Corrupt Cops

[robmorg]

ANY type of suscitation would be good. It doesn't HAVE to be REsusciatation. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Suscitation

That post made my day.

[Can-Am Poogs]

As a police officer for the last 25 years with 3 or maybe 4 years to go before I pack it in, I am both disgusted and understanding of the POV expressed in this post.

The disgusted part is in that I have been doing this job the right way for the last 25 years with out any intention of ever doing it wrong, and it is troubling to think some may view me with distrust and think I may be corrupt without even really knowing anything about me, and the type of work I have done in that time. The generalizations are some what offensive. I've been shot at, been in a lot of fights 1 on 1 and even been out numbered few times, been is a couple of crashes chasing down bad guys, in burning building trying to get people out. I have taken down more violent and armed suspects than you could begin to dream of. I have showed more compassion then you would ever know having to deliver the news nobody wants to hear about their son's, daughter's, father's, mother's, brother's, sister's untimely and tragic deaths. I have had those moments where I have had to get on the radio and scream for back-up. I have more moments than you could imagine where I thought I may not make it home to my wife and my kids, or get to see the people I care about again. I have been banged up, scraped up, cut, poked by needles, and had broken bones. I have been hospitalized and laid up at home not able to do the simplest of things. Oddly enough none of these things happened because I had a crystal ball and knew where to be at the exact time I was needed. Somebody called and needed our help. We don't get to pick and choose, we have to go.

I have received commendations. I have received discipline, because lets face it you can't be 100 percent on the ball 100% of the time and mistakes happen, and sometimes some one just needs to be told to ^&%$ off, whether it be a bad guy, complainant, coworker, or boss. I sure hope that doesn't make me one of those bad cops we are talking about here.

How is it I am understanding? I was over at another cops house for supper last week and we were sitting around the table with our wives talking after the meal. This guy and I were in the same training troop 25 years ago, he met his wife at my wedding. The conversation started around a fellow troop mate of ours in another part of the country that was recently sentenced to 5 years in jail for trafficking cocaine. As we talked, I figured that I could account for knowing one police officer that had been fired for every year I had been on the job. Wow, that's a lot. And for every sort of crime or abuse of authority or breach of trust imaginable. And that is just the way it is ladies and gentleman, welcome to life? In every profession in this entire world, there are people that suck at it, are bad at it, and never should have done it. Every career or menial job has people that shouldn't be doing it, regardless of what provisions are in place to ensure they are not there. And do you know why? Because the pool of people used to fill any job in this world come from us. Yes ladies and gentleman, you may not know or believe this but " bad people are among us". Shhhhhh....don't tell anyone.....we don't want the people reading this to tell anyone else that may not already know this or are discovering it for the first time. So we got to keep it a secret. Promise? Oooopppss, humor and sarcasm interjected. There are bad doctors, dentists, lawyers, nurses, etc etc etc, there are even bad motorcycle mechanics, and Spyder dealers. This is the world we live in.

FYI, I have been that drug intradiction cop on the highway at a time in my career. I have taken lots of cash, X, cannibus, cocaine, heroin, etc of the road and I don't got one guilty feeling about. Oddly enough I have never been told of a time when I seized cash that I believed to be the proceeds of crime, that the person has ever asked for it back....hmmmm...I wonder why. If your 5 senses tell you something isn't right, then something isn't right.

My experience is of course the Canadian experience, but I have been on the other side of the badge in your country, and OMG is it an uncomfortable feeling. More so because I am not a citizen and my rights basically don't exist. I have been detained, made to strip down to my gotch, had my cell phone searched, computer searched, my truck ripped apart, all while being surrounded by more than a few officers, who were looking for cash and guns. An hour later being told I was free to go, without so much as a thank-you. When my phone rang I all but got jumped when I attempted to answer it. I just wrote it off to being part of the american experience, but I know and understand why they did it, and what the triggers were that caused it to happen.

I could go on for hours talking about arbitrary vehicle stops and reasonable suspicion...

I know someone made a comment about not liking being presumed guilty. I guess you should ask yourself why you feel that way. I realize some people just do feel that way even with nothing to hide. But that is just you and not really about the cop. It also conditioning. When we get stopped we expect to be told what we did wrong or what the allegation is. So the experience of being stopped by the police has people on the defensive immediately because we are all conditioned that way. Lets face it you are not going to be stopped to talk about the weather, or which flavor of Jolly Rancher is your favorite or because they want to make a friend. The odds are they have plenty of friends already.

Anyway, we are not all bad, but I understand why we get a bad wrap. Lets not forget you guys aren't all good either (not you guys here on this site, generally speaking). And lets not forget that cops are not born in a cop hatchery, we are not taken away from our mothers at birth and groomed to be cops, we are not aliens from another planet, we come from you guys and gals. Little cops to be walk among us, they don't and we don't know who they are going to be yet. Pretty spooky aye, I know it gives me the creeps? Bad cops are just as bad a reflection on you as they are on the rest of their occupation. So quit poking yourself in the eye.

Cheers, love you all and God bless, this is my day off and that means I am parent and domestic servant. Love chatting with you guys and gals here.

[Dan_Ashley]

....t I have been doing this job the right way for the last 25 years...

Thank you, Sir. Thank you for helping make it safe for me to walk my dog at night, attend a baseball game, park my car at a movie theater, and saving me from being killed by a drunk driver. Thank you, Sir.

It takes an above average person to be a cop. Every day your sense of judgment is tested; Every moment your mental acuity is under fire; every week your physical fitness is demanded; ALWAYS your motives are questioned. Yet you prevail to keep us safe from the bad people out there. You even try to keep the bad people safe from themselves.

And what do you get out of it? A salary? The kind of person who makes a good cop would be successful at anything they attempt. So, a salary and a pension is not what you get out of it. You could make more in car sales if you put your mind to it. A thankful community? Sometimes. Usually they just ignore you. A sense of justice? When a child rapist gets off, or a DUI killer goes free? No.

Yet, your sense of honor, and your commitment to improvement of your community sustains you.

I salute you.

Thank you,
Dan

[wyliec]

Can-Am Poogs,

Once again, there are some members here that make too much sense. Thank you.

Also, thanks for calling out bad doctors and nurses, and not physical therapists.

[Cruzr Joe]

I don't look to law enforcement for the protection of either myself or my family. That is MY responsibility. The police have no obligation to protect anyone - they are there to enforce the law...and pick up the pieces AFTER a crime.

life would not be easy with no Law Enforcement protection.

Cruzr Joe

[Can-Am Poogs]

life would not be easy with no Law Enforcement protection.

Cruzr Joe

I don't look to law enforcement for the protection of either myself or my family. That is MY responsibility. The police have no obligation to protect anyone - they are there to enforce the law...and pick up the pieces AFTER a crime.

This makes me think back to a time when I was driving through a residential neighborhood while on patrol. February in the middle of winter and the coldest month of the year. -40 F. It was 3:00 am. There had just been a fresh snowfall. Everything was crisp and clean. The police radio was dead quiet. I remember it because I had a fever, was shaking like a leaf, and felt sick as heck. What went through my mind as I drove through this beautiful area? How nice and warm peoples houses are as I watched the smoke come out all the chimneys. How they must all be snuggled up all nice and warm under their blankets and comforters or duvets. How at peace every one must be, getting their beauty rest and having dreams, completely oblivious to the outside world and what is going on. Families safe, kids safe, pets safe, everybody tucked it.

That's when I notice a car running in an alley, and when I pull up to get a closer look there is a garage door up. Two guys come running out to the alley leave their stolen car behind because I blocked it in, and the foot chase is on. I figure I jumped about ten fences through all those yards, cut through some parks and school yards and businesses before with the assistance of a K-9 we got these guys. Not one person in one of those yards had a clue what had just happened, neither did the half a dozen people who had their garages broken into and their property stolen.

We can't be everywhere we are needed, but sometimes we get lucky. We took and oath to protect like and property, so we are under an obligation to do just that. Bottom line is we are an essential service, much like garbage collection and sanitation.

Its a novel idea to think we can protect our families 24 7. I wish you could. Had that been the case I would have listened to my dad and been a family law lawyer working half as hard and making three times as much money...lol. My mom wanted me to be a fireman, because everybody loves them.

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

Like i have always said 5% are bad but those are the ones you hear about & the news plays up for ratings, gee maybe then 95% of newscasters are bad then......

[Bob Denman]

life would not be easy with no Law Enforcement protection.

Cruzr Joe

But I DO bet that it'd be mighty interesting...

WZOMBIE_APOCALYPSE.jpg

For a little while...

[dndfindley]

time for you to move to Idaho and join a militia?

No, but is it time for you and some others to take responsibility for your lives rather than relegate it to the government?

[Bob Denman]

You don't exist in a vaccuum; regardless of the personal choices that you make, there will always be "authority" around you...
Be thankful for that! You can't possibley guard everyting and everyone that you hold dear; all at the same time...

[SPYD3R]

WHEN SECONDS COUNT,
POLICE ARE ONLY MINUTES AWAY....

AND ARMED CITIZEN IS A FREE MAN...

[wyliec]

WHEN SECONDS COUNT,
POLICE ARE ONLY MINUTES AWAY....

AND ARMED CITIZEN IS A FREE MAN...

How about- An armed citizen is slave to his firearm.

Negative comments (like we've both made) toward those that don't wish to carry and those that do wish to carry solve nothing, except to take the original post way off topic.

By the way, I'm not saying you are the first on this thread to veer off topic. But, your post caught my eye.

[Dan_Ashley]

[PHP][/PHP]

No, but is it time for you and some others to take responsibility for your lives rather than relegate it to the government?

you do not know me.

[Bob Denman]

How about- An armed citizen is slave to his firearm.

Kind of like...

[Gator37]

BINGO....

NONSENSE, Most Police Officers are just doing their job. How you are treated is gonna be based on Attitude, Attitude, Attitude. Former LEO and proud of it.

[Gator37]

It takes a particular type of personality, to be able to jump into a situation, and take charge in about two seconds...

Ya got that right, and in that two seconds your life can end if you aren't paying attention. There are real scumbags out there.