Posted by
Stephen, Poplar Bluff, Missouri on May 17, 2008:
I was raised in a time and place - late 60's Southern California - where we learned to have a basic dislike and distrust of the police. I'm not sure why, but we learned that they were the pigs, fuzz, and heat, and that policebrutality was one word. Perhaps it's because we were always in possession of something illegal to smoke or in some way in opposition to "the system" and "the man".
Nevertheless, and not surprisingly, I've discovered that, like you say, they are basically decent people doing a mostly thankless job for not enough pay, and my thinking brain has come to like and respect most of them, although I must confess, my initial reaction to their presence is still an instinctive dread ("Cheese it, the cops!) as if I'm had ever had to hide out from them. I have not.
So, besides wanting to say, "Good job, guys" and "thanks", I want to add that far from being behavior problems, what I have seen in life and on the reality cop shows is the picture of patience, good manners and professionalism (especially you highway patrol guys and city patrol car cops).
Also, I belong to a chat group related to a hobby of mine (amateur comedy writer), with one of our members being a cop, somebody that I've never met face-to-face but feel that I know quite well, and he is a damned decent person who tolerates a far sight more abuse than I imagine he ever dishes out. He's one of the few conservatives in a relatively liberal group that gives him hell from time to time for his hobbies (hunting and firing ranges) and his conservative opinions. But as one of the few police officers I've ever gotten to know personally, I've got to say that if he's typical, we're all in surprisingly good hands. I've also had a couple of long-time patients that I've come to know personally (I'm a doc) who are just as decent and thoughtful as my chat cop buddy.
I tip my hat to all of you men and women in blue, and although I hope to never need to get to know you as either a perp or a victim, I think that I would in most cases be similarly impressed by you. You guys don't get enough credit. You do more to protect me, in my opinion, than soldiers do, and those guys get all the gushing and the props for it.
Fred on Everything - Comments
Posted by Stephen, Poplar Bluff, Missouri on May 17, 2008:
I was raised in a time and place - late 60's Southern California - where we learned to have a basic dislike and distrust of the police. I'm not sure why, but we learned that they were the pigs, fuzz, and heat, and that policebrutality was one word. Perhaps it's because we were always in possession of something illegal to smoke or in some way in opposition to "the system" and "the man".
Nevertheless, and not surprisingly, I've discovered that, like you say, they are basically decent people doing a mostly thankless job for not enough pay, and my thinking brain has come to like and respect most of them, although I must confess, my initial reaction to their presence is still an instinctive dread ("Cheese it, the cops!) as if I'm had ever had to hide out from them. I have not.
So, besides wanting to say, "Good job, guys" and "thanks", I want to add that far from being behavior problems, what I have seen in life and on the reality cop shows is the picture of patience, good manners and professionalism (especially you highway patrol guys and city patrol car cops).
Also, I belong to a chat group related to a hobby of mine (amateur comedy writer), with one of our members being a cop, somebody that I've never met face-to-face but feel that I know quite well, and he is a damned decent person who tolerates a far sight more abuse than I imagine he ever dishes out. He's one of the few conservatives in a relatively liberal group that gives him hell from time to time for his hobbies (hunting and firing ranges) and his conservative opinions. But as one of the few police officers I've ever gotten to know personally, I've got to say that if he's typical, we're all in surprisingly good hands. I've also had a couple of long-time patients that I've come to know personally (I'm a doc) who are just as decent and thoughtful as my chat cop buddy.
I tip my hat to all of you men and women in blue, and although I hope to never need to get to know you as either a perp or a victim, I think that I would in most cases be similarly impressed by you. You guys don't get enough credit. You do more to protect me, in my opinion, than soldiers do, and those guys get all the gushing and the props for it.
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