Whats your opinion of the Police in your country?

[Panzer_God]

From an observational standpoint, I'd say American police are generally trustworthy, although brutal. In my personal experiences, police officers are corrupt, violent and egotistical. I've been harassed and threatened by officers with no provocation. They also tend to react badly when I point out that I'm completely on the legal side of whatever confrontation they choose.

 

[triggrhappy94]

I'm from America (so I should activate the flame shield now).
I think for the most part the racist, fascist cops make a bad name for all the other ones, who are just trying to follow the rules.

 

[Cpu46]

There are good cops and bad cops. I've met a few who clearly abuse their powers but also have spent time with some pretty stand up guys. I had a conversation with a cop working security on campus last year, by the end we were both laughing hysterically.

So all in all it is a mix of good and bad people working a really shitty job.

 

[Saladfork]

Here in Edmonton, they seem nigh-nonexistent. I've used our LRT train line literally hundreds upon hundreds of times, and I've only seen ticket-takers (a subset of the police) once... and they were off duty.

Also, I've seen police cars here once after a break-in, but never otherwise. I've seen police cars once in over a decade.

I was about to disagree before I remembered that I live just about right next to a police station; I see them a lot, myself.

OT: Well, I have no problems with Edmonton police, which is good seeing as I'm considering joining them myself.

 

[SaetonChapelle]

Well like every area you have both good cops and bad cops. The sheriffs in my area aren't bad, but the county police I suppose are annoying.

I find a lot of times the younger the police individual, the more anal they are, but I've had plenty get on my back and give me a break. my buddy and I were walking down the road one morning at around 2 a.m. and we were stopped by a policeman. In my area there is a curfew at 10 p.m. for those under 16, and although I am nearly 23 I look young for my age. I understand why he stopped us and checked for I.D. Although he did it quite a few times in the future as well.

I don't have a problem with police officers. I know a lot of people have had bad experiences but a lot of times they are doing there job. Like any other profession there will be good ones and bad ones. Many die in the line of duty, and without them there would be a significant larger crime rate. I'm happy they are around and respect them.

 

[BristolBerserker]

While I do respect the police here in the UK I believe they should stop telling us how many minorities and LGBT people they have recruited and why that is good and they need to increase truncheon on skull action. If a cocky chav comes up and haves a go at you, smacked 'em round the head with your truncheon and they won't do it again. I think they should be more like Judge Dredd or Sgt Nicholas Angel and PC Butterman.

 

[lacktheknack]

Here in Edmonton, they seem nigh-nonexistent. I've used our LRT train line literally hundreds upon hundreds of times, and I've only seen ticket-takers (a subset of the police) once... and they were off duty.

Also, I've seen police cars here once after a break-in, but never otherwise. I've seen police cars once in over a decade.

I was about to disagree before I remembered that I live just about right next to a police station; I see them a lot, myself.

OT: Well, I have no problems with Edmonton police, which is good seeing as I'm considering joining them myself.

Yeah, the nearest police station is about fifteen minutes away. That's probably why.

 

[chuckman1]

about 60% are assholes 30-35% do a good at their job which to be hone it pretty damn hard at times the last 5-10% are what we like to think of cops being in they they are noble or heroic and generally not only want to save people but when put to the test actually do. This may sound pessimistic but my view of humanity as a whole is, 60% of all people are likely to be assholes and far less than 5-10% are heroic so yeah over all they get more shit than they deserve.

We also have this odd skew on how we see them, in person we think they are all dicks yet we have a plethora of crime drama making them all out to be heroes.

These sound like realistic percentages.
Although personally I hate the cops. Im in Arizona, US. Cops spend their time cracking down on kids skateboarding or bike riding, hard working illegal immigrants, questioning anyone about dumb shit especially if you're a minority. The NY police have frisked more young black males than there are young black males in New York. Black is something like 50% of all they target for frisks yet they find the most guns on white people who make up one of the smaller percentages (I think 8%).

Also I'm biased since when I was 3 police traumatized me and forced me to start growing up before it was time. I still get nervous around all police officers. Luckily I've managed to avoid arrest so far.
EDIT Oh and they love to kill/lockup innocent people. They also like to shoot peoples dogs and sometimes mace puppies. Theres a blog I found all about people whos dogs were killed by police and there were TONS of cases. Cops in US can kill or rape innocent people and get off with paid leave.

 

[Spleencheese]

Dad's a cop, so I have a little bias to work through.

Generally, most of the cops I've met in New Zealand are alright. There's a few dickheads who kinda spoil it for the rest of them. I guess most are just trying to do their jobs.

 

[Penguinis Weirdus]

In the UK I feel that the majority of the Police are good people doing a generally a crappy job and has improved since me dad's day a hell of alot. Though if I had to criticise I have been part of several demonstrations and protests (not the summer riots) and they seemed fairly baton happy at protests where I was charged by horses and had to try and get 15 yr out of the way, but I feel that they were held back during the riots (The reasons that I read in the papers at the time seemed to be that there weren't enough policemen to deal with the rioters). I've also heard stories that they are still authorised to use plastic bullets atm at riots. (That I've taken with a pinch of salt having not seen that yet).

Simply put, generally nice people, riot police less so at PROTESTS (due to a minority of thugs). Needs to be a better definition of riot and protest and what they can do.

 

[Mariakko]

Snip

I checked you're account information to see what country you're from because that sounded like something officers in my country do. Lo and behold we're from the same country. Our police really have nothing better to do sometimes do they. I saw one with his radar on looking for speeding cars outside a library and he was so bored that he went inside and borrowed a book to read while waiting.

 

[cookingwithrage]

Local police (VPD)=pretty relaxed and decent, you can actually have a nice conversation with them.

RCMP (federal police.)=garbage, human slime, incompetent, half trained, stupid corrupt piles of shit who couldn't graduate highshcool to save their lives..

 

[Signa]

Seattle here. I think "Sheriff of Nottingham" sums them up quite well on a good day.


Other days, they are incompetent [http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-dont-forget-your-assault-rifle-20110628,0,4816427.story] murders [http://www.king5.com/news/local/Video-of-fatal-Seattle-police-shooting-of-woodcarver-released-112106374.html].

 

[Aur0ra145]

Most police are great people. I go out of my way to be kind to them and strike up conversation when I see them at the gas station or other places. They are people too and the community needs to do their part to incorporate the police department into the community.

 

[loc978]

Varies by individual police officers, in my experience. I'm actually kinda buddy-buddy with some state and county cops in my area... and in the city I've never had an issue with 'em...

But I've heard people recount personal horror stories, and seen plenty of shit on the news to know that there are a bunch of 'em out there who abuse their power [http://www.occupythegame.com/pepper_spray_cop1.jpg].

Still, I'd never prejudge one based on what another did. I know what it's like to be called a murderer for the actions of some douchebag who happens to wear the same uniform as me... and who happened to disgrace said uniform.

 

[thylasos]

Outside of the Met, which tends to get into the news the most for racism and corruption, British police have a reputation for honesty, fair-handedness and competency, thankfully.

People doing a difficult job where they hae to deal with a lot of stick. Good on them.

 

[Dogstile]

UK here, they're usually ok. Have met a few bad ones but considering they're not exactly considered intimidating around here, most people just ignore them.

You know the police are underpowered when five of them show up to stop a fight and both people keep fighting

 

[SenseOfTumour]

In the UK, and imo, I think they're like soldiers, in that they're generally decent people, who sometimes have to do shitty things because the people in charge are twats. Sure there's going to be a few bad apples, but, I've only had one mildly bad experience with a police officer and many decent ones.

I've seen some pretty nasty stuff on youtube, mainly from US cops who think they're above the law because they've got a gun and a taser, but, of course, you only ever see the bad ones, who's going to post a video of a cop being polite and helpful?

 

[keiji_Maeda]

The Gardai in Ireland are generally ok. Of course a profession where you have power over your fellow man will attract dicks but they tend to be nice people. Unfortunately their job involves catching criminals which as you can imagine doesn't make them popular with said criminals and leads to ingenius phrases such as "oink" "pig" and my personnel favourite "I'm going to slice myself off a side of bacon". These phrases were then adapted by wannabe hard men, who mutter it well out of the earshot of the police.

I saw a mobie about a gardai in Ireland once, it was named (aptly) the guard. He was a world class olympic swimmer, a crack shot, and a defender that racism was an intregrated part of his cultural heritage.

Beyond the racism thing, he seemed a pretty bully guy.

 

[keiji_Maeda]

Indeed, it's important to remember that most of them are just trying to their job, which isn't exactly the easiest job you can have, to say the least. It really is a shame that the twats tend to overshadow the honest effort of everyone else. But my theory is that the twats are evenly distributed in the ranks, so whenever a non-twat at the top calls for a change, a top-twat will step in to help out his twat buddies on the field.

But things can get better. The Gothenburg police has become far, far better in dealing with riots since the disaster in 2001. Basically, the reason it escalated out of control like it did was because the responsible commander of the police pretended he was Aragorn or something, and kicked the thing off by ordering a march he particularly didn't like to be charged by mounted police. They hadn't done anything yet, it seems he just wanted to make an example of some sort.
Really, his policy of "Beat, detain and kekekekeke ponyrush everyone that looks lefty until they go home" only served to escalate the whole thing into a riot, ending with vandalism, tear gas, shots fired into crowds and other things that never had to happen.

The Gothenburg police are much less aggressive these days, they tend to remain in the background and hold a dialogue, and only forming up in riot gear once it's really needed. It does work, and I'd gladly mail the biggest fruit basket I can find to the lads and lassies who managed to railroad that policy change past the testosterone-trolls.[/quote]


Good to hear, i haven't exactly been to Gothenburg a lot lately. And my feelings about the rightness about the 2001 oppositional rally is to say the least, mixed.

But the effeciency of horses as a riot deterrent isn't exactly the best plan even in my short book on crowd controll. Now if only we could get some happy Gothenburg policemen over to MAlmö.....