"Good Cop" Stories?

In My Humble Opinion
1

If you’ve glanced at this thread: How did you spend your New Year’s–me, I was arrested for murder, you’ve noticed that several people, including myself, posted stories pointing to the cavalier and/or asinine behavior of law enforcement officers we’ve *** encountered in “less than desirable” circumstances***.

That thread was rife with “Bad Cop” stories. For the glory of balance, do you have a recent “Good Cop” story to share?

Yesterday, I received a call from my ex, who told me the story of her car (beater) dying in traffic. My ex’s life has been pretty miserable of late, and the last thing she wanted to see in her rear view mirror were the pretty red & blue strobes. She knew she faced a hefty ticket for not being in full compliance with our state’s motor vehicle registration requisites, but sometimes personal circumstances go awry, and one takes their chances. The cop pushed her car out of traffic, into a nearby parking lot. The lone officer stepped out, obtained the required documents, then returned to his patrol car to “run the plate”.

When he returned, he listened to my ex’s tale of woe. Instead of embracing the role of an inflexible agent of the State, the cop called his supervisor, asked for, and received permission to drive my ex to her home, nearly 30 miles away! A civil conversation took place during the ride, and she was delivered safely home.

To you, and to law enforcement professionals like you: Thanks for your help. You made a difference that mattered. We appreciate it.

2

I’m an ER nurse, and I see a LOT of cops in my line of work. A few have been tools, but most are truly decent people. I’ve had them in to talk to patients about car accidents where alcohol was a factor, and they are almost always extremely nice – even when they know the patient is about to go to jail for DUI. Most of the time I hear them telling the (often upset and crying) patient “It’s not the end of the world, just try to relax. You’ll be fine.” I’ve had cops treat my rape patients with utter respect and courtesy, and even seen them be extraordinarily nice to a teenage girl who was suspected of killing her newborn. Contrary to what we often see in the media, my experience has been that most cops are nice folks doing a thankless job.

And on a personal note. . .

A few weeks ago hubby was involved in a car accident. He did not have his proof of insurance with him. I was at home trying to print it out on the computer but running into difficulty. Rather than writing him a ticket, the officer at the scene completed her report and then drove him home, allowing us to show her the insurance paperwork there. It kept him from being ticketed, and it kept me from having to drag our hungry 2 year old out in the rain and cold. It was a very nice thing for her to do, not least because she was in no way obligated to do it.

3

It was Christmas day in the late 80s. We were on the way to my grandfather’s house, 110 miles away, when more than half-way there my parents car broke down. My Dad walked to a payphone and was horrified to find that not only were there no garages open as you’d expect, the rental car places were all closed too. He decided to see if he could get a taxi, even though a 60 mile taxi ride would be insanely expensive. Nope, no one would do it. I can’t remember why my grandfather couldn’t come for us, but it probably had to do with my great-grandmother.

The police came to our rescue :slight_smile: It took three different cruisers, since they were only allowed to drive so far out of their towns, but eventually we got home safely. (and my grandfather was able to get the car to a mechanic the next day) I was only a little kid when that happened, but it’s made a lasting impression.

4

I once heard of a cop who didn’t beat someone up.

:wink:

5

My Uncle is an ass. He’s also a cop. (Wait, I’m going somewhere good with this.)

My teenage brother was late home. My mum was panicing. I was rolling my eyes because “he’ll be fine! You know what he’s like…”

I was wrong. My brother had been hit my a car. His only ID was a bus pass. With the wrong post code. However my uncle was working, and saw the case. (With the words “could prove fatal.”) He was able to give our correct details and a police officer turned up at the door and then took us to the hospital.

Uncle brought my Aunty and cousins up to the hospital. We’re a very close family. Getting us to my brother and bringing the rest of the family to us is just about the nicest thing he’s ever done. He’s still an ass though.

The police officer who turned up on our door stop also stayed in contact with my family for quite a while, asking after my brother. Lovely man.

6

This sounds like a common theme :).

In 1992 my wife and I went to visit friends on one cold February evening for a night out. I had gone out earlier that evening with the other guy for a trip to the shooting range while my wife and her friend were shopping, so we were in separate cars.

After dinner, my wife stayed around for awhile talking with her friend and I said “Don’t rush, we came in separate cars, so I’ll just go home and you go when you are ready.”

I drove the 45 minute trip home and relaxed, expecting my wife to come home ten or fifteen minutes later. After an hour or so passed, I was beginning to get concerned, but it was not unusual for her to spend a long time talking with friends, so I didn’t worry too much.

A half hour later the doorbell rang and I opened it up: there was a township police officer with my wife. She thanked the officer for the ride and then came in and told me about her adventure.

About fifteen minutes away from our friends’ house her car simply died, and it had chosen the only desolate uninhabited stretch of road left in central Jersey to die on. Those who are familiar with the area would agree that there aren’t many isolated parts around Edison where you couldn’t find help if your car broke down, but she was in just such a place.

After 45 minutes of sitting in the freezing cold, she saw the welcome sight of a police cruiser’s lights in her rear view mirror. In short order, the officer arranged for her car to be towed to a local garage and he contacted his dispatcher to make the additional arrangements to transfer her from township to township in different police cars and to get her home. As each officer reached the edge of his jurisdiction, an officer from the next jurisdiction would pick her up.

The next evening we went to the mall and bought a cell phone for her (they were expensive and fairly uncommon at the time).

I was impressed with the coordination and pure good will of the officers, so I wrote a letter of appreciation to the South Brunswick chief of police, the jurisdiction where the initial officiers had found my wife. I thanked both officers and asked that the chief of police let them know of my appreciation.
A week or two later I received a letter from the chief of police, letting me know that the officers were both informed and my letter was noted in their personnel files. He closed the letter by telling me that if I ever had any difficulties where he could help out in his jurisdiciton to let him know. How cool is that? A “get out of jail free” card of sorts.

We are quick to criticize our officers, but when my wife needed them they were there.

7

I have dealt with some police who were asses. I have dealt with many more who were good men doing a tough job. I have seen them stop on a cold christmas eve to give aid to stranded vehicles. One stopped to help my older mother change a tire. They are out in the cold, the rain the snow, the heat. The often pursue armed and dangerous men.

I am sad to report that I remember the jerks more vividly. I am sad for that because the good ones deserve better.

If you are a policeman, thank you for doing your job.

8

A couple of years ago, my friends Sarah and Chris and I were on our way to a wedding in the Bay Area in Chris’ car, an old but well maintained Corolla. We were all in the wedding party, so it was very important we arrive on time. Only half an hour out, in the left lane of the Yolo causeway, his car started blowing thick white smoke. Not 60 seconds after the smoke started, there was a large badsound from the engine and the car died. We pulled to the left shoulder and opened the hood, but had no idea what to do. We started calling friends and family (yay cellphones!) for alternative transportation, but almost everyone had already left for the wedding, too.
Then, the flashy lights showed up. The highway patrollman could tell that we were headed to a wedding by our clothes, and was really nice. He -stopped- the heavy traffic flow (sorry everyone!) so that we could push the car over to the right shoulder, then pushed us with his car off the freeway to the next exit, and stayed with us until our ride came. We even took pictures of him. He was awesome.

9

We had a similiar situation where my mother and I were shopping in Cranbrook, BC and we lived in Kimberley, BC. On the way home (about a forty-five minute drive) just out of town, the car went wonky. A policeman stopped to see what was up, and the car seemed to be okay, so we set off again. The Cranbrook cop followed us halfway home in case we needed help, and then we were met by a Kimberley cop who followed us the rest of the way. Now that I think of it, it was likely RCMP officers, not city police. (These were small towns.) My mother was very appreciative, and we arrived home safely.

Maybe I don’t go out late on Saturday nights, hang around with unruly folks, try to be a good driver, and generally lead a fairly boring life, but I have never experienced anything but professionalism at the hands of the police. I have been stopped three times while driving, and each time, it has been my own fault. I was treated well each time.

They are also nice when they showed up at our office one morning. You see, in our office, you dial 9 for an outside line, 1 for starting your long-distance call, and then if you’re distracted and looking at your phone messages, you may inadvertantly dial 1 once again… :slight_smile:

10

Nope they all suck.

11

Some guys don’t know how to take a compliment. :smiley:

I too have never had a bad experience with any officers. Thanks to all of them for what they do.

12

Day before yesterday, my car broke down on the way to work. I managed to get into a parking lot and call AAA. While I was waiting, 3 different deputies pulled over to ask if I was OK and if I wanted them to wait with me until AAA got there. I am the public defender in that county, and have given all of them a hard time on the witness stand. But they were all very sweet and nice to me. All of them drove by every few minutes to make sure I was OK for the whole 1 1/2 hours it took for AAA to get there.

 I got pulled over a few years ago for speeding.  While the officer was running my tag, a police car went by us at about 90 MPH- without lights or siren.  The officer (who I knew, but not very well) came back to my car, handed me my license, and said that he couldn't in good conscience give me a speeding ticket when his collegue was doing the same thing.  He was shot and killed in the line a couple of years ago  :( .   I went to his funeral.   

 When we have jury selection in the county where I practice, the DA always asks if there's anyone who has had what they consider to be a bad experience with law enforcement.  We always get a few who have.  I have too- most notably, one pulled a gun on me because I was driving a white car and there was a lookout for a white car.  And I'm a public defender, for gawds sake, so I have had my share of "bad experiences".  

 But I have also had police be incredibly nice and protective of me, in spite of the fact that I cross-examine them on a regular basis, and I have seen that the deputies at the jail treat every inmate, no matter what they are charged with, with dignity and respect.  When we have all-day court sessions, they make sure that the inmates who are in court get fed.  That seems like a small thing, but I have been in counties where they don't care if the inmates ever eat.  The inmates don't get anything but water or milk in our jail, and the deputies who are in charge of the inmates in court frequently use their own money to get the inmates soft drinks to drink while they're waiting.
13

Katie FWIW, a buddy of mine used to be a deputy sheriff. He commented to me about a defense attorney that had grilled him on one case. He said he enjoyed being questioned by her, as it showed him where he had screwed up, and he would make mental notes not to ever do that again.

14

I don’t go out late on weekend evenings either. I’ve never hung around unruly folks. I haven’t (knock on wood) had a ticket in over 20 years, no accidents in over 25 years, so I guess I’m trying to be a good driver too. While my life is certainly not boring, it is a quiet one, and I’m happy with that. My life is on the “goody-goody” side. Until recently, I’d never had police contact, and I didn’t have a criminal history.

Read the stories in the New Year’s thread. It’s not about “earning” or “deserving” to be treated a certain way. Your insinuation that good citizen behaviour = police professionalism, at least in MY recent adventure, rings vacant & hollow. The fact seems to be that there are outstandingly “good” (highly professional), and outrageously “bad” (not very professional) people in law enforcement, as in every other profession. This thread was offered to spotlight experiences with “good” cops, thus balancing the presentation of experiences we’ve shared.

While I too once believed it, leave us not presume that there’s an existing criteria for contact with law enforcement. Occasionally, the only requirement is right place, right time, cop. Good or Bad.

15

When I was 17, my dad died. He had a heart attack sometime after I went to bed and was laying on the floor when I woke up. Needless to say, I was not in the best mental state. A police officer was the first to arrive, and did so very quickly (~3 minutes, or long enough to put on some pants, go downstairs and unlock the door). He was stunningly kind (including packing my bag for me so I wouldn’t have to see my dad) and having somebody around who was not freaking out helped me compose myself enough to call my mom and arrange a place to stay - my parents were divorced and lived a few hundred miles apart, I couldn’t drive and didn’t really know anyone other than my dad in his city, so I was in a bit of a bind at first. Anyhow, the officer (I’ve unfortunately forgotten his name) made a fucked up situation as good as it could have been.

On a lighter note, there’s the officer who cited me for drinking underage. After the ticketing process was over, we shared stories of seeing Metallica. I ran into him again when I was on the legal side of 21, and we cracked jokes for five or ten minutes until he needed to do some work. I was studying Administration of Justice at the time and he gave me his card and offered to help me out if I was interested in working on the force. Glen’s a good guy.

16

I went with a cop for ten years, and I can think of many a time he would stop to ask if someone needed help. People stranded on the side of the road, crying children, violence that got taken outside, etc.

I once got off the bus on a very cold day, hating have to walk the five blocks to my house with myi three bags. A police car pulled in behind the bus and gave me a lift.

17

When I was arrested, I could not fault the cops’ behaviour. Professional, polite, not unduly friendly, but also not aggressive. I was kept informed and as well treated as I could be under the circumstances, every step of the way.

My sister crashed her car last year. Her fault entirely. A simple lapse of concentration. But she was heavily pregnant and with a crying two year-old in the back. The cops were almost impossibly kind…

“Look, I’m really, really, REALLY, sorry but I have to give you a ticket for Negligent driving, but you can…”

“That’s ok. I did it. Give me the ticket.”

“…but you can call this number and plead your case! Really! You might get off! I’m so sorry to give you the ticket. Call the number…”

The cop even rang her at home later, “Did you call that number?”
Cops ain’t perfect. I don’t idolise them, nor do I call them pigs. But they have a tough job, and most are OK. And plenty are not OK.

18

I have a nephew with … problems. He was in trouble with the law pretty early on, and it hasn’t stopped completely, although things have improved. My family lives in a pretty small town, and one of the officers decided to help us. He started showing up every once in a while to talk to my nephew, and has a friendly relationship with him.

He’s trying really hard to keep this kid, to whom he is not related, out of jail. He tells him to respect his mother and grandmother, because they do so much for him. He tells him to clean his room, because being organized will serve him well later in life. He tells him to stay out of trouble, because habits learned now will haunt him later (not to mention a permanent criminal record, if he keeps this crap up). He really cares about my nephew, who would occasionally try the patience of a saint.

He is a fine officer of the law, and I’m glad to know him.

19

I have never seen a human being who was not part of a NASCAR pit crew change a tire so fast as the Georgia state trooper who stopped when my mom and I had a flat. I was changing it (and doing fine, I might add), but it was raining and I-95 and I was damned glad to see Officer Ginormous appear with his little hat on and everything and say “Let me do that for you, ma’am.” (He was huge. I think he might have been a superhero on his day job.) He had us go sit in his car in the warm and dry while he did it, too.

Also, the officers who have come out to investigate the Case of the Missing Birdbath, the Mystery of the Stolen Christmas Decorations, and the Why Did You Leave a Ladder On Your Porch, Dumbass? were infallibly courteous and didn’t make me feel dumb for calling them at all. (I didn’t care for the guy who went to investigate the barking dogs next door and then tromp over to my house to tell me what had happened, after I called anonymously, but hell, the ratio has been overwhelmingly good.) The very handsome young man who came out to investigate the Christmas decoration even knocked on some doors for me to try to sniff out the culprit.

So, nothing big, but I’ve never had a truly negative interaction with the cops.

20

I know the OP asked for a recent experience, but I can’t really say I have one that’s recent. Having said that, I had a great experience myself as a teen.

I was 17, and had just gotten my liscense about a week earlier. Now this was back in the dark ages, when the Massachusetts DMV would issue a pink slip license, then mail out the photo license after all the gods of the bureaucracy had been appeased and propiated. This process usually meant a month wait between getting the pink slip, and getting a real license. Normally, of course, this was just another stage in growing up.

At least, most people I know never really had to worry about having to show their pink slip license to anyone other than friends and parents to prove, “Yeah, I’m a driver, now, baby!”

Unfortunately for me, I was involved in a single-car accident within a week of getting my pink slip.

I was alone in the car, driving along a back road in Massachusetts, and in the middle of an S-curve I realized that no matter how I turned the wheel, the tree in front of me wasn’t getting out of the way. Then I hit the tree, and rolled the car.

After a minute realizing that I was fine, except for having lost my glasses in the accident, I climbed out of the car, and had just one thought on my mind: No one will think anything good about a driver on a pink slip liscense who crashes in a single-car accident. I had to get the car back on it’s wheel base and drive it home, so people wouldn’t know what had happened.

I believe the technical term for this kind of thinking is “panic.”

It was in this frame of mind that the first responder to the scene found me. The officer calmed me down, talked to me about what happened, and did a walk around of the car to see what damage had been done. One of the first things he’d noticed was that the right front transaxle had seperated. Seeing that, and aware of what that would do to the ability to steer said vehicle, he expanded his walkthrough, and found a number of recent grease droppings on the road that indicated the transaxle had seperated prior to me hitting the tree.

Not only had he calmed me down, found my glasses in the car, and got me home, once I was cleared by the EMTs, he made sure to mention in the accident report that there was evidence that the cause of the accident was mechanical, not driver error. Considering how insurance companies generally respond to reports of single vehicle accidents, this was a real help, and I suspect above and beyond what he was required to do.