @ 9:21PM

If all police were as "great" as you claim they are, why would there be this many people who have problems with them? I might add that while it would be obvious that criminals would have problems with police these are not criminals and you have met plenty of good people in your life who have problems with corrupt police who spend their day wasting tax payer dollars. Why don't you just humble yourself and admit the truth. No one has said that you are or were a bad cop they are just saying that there are bad cops and that there shouldn't be, and you should agree. Or are you to full of pride to see the truth?

Sean| 1.8.10 @ 1:45PM

The thing is there isn't an entire group of men and women putting it on the line everyday. The vast majority are just there to generate revenue for the government. The people going into law enforcement know this is what they are going to be doing and shouldn't expect people are going to respect them for it. When laws and regulations become oppressive the ones that enforce them are not respected. They have all been reduced to the status of the metermaid.

Bruce| 1.8.10 @ 5:05PM

Bullshit. Every single cop in the US is one fool away from getting killed every time he suits up, every day.

Spyndrilleum| 1.12.10 @ 5:44PM

Bruce, that may be. But let us keep in mind that every single cop is also a *combatant* by choice -- trained and armed by his community for a reason. The honorable cop should indeed be commended.

And the rest of our citizens are also actually just "one fool away" from getting killed every day as well, even though they are usually not armed or trained and certainly haven't volunteered to be a combatant.

Spyndrilleum| 1.12.10 @ 5:57PM

"Where much is given, much is required."

We give much authority and weapons to our police under a sacred trust. That should not be taken lightly or abused. When it is, and you know it is, it should be dealt with and resolved. That is what this discussion is about.

The emotional, defensive reactions in favor of police merely because they are cops, and against Americans simply because they're not cops is out of place and illustrative of the lack of comprehension of the subject matter. Or perhaps an emotional trigger that overrides logic. . .

Jim| 1.8.10 @ 2:10PM

Cops should be moved out of the "revenue enhancement" business (traffic stops, etc.) as they NEVER produce compliance with the law, only money for the town /county. If this was done, the cops could focus on gangs, home invasions, and maybe even dumb stuff like meeting the people they "protect & serve" face to face. Funny how you never see, "protect & serve" on cop cars any more!

Also, my experience with cops is that they know they'll always be seen as right, and damn the evidence, so if they feel hated by the "everyday folks," they don't have to wonder why.

jim| 10.12.10 @ 1:33AM

"Most people say that LiveJournal is a virtual Kentucky--"But T's Edge, nothing good ever comes from there. Why don't you use WordPress?" You forget yourself. Both Abraham Lincoln and later Wendell Barry came from Kentucky. (Posterity has yet to decide who is the greater American.) I chose LiveJournal as my blogging site because I was feeling ironic.

I am not trying to say that this post is no different than Honest Abe's first words from a Kentucky cradle (or was it a manger?). I am claiming that the entries that follow will be no less great than the Gettysburg Address."

Brad| 1.8.10 @ 2:26PM

Most police seem to suffer from some form of arrested development. Wearing a uniform,side arm, and speeding around in a car with lights and sirens isn't something the majority of the productive segment society aspires to do.
Maybe law enforcement does have more in common with the thugs they are supposed to be arresting, and less with the people that pay their wages.

Sam| 1.8.10 @ 2:31PM

Let me throw in my two cents for my town's police force: The San Diego Police Department

While I understand many arguments above and while it is true that there are some cops who are thugs, I have yet to meet them in the SDPD.
Our city keeps cutting the police budget and our officers still manage to do a fine job each year with less resources than any other large city.

Thank you to the brave men and women of SDPD. Keep up the great work!
Sam (the kid who's always doing ride-alongs)

LiveFreeOrDie| 1.8.10 @ 5:04PM

Are you kidding? SD cops are trigger happy. What about the homeless mentally disturbed man they shot dead in the street because he was brandishing a stick? What about the off-duty road rage cop who chased a camp pendleton wife to a parking lot and opened fire on her and her 8-year-old son? The list goes on and on. You can disagree with the individual stories but the fact is that SD police kill more people proportionately than ANY other police force in the country. That's a fact, look it up.

Shamus| 1.8.10 @ 2:37PM

Police reflect the agencies that employ them. Years ago the city of Miami reacted to a shortage of manpower by curtailing criminal background checks. They wound up hiring people convicted of serious felonies. Before long bodies of drug dealers were floating in canals. Miami police killed and robbed them so that they could make money by selling stolen narcotics.

Spyndrilleum| 1.8.10 @ 2:42PM

"Putting your life on the line" to actually serve or protect others is truly noble and honorable. A motivation for my military service was a desire to emulate that type sacrifice and service. I believe that many officers do indeed honestly do just that, in a way similar to that of our many honorable military members. I commend and appreciate them, and the above article and all of the related criticism is not directed at them.

There, unfortunately, are too many officers that are not there to help, to serve, or to provide any true justice, and certainly not protection.

How many cops does it take to patrol a road and stop dangerous drivers? How much money does a government pull in by catching a rapist, murderer, or other real criminal. By contrast how much money does a government pull in by exacting "fines" on easily caught citizens?

An article in the Gazette confirms the limited resources given to sexual crimes in the area causes many reported rapes to go without investigation for weeks or months, and yet a single intersection normally will have four cops sitting and just waiting for someone to stop. The city government is reported to have brought in nearly ten million dollars in traffic fines alone in one year.
(http://www.gazette.com/articles/police-52482-detectives-rape.html)

They have dedicated, trained, expert officers constantly setting up speed traps, checking for seatbelts and sitting and watching cars all over the place, and yet only have a handful of officers assigned to actual crime, like rape.

In many cases I wholeheartedly endorse the use of force. Shooting a crazed robber with a knife, as happened when I lived near Seattle: I agreed with the cops.

But shooting a sleeping Denver man in his home and in his bed for having a pop can? No, I don't agree that is justified. But the officer faced no penalty.

There are real criminals that some cops have to deal with. Does that justify other treating people badly, or killing them? If you can't deal with the job without assuming everyone is scum, maybe you should do something else (DMV perhaps).

Putting your life on the line for your people is honorable. But having guns, armor, and shields and waiting outside a school shooting until the killers have finished killing the unarmed students and staff and removed themselves, and the danger is gone or minimal? Doesn't really fit the phrase, "putting your life on the line," now does it?

Perhaps the justification is that: "cops are there to enforce the law, and have no obligation to protect people," except that no enforcement took place either.

The nature of "law enforcement" has changed such that many honorable men choose not to go into it due to their distaste of harassing people or refusal to do the bidding of unjust men. It is too much tax collection (fines or fees), way too revenue driven and too little driven by stopping or catching true criminals.

And you folks, or to use Bruce's term, you "Crybabies" that will argue that traffic "enforcement" is just as important as catching real criminals, like rapists, may feel different when you or your family experience the effects or a real criminal and get pulled over for a broken tail-light on the way to the hospital or cemetery by a cop that doesn't have the "resources" to go after the criminal.

Margie| 1.8.10 @ 3:46PM

Would some of you rather not have a Police force? I guess so. What I know is that if you've already got an attitudinal issue in general, you have one toward the Police.
How about being mature adults and acting accordingly? Treat an officer with respect and you'll usually get it in return. I respect law enforcement because I have a Father who is a Police Captain (for over 50 years & still going). I learned from him about the mind of the Police Officer, and it is one of duty and honor.
Like some have said, there are rotten people in every walk of life, but to assume in general that they're all rotten is not fair!
God bless our Men (and women) in Blue & God bless the U.S.A.!

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 1.8.10 @ 4:27PM

Margie: Sometimes I think that you're the only sane person here, and you proved it to me again today.

Margie| 1.8.10 @ 4:54PM

Why thank you very much, Sir!
I think I'm as straight forward as any other person. maybe not as well liked for it as the majority, but hey it's still a free country~ thanks to guys like you! :^)

ZJC86| 1.8.10 @ 4:32PM

Look, most people who have commented say there are good cops. You didn't say anything about that, all you want to talk about is how "GREAT" they are. How many traffic tickets has your father given out? How many rapists has he caught? Killers? Terrorists? The fact is, the government spends way to much money and time trying to get more money from the law abiding tax payer and not near enough to catch real criminals. So in short, you pay them to pull you over so that you can pay them more for stupid stuff like, a broken tail light, a head lamp out and such. How about you be a mature adult and face the facts. And get off of the otherwise law abiding citizens for telling there opinions, which are in fact true.

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 1.8.10 @ 4:46PM

See what I mean Margie? And ZJC86? it's their opinions, not there opinions, just saying!!

Margie| 1.8.10 @ 4:55PM

Yup.. guess we know which camp he's in!

ZJC86| 1.8.10 @ 11:42PM

Are you kidding me?!? Out of my whole post the only thing you could find wrong is a grammatical error? I guess you will agree that the rest is true. Your responses are just like what many other liberals would say as well, ignoring the true issue because you have no real ground to stand on. I feel sorry for you. For the record I haven't said that there aren't good, honorable police, I have met many that are such, but I have also met the complete opposite and feel that there shouldn't be dishonorable cops. What happened to "serve and protect"? Maybe you should study what kind of principles this great country was founded on. You could start by learning about the founding fathers.

Margie| 1.11.10 @ 3:48PM

It's your attitude, not your typo., idiot.

ZJC86| 1.11.10 @ 6:27PM

awe..how sad someone got their feelings hurt:( It isn't my attitude it's the truth, "crybaby".

Spyndrilleum| 1.8.10 @ 5:12PM

Your father sounds like a good man, and you apparently gained some understanding and respect from him. That's great! My father is not a cop, and yet I still managed to learn to respect officers.

This article and discussion has not diputed the existence of good cops, but your comments (and your lullable fan) seem to dismiss the existence of any officer-related problems that might be improved. Would you care to share more about this "mind of the Police Officer" concept? I was under the impression that officers were similar to humans, in that they are individuals and represent varying degrees of "duty and honor."

You say, "Treat an officer with respect and you'll usually get it in return." Well the problem here is the "usually;" different experiences would change that to "sometimes" or "rarely." Your "usually" should be "always," as the officers serve us with authority granted only by the people, who naturally possess it. And the discussion is about the problems that occur when they misbehave, either due to their own decisions, or due to the forces that drive them, aka unjust laws.

But some prefer to see only rose petals and sunshine as the noose tightens.

explosion proof floodlight| 11.25.10 @ 1:18AM

If freedom has a natural home in the modern world, therefore, it is the nation-state

Darren| 1.8.10 @ 4:10PM

I think it is mostly due to 2 facts:

1) the fact that when you are a criminal, you are clearly going to go through the system (lawyer and all) and that brings a whole line of questioning about treatment exhibited during arrest/interrogation/booking. The police play it cool.

2) Just like it is sometimes easier to chew out your wife for something that your boss did 3 hours earlier, I think many police take out their aggression like this because a more aggressive victim would put them at greater risk. No real risk zapping granny or some student. Now, some guy with bald head, swastika tatoos, and no shirt, that might call for some back-up.

I also have to admit that sometimes the law enforcement community DOES get some thugs in it. Just like any type of job. Unfortunately, aggression and machismo are needed to some extents in these types of jobs. It just needs to be pointed in the right direction.

ZJC86| 1.8.10 @ 4:30PM

Look, most people who have commented say there are good cops. You didn't say anything about that, all you want to talk about is how "GREAT" they are. How many traffic tickets has your father given out? How many rapists has he caught? Killers? Terrorists? The fact is, the government spends way to much money and time trying to get more money from the law abiding tax payer and not near enough to catch real criminals. So in short, you pay them to pull you over so that you can pay them more for stupid stuff like, a broken tail light, a head lamp out and such. How about you be a mature adult and face the facts. And get off of the otherwise law abiding citizens for telling there opinions, which are in fact true.

Spyndrilleum| 1.8.10 @ 5:18PM

ZJC? Hmm. Coincidence??

ZJC86| 1.8.10 @ 11:45PM

"I'm from the government, I'm here to help."

It is I.

Spyndrilleum| 1.9.10 @ 10:11PM

Rock On! You made my day by showing up.

Eet Vahs too easy . . .

Road Kill| 1.8.10 @ 4:55PM

Repeat offenders are another problem the cops must face. Let's face it folks, an officer risks his chops to arrest a thug, the thug goes free on a technical infraction, or is convicted and serves short time. He's out on the street in a couple of years to continue his profession. Or how about the thug that is arrested, given an ankle braclet for bail, saws it off or doesn't even bother, and goes out to commit further crimes. If that doesn't kill an officer's morale nothing does. LE is not an easy job. Harm a police officer and see what happens! You'll end up with so many holes in your body you'll whistle like a peanut wagon. They have to stick to together. All in all my hat is off to the men and women who wear the shield. (But I'll have to add that in the last few years I have noted more agressiveness on their part.)

james| 1.8.10 @ 5:02PM

This sounds right but it needs a LOT more documentation. A lot.

Northern Rebel| 1.8.10 @ 6:29PM

Bruce:

I'm sure you were a fine police officer, and you are right, when you say the vast majority of law enforcement is above reproach.

I however, wanted to tell my story, to show people that there is (I hate to use Dead face Pelosi's expression) a culture of corruption that pervades certain segments of law enforcement.

The section I chose to expose, is the New Britain, Connecticit police force. (90% of the force is on the take, or incompetent and unable to be trusted by those that are on the take.

These legalized thugs allow drug dealers to run rampant over law abiding citizens, and treat people with minor offenses, like common criminals, with their fantasies of being Mel Gibson.

I eventually moved to Northern NY, where the State Police are used as revenue enhancement. (Ticket Nazi's)

Having said that, the NY State Police are the finest troopers in the world. They are polite, and courteous, and put their lives on the line every day they go out to do their job. In the 10 years I've been up here, 5 men have lost their lives, protecting me, and those like me.

The New Britain, Connecticut detectives, and cops, have chosen to mitigate the odds, by throwing in with the enemy.

It has been done at the expense of the law-abiding people who choose to remain in that city.

I realize this is not the norm, and most police officers are unsung heros.

But I am also sure that New Britain, Connecticut, is not the only place where corruption is rampant, and ongoing.

Being a cop doesn't come with a halo attached to the uniform, and I feel bad for the heros whose reputations are tarnished by the thugs amongst them.

Richard Baker| 1.8.10 @ 7:34PM

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who guards the guardians? This is the thrust of this article. Those who wear the badge need to remember that they are there to Serve the public and not play Johnny Bad because they have a badge and gun. The beginning quote shows that this sort of thing has been a concern since ancient days. Those in uniform should remember the meaning of SERVICE. If that is unacceptable then do leave. SOON.

Hilary| 1.8.10 @ 9:26PM

Why would anyone defend a public SERVANT being allowed to physically punish a citizen without a trial? Cops aren't infallible and many of them are power-hungry macho hot-heads. Police culture is dangerous and needs strict democratic oversight.

Fionnagh| 1.8.10 @ 10:21PM

I'll take our Seattle police force any time, God bless them all.

JamesF| 1.9.10 @ 8:12AM

Sadly, in Australia we have similar issues to you "Septics". Yes, there are great cops doing a difficult job. But yes, every person from my school who went into policing was already a drug dealing thug by the age of 16.
Worse, I am treated with deference bordering on obsequiousness when out drinking after work in a business suit....but come the weekend and a T-shirt, then bodyslamming and officious threats are the norm.
And of course, strong intervention in no-go ghettos is officially banned in case it "provokes" something, but vigorous campaigns against harmless street rowdiness get huge manpower and millions.
Something is very wrong.

Ian| 1.9.10 @ 8:52AM

Police work is becoming thuggish in the United States because it has been turned into a revenue department for cash-strapped entities. If I am driving on I-90 in western Wisconsin at, say, 4:00 a.m., there is virtually no way I could be of harm to anyone, no matter my speed. I will, however, have my speed checked every few miles. If I am above the artificially low limit and there is not another car for 10 miles, I will be pulled over in the name of safety. What safety? It is all about revenue. Studies have shown that accident and injury rates are pretty much locked together with miles driven. Stopping cars for minor speed violations and similar offenses will not change anything other than in making more people hate the police and then leading to more confrontations.
People resent the intrusion into their lives and lose all respect for the police. They do not want to pay their keepers the money that would attract the right kind of people to protect the public. They then get bullies with badges who love to jerk people around.
Policing should be an honorable profession, but it never will be as long as it is being misused as a tax arm of the governments.

Chaplain Chip| 1.9.10 @ 11:39AM

I am a 10-year volunteer chaplain with a police department of a medium-sized city. I can't speak about other departments, but I can tell you that Mr. Peters is not talking about mine. The officers (not the chaplains) have and use tazers on occasion, but like most police actions their use is governed by laws and policies. Violations of these are usually punishable and always highly detrimental to an officer's career.
But worse than that, I really get sick of these horror stories where incredibly tense and dangerous situations are glossed over by second- or third-hand reporters professional and amateur. "I wasn't doing anything." is the cry of the vast majority of people encountered by police. It's usually a whole lot bigger than that.
I agree for once with the ACLU (God forgive me).
Police stops are serious stuff. Naturally, they are disturbing for the stopped, and can generate all kinds of response, legitimate and illegitimate. But most adults can deal with that sort of thing without feeling the need to prove their independence, or righteousness, or manhood, or whatever. Remember, the cop doesn't know what a marvelous person you really are.

But ultimately the responsibility is ours. We elect the people who make the laws that we hire the police to enforce. It's our fault, and there are remedies.
As for protection, were our police legally required to "protect" us, ie keep us from harm, we'd need one in every home. Protection is the responsibility of the individual. Man up. Get a gun. Get a dog. If you live in a state that won't let you carry it - the gun, not the dog - well, there's those wonderful lawmakers we elected again.

Ray| 1.9.10 @ 11:53AM

Argue with a cop and you'll be tased, or arrested, or hassled, or whatever. DUH!

This is more on an indication of the RUDENESS of people than some over-reaction by "anarcho-tyranny," by power smitten police.

Let me give everyone a piece of advice: It's better to politely react to police than to act belligerently and/or rudely. Accept the fact that those police actually have authority over you and treat them respectfully. You have a better chance of "beating a ticket" and receiving a warning if you POLITELY react to the police. I've been "pulled over" s few times for "minor moving violations" and I have never received a ticket, just a warning. This is because I was polite and honest in my responses to the police. Conversely, I'v ebeen with other people when they acted belligerent and/or rude to police. Guess what happened to them? That's right, they were issues a ticket or were arrested.

So, what's the moral here? React to police with a little respect an politeness and they will, by far and large, react accordingly. React with belligerence and/or rudeness and you will be treated accordingly. The police are trained to REACT to a given circumstance. It is your actions that will dictate their responses, not the other way around. If you get tased, that's YOUR fault, not theirs.

albert constantine, jr| 1.11.10 @ 11:48PM

While it is good advice to react to police with politeness, don't stop there. React to cashiers with politeness, as well as your bartenders and waitresses, and you might find they treat you better as well. Make courtesy a bit more common. That being said, the TASER is actually a tool that significantly limits injuries to both officers and those members of the public that they are deployed against when compared to traditional tools in the use of force continuum. Though temporarily disabling, very few permanent injuries result, and the amount of worker's comp claims by officers for backs wrenched wrestling, and hands broken punching diminish significantly.

ZJC86| 1.12.10 @ 3:51PM

Then how about I taze you? It isn't going to injure you....at least not badly if it does. That isn't what is in question in the article. Read it again, it is about unrighteous dominion from cops (it doesn't have to be all cops for it to be a true article) who, regardless of the reason, use their authority wrong. If you deny that you are living a lie.

albert constantine, jr.| 2.1.10 @ 3:18PM

I read the article, and I understood its premise. I was commenting on two points of many discussed throughout the blog. The first was that the use of courtesy (or politeness) should be more common. That point is apparently wasted with you. The second point is that the TASER limits injuries in a way that other tools (such as a beating with a baton) do not. Every training program that I am aware of that authorizes an officer to deploy a TASER involves having the officer be tasered to understand the device's effects. This is also usually done with items such as pepper spray. I thought it would be obvious that it is not done with firearms or (at least in an unprotected state) impact weapons. If my point is still unclear, though, or you don't believe me, with your consent I can likely arrange for you to be both tased and beaten by a baton, and you can tell me which resulted in fewer injuries to you.

Mike M| 1.9.10 @ 12:38PM

Wait a minute!!! Isn't it the drug abusing liberals of the 60's who called them all PIGS?

What is a cop to do, considering he basically is not allowed to use the firearm at his side?

Do all cops everywhere a favor...vote Republican.

ZJC86| 1.12.10 @ 3:55PM

Don't just vote republican, vote conservative. It isn't about democrats and republicans, it is about what is right.
Not just in this issue, but in all issues.

Don| 1.9.10 @ 3:25PM

The most sad thing about this here bit of nonsense, it that the Writer is totally bereft of any experience with violence. This is where the typical conservative writes trips, and I mean trips.
I love the pathetic Classist and enthno centric use of the word woman. Sure, no Woman could ever be a threat to a Man. Our soldiers on the street are like our soldiers on the battlefield everybody loves them when the threat is near, but let them come home and be living on less than 24,000 and they are trash.
We do not hire the police and train them to be babysitters. If any thing we need to train the public on correct behavior during field interviews.
Every thug out there knows how to act like an indignant Arse, and they do right up until the point where they kill the officer then get away and kill your neighbor.

John II| 1.9.10 @ 6:17PM

I agree with Don, especially in his last paragraph. The keynote in the best posts in response to a somewhat crankish article and its resonant posts is that the police are human beings who have taken on a job that has its peculiar occupational hazards, not least being a steady stream of public abuse from prim jackasses as well as sure-enough thugs.

Full disclosure: there are or have been quite a few cops in my extended family, and their casual stories at the family weddings or barbecues have a recurring theme that always reminds me of my own work as a teacher.

In both walks of life, you are de facto a representative of a larger authority, and that makes you a target of abuse not just from the criminals or rotten students (a minority of those you deal with daily) but from every idiot with a hostile attitude engendered by this or that insecurity or psychological quirk, not least being a bad conscience.

There are bad cops, and there are bad teachers. But the abuse is indiscriminate--and, as I said, an occupational hazard. Truckers risk developing diseased kidneys from bouncing up and down in their cabs year after year; teachers and cops risk developing an inflated sense of irony from being treated like garbage year after year by perennial adolescents with attitude about authority.

JimE| 1.10.10 @ 7:29PM

Obama says, submit and obey without question and you have nothing to fear.

Ed Schill| 1.11.10 @ 1:00AM

Be it Kyle, Mark Fuhrman...whoever, cops should be made aware that their salaries are paid by the very people they prey upon.

I say prey, what I mean is ...deliberately stalk. Seems the easy "mark" for cops today is the middle aged lady, preppy college student, you know anyone that does not pose a significant threat of potential "escalation" ( potentially having someone hand em their own ass). Poetic justice if it happens I say.

Guess we now know how the black community felt for years at the end of the LAPD's night sticks. The black community was easy pickens before the king riots in LA. Guess it is not as easy to beat someone into a pulp and get away with it in South Central anymore. So they are coming for whitey. Just gives you an idea of how unsettling it is to live in that kind of environment. so unsettling a city can erupt into flames and violence from the pent up tension of being constantly hassled by the POLICE.

So Kyle from Georgia..try and remember this. Protect and Serve. It's Simple, we pay your salary with our taxes which enable you to take your girlfriend to dinner, feed your kids, finance your car etc etc...so do your job. Help an old lady cross the street, a kid find his lost dog and don't forget to shut your f*&*ng mouth while your doing it cause I promise you, nobody wants to hear what you have to say, here or on the streets.

It used to be people looked up to cops, they regarded them as hero's. This was when Police were polite, kind and helpful members of the community. When the only time you would see a cop was in response to an emergency. Now you are all contemptible, poorly endowed hot headed idiots with delusions of absolute power who won't go away.

So to those who would rather wait for a motorist to commit some obscure traffic infraction so you may violate that persons constitutional rights. Rather than work to actually help the community you chose to bully it. How many law abiding citizens must you pull over, ticket and ultimately destroy their driving record before you find that nickle bag, Loser?

alin| 1.11.10 @ 1:07AM

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765x53| 1.11.10 @ 12:39PM

Everything I know about police work , I learned from the most realistic police reality show on T.V. - "Reno 911".

Zmetalmilitia| 1.11.10 @ 4:07PM

I must share an experience with the police that I had several years ago. First, for must of us, we are law-abiding citizens who work and pay the taxes that pay the wages and resources of our police departments. With that said, most of the same taxpayers, go through life with little or no experience of police contact, other than the rare traffic ticket. Some of us have had other involvement with the police, and when that experience turns sour, how can one ever regain the respect that maybe the police once had?

I am a divorced father of two girls. Needless to say, the mother is not much of a mother. I found out that my two year old daughter, at that time, was at home, her mom's house, alone with her older 11 year old brother. Throughout the evening I was trying to make contact with my daughters. They didn't have a home phone and I didn't know where her older 8 year old sister was either. I called the local police dept at approx 10:30 pm to inquire about a "health and welfare" check. For those unfamiliar to this, this is where an officer will go and "check" on the person, etc. to confirm all is well. I spoke to a female LT. and told me that after 6pm, they do not have the staffing to do health and welfare checks. Of course they don't, I thought, because that is when they are needed most, not during the day when most kids are in school. I asked the LT that I thought it was necessary for a check and stated that I will go over and check. She responded with I have every right to. So I went.

I arrived at approx 1100 pm and knocked on the door. No answer. Knocked again, no answer. I tried to yell through a window, as I could hear people inside. About 10-15 minutes passed with me trying to make contact with whoever was inside. The extent of me doing this was yelling through an open window. No response. As I am standing there, in the dark, wondering what to do next, I call back the LT. telling her that no one is answering the door and that I know someone is inside not responding. During this conversation, I see a car coming down the street with only the parking lights on. It passes and it is a police car. I see it come back around and drive past the house again. I told the LT that there is a cop driving around with the parking lights on. She told me there was a possible robbery in the area. I told her it was probably me. She agreed. By this time the cop had stopped two houses up and was approaching me. With flash light in my face, thanks!, and the rude tone, he told me to take my hand out of my pocket and who was I talking to? I did and told him that I was talking to one of your LT's. His attitude completely changed, I guess because I wasn't a bad guy. I handed him the phone and he began to confirm that it was a LT and was filled in on what I was doing there. By this time, there was 4-5 police cars there, 8-9 cops all standing around having a good laugh at the misunderstood-robbery call. I wasn't laughing. I was pissed that I couldn't get ONE officer to check on my kids but I could get 9 to show up to possibly taze or shoot someone, at the very minimum, to rough someone up.

I am an ex-army guy, field artillery, so I know what it's like to be put in a position to fight the bad guy. I also know the officers lay their lives on the line. I used to have more respect for them, which has been reduced to 1, on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the best, due to my experiences with them. I am not a criminal. I am a college graduate, hold a security clearance, and do a lot of govt work. I am not disgruntled at every police office, but I certainly do not expect them to save me or "to serve and protect". I realize that I must protect myself on my own and that of my family. Who is going to save you? Wake up.

Spyndrilleum| 1.12.10 @ 5:25PM

Bow to the Leper Messiah amigo!

Why should these cops care what you say, what medals do you have for mass arrests? You're just a subject. Obey and no harm will come to you.

Good Cops should eject the bad cops and fry them instead of circling the wagons. It would improve the overall view of our men "on the front lines."

And always remember: "DON'T TASE ME BRO!"

Zmetalmilitia| 1.13.10 @ 12:03AM

Bow down indeed!

RKV| 1.11.10 @ 10:45PM

You can't pay anyone enough to bleed and die for you. You've got to defend yourself.

We have way too many laws. You can't cross the street today without breaking a law; they even tell you how many gallons your toilet can hold. Crazy.

Like Ayn Rand said: " Do you think that we want those laws to be observed? We want them broken. There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power the government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."

The Gimp| 1.12.10 @ 1:42AM

We are bred to obey and respect law enforcement officers without consideration to them as individuals. Police officers are human, and some humans are bad.
A citizen in this country is delusional if he believes he will only encounter law enforcement if he breaks the law. The fact is that law enforcement can pull you over for literally any reason. All they need is "probable cause". Probable cause is an ambiguous term that is open to interpretation. The bottom line is, if a police officer wants to pull you over, he will, regardless of whether you have done something wrong or not.
One could almost say the only thing separating modern American law enforcement from the Gestapo is they don't demand papers. Even that's not far off considering who we have in the White House.

Matt| 1.12.10 @ 5:30PM

I think the critics are spot-on. A lot of this is just plain alarmist. Not that thuggery won't ever happen, but as in the case of the Rodney King case, so vivid to me from my youth, we only got half the picture. Also the author cites Sam (the late racist/survivalist) as an authority. That casts further doubts upon this piece's objectivity. I can indeed remember one case, my first parking ticket, where a police officer was obnoxious (I was polite and scared!) but nothing bad happened to me. And I remember lots of cases where police have been very helpful to me and my family.

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