# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 779
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15563 "2019-11-23T19:02:16Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > And that is why “It’s only a few bad apples” is a moronic response to police brutality. And as usual, as the sysiphean semantic bitch that I am, I will pointedly remind anyone who cares to listen that the full saying goes “A few bad apples spoil the whole bunch”. So “it’s just a few bad apples” is a moronic defense on multiple levels - not only does it seek to dismiss and minimize factual problems ; but it tries to do so by misusing a proverb that explicitly underlines that those very problems undercut any and all good the organization in general might very well be doing… aside from making sure the rotten apples’ jobs are protected, of course. It’s not ever a good look, using that phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15564 "2019-11-23T19:51:17Z")
I will pull myself up by my bootstraps and make sure I don’t use the 'bad apple ’ analogy wrong. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15565 "2019-11-23T20:37:14Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > And as usual, as the sysiphean semantic bitch that I am, I will pointedly remind anyone who cares to listen that the full saying goes “A few bad apples spoil the whole bunch”. I always heard it as “…spoil the whole barrel.” 😃 But I completely agree with your point. If you keep the “few” bad apples, pretty soon you’ll have ALL bad apples. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15566 "2019-11-23T22:21:27Z")
[Former Georgia Officer Is Sentenced to 20 Years in Killing of Unarmed Black Man](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/01/us/robert-olsen-police-shooting.html) > [@](#): > > The officer shot a man who was wandering naked outside an apartment complex in suburban Atlanta. [White Alabama Officer Guilty of Manslaughter for Killing Black Man](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/us/ac-smith-guilty-police-shooting.html) > [@](#): > > An Alabama jury found a white police officer guilty of manslaughter on Friday in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man in Montgomery in 2016, the latest case in which an officer has been held to account for using lethal force. Hopefully these and others being held accountable will make more officers a [DEL]little[/DEL] lot less trigger happy. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15567 "2019-11-25T14:42:06Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I will pull myself up by my bootstraps and make sure I don’t use the 'bad apple ’ analogy wrong. 😉 Well, you know what they say - too many bad apples spoil the broth. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15568 "2019-11-25T18:04:04Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, you know what they say - too many bad apples spoil the broth. Too bad they don’t seem to be willing to DEAL WITH all the “bad apples” (of which there seem to be SO many). Me, I don’t buy the “bad apples” excuse. It’s bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15569 "2019-11-25T19:50:19Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > And as usual, as the sysiphean semantic bitch that I am, I will pointedly remind anyone who cares to listen that the full saying goes “A few bad apples spoil the whole bunch”. [one bad apple spoils the whole bunch](one bad apple spoils the whole bunch) True for apples and cops: > [@](#): > > The riper a piece of fruit is, the more ethylene it produces, and overripe fruit gives off even more ethylene, eventually leading to a concentration of the gas that’s enough to overripen all the fruit. Given the right conditions and enough time, _one apple can push **all** the fruit around it to ripen—and eventually rot._ > > Additionally, an apple that is infested with mold will contaminate other fruit it’s stored with as the mold seeks additional food sources and spreads. In both cases, it actually does take just one single apple to start a domino chain that ruins the rest of the bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15570 "2019-11-26T19:55:31Z")
[Bittersweet](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/judge-exonerates-three-men-in-1983-georgetown-jacket-school-killing/ar-BBXkHdA) > [@](#): > > Judge exonerates three men in 1983 ‘Georgetown jacket’ school killing > [@](#): > > Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Monday the detective and prosecutor in 1983 coached and coerced the testimony of the four students. Her prosecutors appeared Monday afternoon in Baltimore Circuit Court to ask a judge to throw out the three convictions. > [@](#): > > Lipscomb said police withheld exculpatory evidence, particularly interviews from other students who identified the killer as another man, who died in 2002, prosecutors said. > [@](#): > > The three men became the latest prisoners exonerated and set free by a partnership between Mosby’s conviction integrity unit and two nonprofit innocence projects. Conviction Integrity Unit. That sounds like a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15571 "2019-11-26T22:54:25Z")
Check out this story from Detroit Free Press: Sergeant suspended in cop killing case was once fired for being a coward The Detroit police sergeant suspended with pay on accusations of not showing up at the scene of a shooting that killed a police officer has a troubled past. > **[Sergeant suspended in Detroit cop killing case was once fired for being a coward](https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2019/11/26/sergeant-suspended-rasheen-mcclain-case-once-fired-over-cowardice/4308445002/)** > > The Detroit police sergeant suspended with pay on accusations of not showing up at the scene of a shooting that killed a police officer has a troubled past. ---
**Author:** ![Ispolkom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@Ispolkom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ispolkom)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15572 "2019-11-27T02:28:39Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > [one bad apple spoils the whole bunch](one bad apple spoils the whole bunch) > > True for apples and cops: Would this work for apple trees that are grown outside? I’d think that the wind would quickly disperse any ethylene. Put apples in a barrel, though, and skin contact will quickly spread any rot. My grandfather (born 1880), an Vermont farmer who grew apples and had strong opinions about everything, had special contempt for a neighboring family who would try to salvage bad barrels of apples, the ones he would just dump into the manure pile. He thought that they never ate a good apple out of season. And good apples (put up in a pie, with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on the side) were pretty near the best thing he knew. As far as these bad cop excuses, though, they even more contemptible. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15573 "2019-11-27T05:13:44Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > [Bittersweet](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/judge-exonerates-three-men-in-1983-georgetown-jacket-school-killing/ar-BBXkHdA) Jesus. What the hell kind of life is the poor guy expected to have left, having spent 30 years in prison from age 16 ? The cops & prosecutors responsible for the witness manipulation should spend the rest of their own days behind bars. This is some shameful shit. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15574 "2019-11-27T16:12:02Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > [Shopping while Black is suspicious](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/indiana-cop-fired-after-stopping-black-customers-for-acting-suspicious/ar-BBX0toW) > > > [@](#): > > > > The responding officer spoke with the two men who questioned why Jones ran their plates without just cause. The officer told the pair: “Not necessarily. **We can run plates for any reason or no reason at all**. What he does have to have is he has to have what’s called reasonable suspicion in order to make a stop. He has to have some sort of reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed.” I don’t know about Indiana, but here in Louisiana the bolded is true. In fact, many police cars locally have readers that passively run plates all day long as they drive around and conduct their daily business. Brings in A LOT of expired-registration tickets, inspection-tag tickets, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15575 "2019-11-27T19:22:17Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Jesus. What the hell kind of life is the poor guy expected to have left, having spent 30 years in prison from age 16 ? **The cops & prosecutors responsible for the witness manipulation should spend the rest of their own days behind bars.** This is some shameful shit. Absolutely. Fuckers. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15576 "2019-12-03T04:44:45Z")
From the other direction, the cops on duty on Thanksgiving were horribly assaulted by a Starbuck’s Barrista who was quickly fired by the company. > **[Starbucks employee fired after police officer's cup had 'pig' on label](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/starbucks-employee-fired-after-officer-s-cup-had-pig-label-n1094096)** > > Starbucks said it apologized to the officer and that the employee who printed the labels with the "offensive word" was fired for violating company policy. Oh wait, turns out the Starbuck’s POS system won’t let you type “PIG” as a customer name, so the person ordering had to use it as their name, and according to his own daughter the cop in question is a sexist, racist bastard who fully deserves to be called a pig anyway. > **[Daughter of police chief in Starbucks cup scandal says he’s ‘absolutely a pig’](https://nypost.com/2019/12/02/daughter-of-police-chief-in-starbucks-cup-scandal-says-hes-absolutely-a-pig/)** > > The Oklahoma police chief who blasted Starbucks over an order one of his officers received with a “PIG” label was accused — by his own daughter — of “absolutely”… I think it’s notable that someone who allegedly writes ‘PIG’ on a cup for a police officer gets fired rather than given a paid vacation, while police won’t fire or arrest one of their own buddies for outright murder and do their best to make sure he gets a vacation. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15577 "2019-12-03T16:09:34Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > the person ordering had to use it as their name, and according to his own daughter the cop in question is a sexist, racist bastard who fully deserves to be called a pig anyway. > > [Daughter of police chief in Starbucks cup scandal says he's 'absolutely a pig'](https://nypost.com/2019/12/02/daughter-of-police-chief-in-starbucks-cup-scandal-says-hes-absolutely-a-pig/) I think that’s the daughter of the Chief of Police. > [@](#): > > “The deputy it actually happened to told my mom he didn’t really care and that it was a harmless joke, no big deal,” she said. “\*\*ut my father is a camera whore who couldn’t resist the attention.” Curious why she called the officer a _deputy_, though. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15578 "2019-12-04T15:04:25Z")
> **[A Video Of A Chicago Cop Body-Slamming A Man On The Street Has Sparked An...](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/skbaer/chicago-police-body-slam-investigation)** > > The man was slammed to the ground after allegedly spitting on the cop during an arrest, police said. I guess spitting is enough to body slam a guy and have their head hit the pavement. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15579 "2019-12-04T16:19:03Z")
[Michigan State Police trooper sentenced for assault on female colleague](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/michigan-state-police-trooper-sentenced-for-assault-on-female-colleague/ar-BBXH8Lw) > [@](#): > > Mullin was found guilty of four assault-related charges in October before Huron County Circuit Court Judge Gerald M. Prill. He will spend one year in Huron County Jail and three years of probation. A year and then 3 years probation. Fer fuck’s sake. At least he _might_ lose his job! > [@](#): > > Following his conviction, MSP moved to permanently revoke his law enforcement certification and terminate his employment. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15580 "2019-12-04T18:54:09Z")
> [@UCBearcats](#): > > [A Video Of A Chicago Cop Body-Slamming A Man On The Street Is Being Investigated](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/skbaer/chicago-police-body-slam-investigation) > > I guess spitting is enough to body slam a guy and have their head hit the pavement. He (allegedly) spat in the officer’s eyes and mouth. That’s battery, and if true, that absolutely justifies the body slam. Police officers are entitled to defend themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15581 "2019-12-04T19:05:59Z")
Respect mah authority! Or lose police protection altogether. [https://www.google.com/amp/www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/barr-communities-should-respect-police-or-risk-losing-protection/amp](https://www.google.com/amp/www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/barr-communities-should-respect-police-or-risk-losing-protection/amp) AG Barr thinks that rather than fixing what needs fixing, we should appreciate the police we have, or they all pick up their marbles and go home. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/15582 "2019-12-04T19:35:07Z")
> [@](#): > > they might find themselves without the police protection they need.” They already find themselves without the police protection they need. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=778) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=780)