If you look at the history of how police got started in colonial days in the US, it makes more sense how police departments later evolved. They started as night, then day, watchmen who had to be tough to battle all the drunks and ne’er-do-wells in town. The job was very physical, with these people regularly having to fight with others, often most of their teeth were knocked out and they walked around cut and beat up as due course. So traditional hires had to be tough guys. Later, sheriffs hired people who paid them off and police corruption was born. Some of these traditions stuck with police departments over the years. I do think they are changing for the better now, however, with scrutiny that’s come from publicized cases, and that’s a good thing.
But I don’t think that police had the market cornered on corruption - it’s in many aspects of our society, and still very much alive and well, unfortunately. Some just get away with it more than others currently. And that aspect of things does a bad disservice to the good ones.
I am of an age (54) where I was always respectful to police, obeyed their instructions when pulled over (I have a lead foot) and generally thought of them as nice guys. However hearing the story yesterday where cops watched a man drown in Tempe, the recent Uvalde actions, and other incidents of the past few years - I am rethinking this opinion.
Not sure what happened to serve and protect. I see lies and protection - for themselves.
In general I am an optimistic person but this may be the issue that swings me to the dark side.
Am I alone in this?
(PS I am aware of the Tempe cops following their training - but am still disgusted by their behavior)
I agree I have always thought highly of police officers. I have some in my family, and I knew many growing up. We had one beat officer who worked in my city and even as children we got to know him pretty well. One thing I remember him teaching us is that his badge said “Peace Officer”, and he explained that his job was to keep the peace. I also knew one or two that had sketchy reputations, though personally I never had problems with them. (Was brought home a few times when in the wrong place or with the wrong crowd, and oh yes, underage drinking might’ve had something to do with it - see, they cared.)
But in general, I think law enforcement is a profession with more than its share of bad apples simply because a certain type of bad apple is likely to be attracted to the authority a LEO has, and in times of staffing difficulties departments are being less particular than perhaps they should be about who they hire or retain. I also think the "blue lives matter" narrative has created an immense amount of cover for those bad apples to be shielded from discipline or dismissal because the court of public opinion is so quick to accept that the job is difficult and that no one other than fellow LEOs are truly equipped to judge another officer's conduct, which has strengthened the so-called "brotherhood" of protecting fellow officers even when they might not deserve it.
I honestly don’t think that there are as many “bad apples” as some (general) make there out to be. I take care of a LOT of patients who are police officers (many have health especially cardiac, issues due to chronic stress, and suicide rates are astronomical) and most are people who have a good outlook on life and society, but who may become tainted by the stress of the job over time. These are people who need our support, not disdain, just like we would give to health care workers and fire personnel, etc. Many go into it to HELP people, and to serve the public, not because they want authority - especially today. I know young people either trying to still get into it (God bless them) or wanted to before, for all the right reasons. It’s sad that so many are scared away now. Make no mistake, we are losing many good ones! I had one officer tell me he retired early because he was absolutely terrified that one mistake or bad day might cost him everything. That’s not a good way to spend your career. Who among us doesn’t have a bad day from time to time?
Sometimes I get very down about the state of police in America but then I think about something I saw recently: in a multi lane busy intersection in my city (where people drive like maniacs ) a cop car turned on its lights and started forcing between cars until reaching the middle of the intersection, an officer jumped out and ran right in the middle of traffic across eight lanes plus multiple forming lanes. Many cars didn’t see him right away and he was very lucky not to have been hit. It took me a minute to see what was going on, but then I saw at the far end of the intersection from me, an elderly mobility impaired man had been apparently trying to cross the street when the light changed and was going to be stuck in a turn lane and probably hit. The police officer ran across 8 lanes of moving traffic to rescue him. He walked (slowly) with him and then, he retrieved his car, and went and picked up the man and drove him I’m guessing home? So…..that kind of thing happens daily and gets zero news coverage.
Thousands of these types of things occur daily. We just don’t hear about them. Bad stories get more attention and make more money, sadly.
mom2rtk said:
I do have serious issues with police not entering the school in Uvalde though.
That surprised me, too. What I have heard is that that Chief was a long time dispatcher, and that it was not a regular police dept, but a school police dept. I am not sure what their training is, how they stack up, or what jurisdiction they had in that situation, but I’m guessing we’ll be hearing more about that as the investigation continues. I think the emphasis today is on higher education and relevant experience, but again, with many not going into the law enforcement field right now, they might have to fill positions however they can, which really defeats the purpose. IMO, whoever thought up “Defund the Police” did us all a disservice. I do see how others could see this differently, though.
Unfortunately it is not always that people refuse to do what is told of them. If you watch the Daniel Shaver video (which is gory) they shout lots of orders at him in just a few minutes. The orders that they shouted at him were shouted at him and hard to follow. In the end he was crying and begging for his life. It was really sad.
These are wise words, but I guess it’s not as easy for everyone to comply for reasons best known to them.
