Why Do So Many People Hate the Police?

[Shockolate]

Responsibility, or the willingly lack thereof shown by civilians.

Angry Driver: It's not my fault I went over the speed limit/drink and driving.

Police: It totally is. You could have hurt someone.

Angry Driver: NO I AM RIGHT YOU ARE WRONG I HATE JOO >:C>:C>:C>:C>:C>:C

Police are an easy scapegoat for anyone who has had to pay the price.

 

[Weaver]

Because there are corrupt officers or just ones on a power trip that ruin the good name for the lot of them.

If you want to see examples of what some cops are like just go here and look around:
http://forums.blueline.ca/

During the G20 summit I saw lots of posts about "I can't wait to see some hippies getting beat." and comments like "They should have done it in winter, rubber bullets hurt more in the cold."

This was days before the G20 riots even happened. These people thrive on violence and want to exert power. Of course, these people were few and far in between - but in my opinion should not be officers of the law.

 

[Sanguinius- The Angel]

After having six guns pointed at me and being handcuffed wrongfully, I think I have a reason to dislike police. However, I have made friends with the cops who come into my shop, and they're not bad. In general anyway.

... Care to explain?

OT: People hate the cops because they make them follow rules. And who the hell likes to follow rules? Fifteen year olds sure don't.

 

[Good morning blues]

If we're interested in an explanation more sophisticated than "because they're stupid," there are two primary reasons that people dislike and distrust the police:

- Poor experiences. This could be as simple as "they pulled me over while I was speeding, what is up with that," but it could also be "I was pulled over because a cop didn't like the look of my car, and was detained for an hour as the cop attempted to find something to charge me with." You don't have to look very far to find someone with either kind of story.

- Resentment of the 'cop culture' that makes it so that nearly every police officer in the world will go out of their way to protect other police officers from being subjected to the same laws that the public at large is exposed to. It's true that most cops aren't corrupt or violent or combative. Not even those cops, however, will go after their friends who are.

The former is pretty much overgeneralization based on shitty experiences. The latter is absolutely legitimate.

 

[SinisterGehe]

I don't hate police b's I live in Finland. Where they cant hurt or touch me without filing 50 reports and doing all sort of stupid things. And also I have no need to hate them because I don't do anything that would get me in to problems with them.

 

[Miumaru]

Because kids are stupid, and think alchohol and pot means fun, and since its illegal, it puts them at odds with police.

 

[arsenicCatnip]

After having six guns pointed at me and being handcuffed wrongfully, I think I have a reason to dislike police. However, I have made friends with the cops who come into my shop, and they're not bad. In general anyway.

... Care to explain?

OT: People hate the cops because they make them follow rules. And who the hell likes to follow rules? Fifteen year olds sure don't.

My friends and I were leaving an apartment complex when the cops were called because of shots fired... on the other side of the complex. As we started to pull out, six cop cars pulled into the parking lot and demanded we 'get on the ground RIGHT NOW'. The perps got away, and my friends and I were all frisked, cuffed, and detained for nearly an hour.

 

[Pegghead]

Over here the police are decent men and women and there's little to no corruption.

Mind you I believe strongly in having respect for police, they all see some pretty horrible things over the course of their career and I'd hate to think what this place would be like without the threat and/or action of them.

As to why people hate the police, in many areas they can be corrupt and have mistreated alot of completely innocent folk. Mind you if you ***** about "The fascists" because you got arrested just for taking a shit in one of their hats and spitting in their face you have no right to complain and need to learn some respect.

 

[SpikeFT]

Not all the cops are bad. Some maybe but some do their job right catching the MFs that do wrong while others actually drink coffee an eat donuts(i couldnt believe my eyes i thought it was only one of those folk jokes)
Anyway i have someone that had 65mph while in a town 100m later BAM cop pops out of undercover car lets her of the hook only slightly but still just slightly(got called cause his wife was having a kid this was pure luck he was like: "You still have to pay the fine get points but keep the license and drive safely seriously. IMA DADDY YEESSSS!! XD i was like wow what happens if you got twins you give us money!?) so yeah its basically the ying-yang, black-white, other good-evil thingys you get my lousy point

 

[Ryan Hodros]

In my opinion, it's because most people's experience with "the police" involves minor traffic violation citations, rather than genuine "protecting the peace." For every person saved by a cop, there's a thousand people who have to jam their brakes because a cop is shooting radar their way.

Couple that with the fact that the media today, for whatever reason, rarely publishes "Family saved by courageous cop" stories anymore, and instead prefers the "Cops beat innocent man" story (particularly if it's not really accurate.)

Put together, it's really bad publicity.

 

[TheIr0nMike]

A combination of people's hatred for not being allowed to do anything they want along with cops who make The Situation look humble.

 

[crazypsyko666]

I have no problem with a cop that rightfully executes justice with logic and understanding. What I have a problem with are cops (and people in general) who assume the fine print as the word of god, and that they are the judge. This happens quite a bit. People let their emotions get in the way of their duty, and when those people have incredible power, like the police of today have been given, you get catastrophe.

Are all cops bad? No. Should we be cautious? Yeah.

 

[Quid Plura]

The police is the face of the justice system. And the justice system fails a lot. And their job is to keep people from doing bad things, and a lot of people want to do bad things. (I'm a teacher and I face the same stuff from time to time)

 

[Stickwell]

Because they been nothing but assholes to me for stupid reasons.

 

[clipse15]

Because kids are stupid, and think alchohol and pot means fun, and since its illegal, it puts them at odds with police.

Awesome generalization.

OT: Anyone who says they love the police obviously hasn't had any run ins with shadier police officers.

 

[Miumaru]

Because kids are stupid, and think alchohol and pot means fun, and since its illegal, it puts them at odds with police.

Awesome generalization.

OT: Anyone who says they love the police obviously hasn't had any run ins with shadier police officers.

Oh shove it. Ok fine, for HERE this is the case. How do I know? Cause I went to highschool where I live. The cops here are fine. To not like all police because some are bad is ALSO generalization.

 

[Sentox6]

I support the police.

Traffic enforcement officers, on the other hand... let's just say that it bugs me how often we hear that police are under-staffed, under-resourced, etc., and yet there's always one lying in wait in case I creep over the speed limit like the murdering psychopath I really am.

 

[Syntax Man]

Because police, however little, have power, and a great man once said that power corrupts, add to that the fact that most of the meat-heads that go to police academies seem to belive that this is the 19th century creating a lot of discrimination against non-whites and the fact that they are the face of our justice system where to say that it is one of the stupidest, most ineffectual and corrupt systems in human history is putting it lightly.

 

[Withall]

I wonder! How many here are Americans, stating their dislike for police? I'm just wondering, and would like some sort of population count.

 

[SimuLord]

I look at it this way. When I'm out on foot, the sight of a police officer makes me feel safe and protected from the scum that would otherwise infest the area.

When I'm in a car, I'm like "shit, a cop." The face of the law isn't quite such a welcome sight when you're the one breaking it, y'know?

So it's all a matter of perspective.