Do you respect your police force?

[whtkid6969]

I, an American, treat any officer I meet with much respect, being a cop is one of the few things that earns my respect with out question. Like being military or a fireman. Sadly, alot of people that I know don't feel the same, and some even hate police officers for seemingly no reason. (seriously, one day I'm expecting her to go into a whole "doofenshmirtz tragic backstory" thing about her brutal hatred)

 

[Ordinaryundone]

Most of the police I've met have generally been polite enough, though I usually only interact with them when I, or someone near by, has been up to some shenanigans. So I don't always appreciate their presence. Policemen have the problem that no one really WANTS them around, even if they aren't really doing anything, as there is that constant, unspoken air of tension that surrounds them. They don't exactly come over just to say hi.

That said, they have an incredibly stressful and generally thankless job, so I respect them for doing it day in and day out. Beyond that though, I suppose it depends on how they treat me.

 

[RickRoll]

Tell me that again next time you get robbed or something else unpleasant' but then judging by your spelling ability and avatar your probably the one who does must of the robbing in that circle.

hommie, you gotta quote people when you respond to them. are you referring to me or someone else?

 

[RickRoll]

Japanese cops are crap. The only things they are good at are giving directions and forcing confessions from innocent suspects.

Japan has one of if not the lowest murder and crime rate in the world. they must be doing something right over there...

You confuse correlation with causation. In other words, just because the crime rate is low in Japan doesn't mean that this is due to efficient policing. There are factors such as Japan being a homogeneous society which is relatively egalitarian, the enduring influence of Confucianism on Japanese society, and so forth. If you look at the facts of how the police actually operate in Japan, you see a force that is poorly trained using outmoded techniques and one that relies on forced confessions to get convictions. For more details, check out the article below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8290767.stm

True, but i was more referring to the fact that the Japanese nation as a whole must be doing something right in order to have such a peaceful society, despite having such an ill-equipped and badly trained police force. I feel that police being granted the right to use vastly over-excessive force (i.e. rubber bullets, gas masks, night sticks, real guns, forceful interrogation, etc.) just feeds into the endless cycle of violence and criminal unrest in societies. Society needs some major reformation and also a simultaneous cutback in this primitive and coercive means of keeping people in line if we are ever to have a hope of moving towards a utopia. I largely blame (in my case) America's shit education system and also our obsession with stupid capitalism and the lack of compassion/aid for one's fellow American down on their luck that comes with it. Socialism ftw!

 

[FernandoV]

Depends on what I'm doing. If I'm smoking or trying to get on the subway for free, you best bet I don't but otherwise...well no, they sometimes fuck with my illegal fun ^.^ Not their fault that I'm being an asshole but I can't be expected to appreciate their trying to catch me.

 

[AngelSephy]

Any rare dealings I have had with police have always been pleasant. And while I do respect police officers as a whole, I also have my reservations about them because some police are corrupt. However, I have yet to actually speak to a rude cop. Now, a rude rent-a-cop on the other hand... lol

 

[IkeGreil29]

Do I respect my police force? Yes. When you have to pay for your patrol car, pay for its maintenance, and almost everything else they should give you because you volunteer to do a service for your country, yes.
Unfortunately, so many of them are crooked corrupt police officers that the respect is lost when most of them ask for money they shouldn't, even if it is to continue their service (because its crooked).

Country: Mexico.

 

[WolfThomas]

I don't think I respect Australian police as much as I would UK and US ones, in the UK the ones who don't have guns, that's ballsy and in the USA the chances of someone having a gun are much higher. I certainly give them the same amount of respect and deceny I would give anyone else and want to receive. But I don't really hold them on any particular pedestal.

 

[Conza]

I'm curious. Here in Britain, where civil disobedience is currently in vogue, we have a police force which, I think, isn't really trusted, respected or feared (I mean feared as in you fear the consequences of breaking the law - something obviously not present in our inner cities at the minute).*

I'd be interested to hear if people in other countries (I'm thinking particularly of you folks in America) feel reassured when they dial for the cops or when they see a man in uniform on the scene? Do feel free to comment if you also live in this ridiculous country.


*Don't get me wrong - there are many fine men in the service who do a difficult job to the best of their abilities, although I think they're hamstrung by excessive red tape, stupid health'n'safety regulations and general lack of resources. There are also many who are glorified bureaucrats. These are the ones that usally appear on tv as spokesmen

What about us Australian's? I'll assume we can comment too .

I have a great respect for the my police force, which is my state's police, I've spoken to them, they've been helpful, ect ect, but overall I would respect the Police anyway, they are here to protect myself and my fellow law abiding citizens from those that chose to stand against the law, and they also arrest people who have broken the law, I feel much assured when I see them, I even don't mind being breathalysed.

Excluding the bloody speed cameras of course! Hate those damned things.

 

[05026]

I respect my New Zealand police force, however they do spend too much time on speeding tickets than they should.

I think that one of the worst things that can happen within a police department though is an excessive sense of watching each others backs. I understand that the police are often targeted and that many or most accusations of brutality are just attempts of law breakers to get their sentences reduced, (at least in NZ) but automatically supporting officers purely because they are in the force is not beneficial to the public good

 

[ace_of_something]

Since I generally obey my City, County, State and Federal Governments laws, I really have no fear for the Kansas City Police Department. most police officers I have spoken to are professional, courteous, and try to make their encounters with civilians as brief as possible.

that is not to say that there are not Police officers in my area that are not over inflated douchebags, I got pulled over by one the other day because I ran a stop sign in my neighborhood. my fault I admitted it, and he wanted to bust me for expired tags (I was driving home after picking the new tags up) a seatbelt violation (which was BS I was wearing it, and I took it off after I pulled over and disengaged the engine.) AND searched my car because I apparently looked like I was high on pot.

what did I do. after he wrote me a ticket for close to $500 I asked for his card and his badge number, and went to the judge. I got everything but the seatbelt thrown out paid 20 bucks, and that officer was suspended for bullyraging a pedestrian.

Defiance to the officers may be the rebellious thing to do, but I have had better experience busting them back through the bureaucracy if they step out of line.

Ah serendipity!
I was just watching a video on Youtube yesterday about what the police can and cannot do when they pull you over.Apparently the thing to do is if you have to get out of the car, lock the doors,. If the police officer asks to search the car tell them no, you are not giving permission to search the vehicle.

Yes. The internet is full of truth.
It's also full of people talking out of their butt.

Speaking, once more, as an actual police officer and a detective if you say "No" that gives the police something called probable cause see saying "no" gives off a suspicious vibe, especially when it's not accompanied by a particular reason.

Of the, i don't know 50 times or so someone has said 'no' and then we searched the car about 5 of those times we didn't find anything. Not a single time did I not get a collar and conviction either. (that i've been involved in)

If we even ASK you to search your car you've probably already displayed suspicious enough behavior to warrant probable cause. Despite popular belief we have better things to do then randomly search cars.

So, I'm pretty sure it's legal.

 

[Instinct Blues]

In general I do hold the police in high regard as long as they don't abuse their power.

 

[Jake the Snake]

There's no point in resenting the police for doing there job. They are there, for the most part, to keep us safe (I know there are bad/corrupt cops, but I think they're not as numerous as you might think...well not here in Minnesota anyway) and if you get caught breaking the law...yeah you broke the law. That's how it works. Be mad at the people who run the law. Don't be mad at their hand.

 

[SilentCom]

I respect the police to a certain degree but for the most part, I figure they are doing their duty to enforce law and order. As long as I don't try destroying order, then I shouldn't have to fear the police.

 

[AetherWolf]

My brother is an RCMP officer out in British Columbia, and I certainly respect him.

But here in Ontario?
For some reason they don't respond to things as much as they should...

 

[Leadfinger]

Japanese cops are crap. The only things they are good at are giving directions and forcing confessions from innocent suspects.

Japan has one of if not the lowest murder and crime rate in the world. they must be doing something right over there...

You confuse correlation with causation. In other words, just because the crime rate is low in Japan doesn't mean that this is due to efficient policing. There are factors such as Japan being a homogeneous society which is relatively egalitarian, the enduring influence of Confucianism on Japanese society, and so forth. If you look at the facts of how the police actually operate in Japan, you see a force that is poorly trained using outmoded techniques and one that relies on forced confessions to get convictions. For more details, check out the article below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8290767.stm

True, but i was more referring to the fact that the Japanese nation as a whole must be doing something right in order to have such a peaceful society, despite having such an ill-equipped and badly trained police force. I feel that police being granted the right to use vastly over-excessive force (i.e. rubber bullets, gas masks, night sticks, real guns, forceful interrogation, etc.) just feeds into the endless cycle of violence and criminal unrest in societies. Society needs some major reformation and also a simultaneous cutback in this primitive and coercive means of keeping people in line if we are ever to have a hope of moving towards a utopia. I largely blame (in my case) America's shit education system and also our obsession with stupid capitalism and the lack of compassion/aid for one's fellow American down on their luck that comes with it. Socialism ftw!

Ah, I misunderstood your previous post. I agree with what you say here, and I too deplore the mindless cycle of violence and repression you see in countries like the U.S. Of the things that I believe Japan is doing right, I think the sense of egalitarianism in society is very important. There's much less extreme poverty in Japan than in the U.S. and as a result there isn't the polarization that you see or the idea that society only works for the rich.

 

[Dusty Fred]

I'm curious. Here in Britain, where civil disobedience is currently in vogue, we have a police force which, I think, isn't really trusted, respected or feared (I mean feared as in you fear the consequences of breaking the law - something obviously not present in our inner cities at the minute).*

I'd be interested to hear if people in other countries (I'm thinking particularly of you folks in America) feel reassured when they dial for the cops or when they see a man in uniform on the scene? Do feel free to comment if you also live in this ridiculous country.


*Don't get me wrong - there are many fine men in the service who do a difficult job to the best of their abilities, although I think they're hamstrung by excessive red tape, stupid health'n'safety regulations and general lack of resources. There are also many who are glorified bureaucrats. These are the ones that usally appear on tv as spokesmen

What about us Australian's? I'll assume we can comment too .

I have a great respect for the my police force, which is my state's police, I've spoken to them, they've been helpful, ect ect, but overall I would respect the Police anyway, they are here to protect myself and my fellow law abiding citizens from those that chose to stand against the law, and they also arrest people who have broken the law, I feel much assured when I see them, I even don't mind being breathalysed.

Excluding the bloody speed cameras of course! Hate those damned things.

I didn't mean to exclude anyone else, of course, I'm interested to hear from you wherever you hail from

I just gave special mention to the US because, via TV and movies, there's a strong image of the American cop and I thought that might be an interesting contrast to the UK police. At the same time I suspected I might have a cliched and inaccurate view so I was sort of inviting correction.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

The Force I trust. The Bureaucracy behind the Force is rotten to the core.

 

[Astoria]

It depends. Most of the time I have respect for Aussie cops but I've met my fair share that are drunk on power and abuse it.

 

[Phaerim]

Respect has to be earned. Putting on a uniform, doesn't automaticly make you a saint. You have to prove yourself. Just like everybody else.