Do you fear the police.

[ctdonath]

Ditto Poodleshooter.

The fear comes from the comprehensive, conflicting, irrational, incomprehensible mess of laws that the donut-muncher is expected to enforce. Couple this with the increasing penalties being levied, and the increasing social stigma imposed on even minor transgressions. Compound this with the cop's job actually being the apprehention of people perceived as maybe violating some law. Multiply this by the number of unConstitutional laws, and the laws some cops think do/should exist (but don't).

Of course I'm nervous at the sight of a cop - not because I'm doing anything wrong, but because "innocent until proven guilty" has been shat upon, the cop doesn't know the laws he is supposedly tasked to enforce, and my life can become very difficult, expensive, and incarcerated very quickly for doing something absolutely legal and moral.

I recently had explicitly-protected federal & state rights squashed by a cop on his personally biased whim DESPITE his lengthy consultations with FBI, BATF, etc. (who comprehensively confirmed I was doing nothing wrong).

I don't fear police per se. I fear police who, through ignorance or malice, step outside the law to make my life he11.

 

[gunnoob]

I fear them because they might give me a ticket!

 

[FPrice]

Other than a speeding ticket in 1986 (which I deserved!) virtually all of my contact with Law Enforcement has been positive. I have had a number of friends and shooting acquaintances who have been LEOs, and I work with LE of many types on a weekly basis.

Sure, there are some bad LEOs, but they should be dealt with as individuals and not be used to condemn all LE.

The LEOs I have known personnally make me feel glad that we have people of this caliber (no pun intended - of heck! Maybe I DID intend it!) on the job.

As the man said, YMMV.

 

[K80Geoff]

The Police in my town are grossly overpaid, have no connection to the town and do not know me from some dirtbag breaking into my home.

If I call them they are just as likely to haul me off to the pokey as some perp.

I have had bad experiences with them when I called upon them in an emergency, their attitude was abysmally bad. They treated my family members and myself like dirt. And the calls were both for heart attacks of family members, not for lawbreaking.

 

[OF]

I've got a question:

How would this perception change if the cops didn't do traffic at all? If there was another agency, like a 'Metermaid Brigade' that did nothing but traffic tickets. No 'suspicious vehicle' stops, nothing but traffic laws.

- Gabe

 

[BobR]

I see the police as just another overworked slob like many of us are. Working in a large ER I get to see my share of local, county, and state LEO's. Most seemed to be as harried as I am. So much to do and so little time.
So, I do not fear the rank and file LEO's, the one trying to make a buck, raise a family and to stay alive another shift. Have seen a few who have been shot, more that have been shot at, and too many who got hit by another car during a ROUTINE traffic stop.
The ones I do fear are the ones dressed in black, carrying automatic weapons and doing a no knock warrant. If they come busting down my door by mistake, I will probably be shot. That is because I will answer their force with force of my own, I will not take time to ask for ID when a person with a gun breaks down my door. In the end, my wife will probably be very well off, the police will be very apologetic and spend a zillion dollars on training, but I will probably be dead or disabled to to multiple GSW.

So, I guess my answer is no I do not fear them, but, I do fear a mistake that would bring a subset of the species through my front door.

bob

 

[CastleBravo]

I voted "suspicious," but only because I'm suspicious of everyone that I don't know personally.

 

[fix]

The Police in my town are grossly overpaid

That's hard to believe. I have friends who are LEOs in several parts of the country and none of them make much money.

 

[Monkeyleg]

In most one-on-one conversations with officers, I find them to be regular guys that I can trust. It's just the handful who've "rousted" me over the past 30-40 years that make me uncomfortable when an officer I don't know is around. One bad apple...

 

[marley]

It was not Andy. It was Stewart Copland. True, I saw a display about it in the lobby of the HQ once. Right beside the one for John ford and Juila Childs. Hows that for strange...Patrick

 

[AUTiger73]

The advancement toward unbridled power granted by the Congress and Supreme Court and promulgated by federal and local enforcement is certainly feared and reviled. Many of us law abiding citizens forgot the protection once afforded us under the U.S. Constitution not only protected the criminal but also the innocent.

Having said that, I generally do not fear individual law enforcement officers. However, I do see law enforcement officers in general becoming more isolated from the community they serve. Most law enforcement officers in our town only socialize with other law enforcement officers. The "fraternal order" concept has developed into a "law enforcement community" that sets themselves apart from the law abiding citizens of the community. I believe this is unfortunate.

Thirty years ago I had numerous law enforcement officers as friends. Back in those days we monitored police scanners so we were aware of enforcement activities in our neighborhood. Based on information gleaned from those scanner broadcast we could provide information to assist local law enforcement. Today we know absolutely nothing about the law enforcement activities in our area. We now have encrypted scanner broadcast and the public is rarely informed of law enforcement activities in their neighborhood.

One example of such lack of information occurred right here in Dothan AL) approximately 3 years ago. The Dothan Police had investigated numerous rapes in the northern part of town BUT DID NOT RELEASE THE INFORMATION TO THE PRESS. Over a year went by with repeated offenses by a serial rapist without the public being informed. Eventually the rumors turned into reality that something was bad wrong in this neighborhood. When the Police Chief was asked why they did not alert the public he was totally indignant about his responsibility to the public, stated that no information is released on cases under investigation. His concern was that releasing this information would scare-off the rapist and compromise their ability to catch him. THINK ABOUT THAT! Our Police Chief was intent on using the citizens of that community as BAIT to catch a rapist. This is but one example of many where local law enforcement's priorities do not serve the public in this town. Yes, we come to a sad point when our police and law abiding citizens can't work together for the safety and benefit of the community.

Based on the local law enforcement situation, I view our LEOs as outsiders that may not necessarily serve the public's best interest. This is very unfortunate.

 

[westex]

Fear? No way! I'm a law abiding US citizen who is probably better trained (to protect me and mine) and better armed than most.

Loss of respect? Considerable over the years due to the 4 "up close and personal" encounters I've had. Don't envy their job but that's one reason why I chose another profession.

 

[coonan357]

fear them not, local police (have few freinds on dept)
County police ( a few more here-underpaid )
State Il& IN ( a bunch of friends - ok on pay )
Federal ( these guys are cops? -do not insult the true LEOS )
I do not fear them at all , hell some of these guys are my shooting buds , if it wasn't for the games I play with them at the range some of them probably be lousy shots . there is a arrogance persona of some of the local cops around here , but they ususally get broke of this in court . as one judge said in court on day "officer you are not above and beyond the law , you are to be an example of it and enforce it . the badge does not allow you to break them and you Will get punished If you do so " after that comment the officer changed his attitude quickly.

 

[Kaylee]

Who was it around here that had that wonderful quote?

"The police and I have an understanding:
I have them outgunned, but they have me outnumbered."



Seriously though .. generally, around here they're all a good bunch of fellers, at least the ones I've met. That said, I try to be on my best behavior around 'em on the roads. The one ticket i've gotten, I certainly deserved.

As to dividing LE into "meter maid" and "real crimes" departments.. I tend to think that would lead to cantankerous, bored meter-maid types who'll hand you a ticket out of sheer spite over a dull job. Kinda like a lot of gov't employees.

-K

 

[Tommy.Gun]

Don't trust them at all, and certianly not "Safe and Secure. Knowing he's around comforts me" NFW!

 

[Tommy.Gun]

I did meet a cool cop in Gary IN once, he said he would not arrest me for carying in a commicial rig. I Was not breaking the law in his mind... very cool!

 

[El Rojo]

As is always the case in these poll questions, it is hard to put down just one answer. I decided to go with the suspicious vote because I pay attention when cops are around. Not so much as I fear them, because I don't. I pay attention all of the time and if I see a cop, I pay attention to what he is doing just in case I need to take action to avoid getting caught up in something he is doing or so I can assist him if he needs help. Overall, I do not fear the police because most of them are good citizens who are doing a tough job. The fact of the matter is, if I get in a altercation or shootout defending myself, I am going to be fairly happy when they come to back me up or to take over the situation. I take my own protection as my responsibility, but they are still tasked with assisting me with that job.

 

[cuerno de chivo]

According to police billboards and radio spots, I am supposed to be.

I don't trust them. I don't have any faith in them as far as crime solving goes. I don't believe in a lot of the laws that they enforce. My personal beliefs are directly opposite of what most of them believe. But I'm not scared of them. If I was of a different race, then I would be afraid of mistreatment. If I was in part of the country where they pull their pistols all the time, then I would be.

 

[illuminatus99]

most of the seattle police I've met were really cool, and the county guys that show up at the local range are good guys too.

usually when I see a patrol car in my apartment complex I usually keep an eye on the situation in case they might need some help since I'm a lot closer and better armed than their backup could ever hope to be.

 

[farmboy]

I've got two buddies that are Sheriff's Deputies that are great guys. I have one ex-brother inlaw local Chief of Police (I'm very rural, so no jurisdiction there) that makes me nervous enough to keep a loaded gun and a plan very close at my side at all times.

In other words...cops are just people like anybody else. Most are great, some are not.