# Do cops not know the law or just don't care? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 8, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276 "2022-08-08T01:16:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/1 "2022-08-08T01:16:25Z")
I figure there is not a FQ answer and this will fall into GD anyways. I see plenty of video where cops will threaten and/or arrest people for legal acts such - Not giving ID in a state that does NOT have Stop and ID. - “Trespassing” on public property like a sidewalk. - Videoing police in action in a public space. Now if you are a civilian, ignorance of the law is no excuse but cops claim ignorance all the time (aka Qualified Immunity) So when these cops harass the innocent and falsely arrest them on these BS made-up charges, do the LEOs really don’t care about the law and oppressing innocent people or are they ignorant of the law? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/2 "2022-08-08T01:20:57Z")
[I expect it’s a, “Respect my authoritah” kind of thing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKJprZqU_oU) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/3 "2022-08-08T02:45:47Z")
Been watching ““police auditing”” and SovCit videos? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/4 "2022-08-08T03:01:19Z")
Nope. I think that the auditor are trying to make trouble and often feel a public building means they own it and can do whatever they want in there and SovCits don’t know the laws and refuse to follow them anyways. These are videos where the cops will stop someone obeying the law then demand their ID and stop what their doing. The last one was a guy with a GoPro holding a protest sign by a Church parking lot but he was on the sidewalk. He never stepped foot on the Church property but he was arrested for not showing ID (didn’t have to) and trespassing on the “Church’s” sidewalk once the Pastor complained. Oh and the Pastor assaulted the protester in front of the cops and they did nothing. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/5 "2022-08-08T03:08:55Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > …cops will threaten and/or arrest people for legal acts such… What I have learnt is that talking or protesting does not work. What does work; is a letter to the Insurance company that is insuring the police department, through the city/county. Better still, do a signature campaign, and pass on the results to the insurance company. You can get the name of the Insurance company though a freedom of information request. Police Departments listen when their Insurance rates go up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/6 "2022-08-08T03:11:07Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Nope. Cool. Obviously, I hope, from my question I’ve seen too many videos of folks that think; They don’t have to show DLs during a traffic stop, You can’t be trespassed from public buildings, You don’t have to ID yourself when you’re being officially trespassed from public buildings. It leaves my view of folks complaining about such rather jaundiced. ---
**Author:** ![Workingdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@Workingdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Workingdude)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/7 "2022-08-08T04:41:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/v4AUyLU0WGo/maxresdefault.jpg "COPS - Bad Boys") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4AUyLU0WGo) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/8 "2022-08-08T08:13:50Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > …do the LEOs really don’t care about the law and oppressing innocent people or are they ignorant of the law? They know the law. But they’re bullies, and they don’t care. This is why “more training” won’t fix the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/9 "2022-08-08T09:36:54Z")
Cops consider it a cop privilege that they could demand ID and then lie about everything in court later. But now that everyone has a video camera in their pocket, cops can’t get away with their lies so much, and citizens are suing them and their departments. I like this change. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/10 "2022-08-08T23:46:43Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Been watching ““police auditing”” and SovCit videos? Many of the auditors perform a valuable service. “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/11 "2022-08-09T01:00:59Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Many of the auditors perform a valuable service. And many are annoying wackjobs. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/12 "2022-08-09T01:13:14Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > They know the law. But they’re bullies, and they don’t care. There are two types of police officers, the ones that grew up as bullies, and the others who always wanted to be bullies but were too weak. Becoming a police officer smoothes over the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/13 "2022-08-09T01:50:43Z")
Police are both selfless heroes who do necessary boring daily tasks that sometimes becomes exceptional danger AND bigoted bullies who abuse their authority with great frequency. I don’t know how to get around this duality. Certainly a fraction of bigoted bullies do disproportional harm, but they aren’t necessarily separable from those who go into situations where they are desperately needed. Time and again we see well-intentioned new police chiefs who vow to clean out the rotten cops, and they always seem to fail. Even the better cops see the world as civilians who can’t understand what the job is like and don’t deserve to criticize them, and therefore protect even the obviously guilty offenders. Defend the police is insane. Reform the police is urgent, but nobody seems to have a clue how to make that a success. History says that the police were much, much worse in the past. Far more corrupt top to bottom, far more racist, far better protected by city officials, far less subjected to prosecution. They got away with it mostly because the worst of their crimes were against Others rather than the white middle- and upper-classes. Today too many eyes are on them now for that to slip by unnoticed or uncared about. Middle-class whites are complaining and expecting _something to be done!_ I can hear all the Others of history laughing bitterly. Yes, I’m totally guilty myself. I started learning things back when Vietnam protests were a thing, but it was still a slow process. Fifty years later I have no answers. (Comments just on America, because I don’t know other places.) ---
**Author:** ![Workingdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@Workingdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Workingdude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/14 "2022-08-10T00:05:15Z")
Ill be the first (not literally) to say that cops are not perfect, just as no one is perfect. We don’t live in a perfect world and this world continues to be a bigger and bigger jungle (figuratively speaking). A cops job is not easy and when we have extreme left radicals throwing cops under the bus, it makes me sick. I so much wish poetic justice or some form of a as…s wooping karma lesson would be given to all these radical cop haters that are making my life a cr…p fest. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/15 "2022-08-10T00:21:42Z")
Nope, right wingers hate you too! Hope that lets you expand your ass wooping fantasies. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/16 "2022-08-10T00:23:38Z")
Why is it that whenever I encounter a self described working dude, I know what’s coming? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/17 "2022-08-10T00:42:23Z")
> [@Workingdude](#): > > when we have extreme left radicals throwing cops under the bus, it makes me sick. It’s not a left vs. right thing. Politically, I am conservative. Yet I understand there is a major problem with how policing is done in the U.S. _Way_ too may LEOs are bullies, racist, or simply corrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/18 "2022-08-10T00:54:35Z")
And far too many more can look the other way and not report indiscretions and receive the label “Good Cop”. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/19 "2022-08-10T20:37:43Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I see plenty of video where cops will threaten and/or arrest people for legal acts such > > - Not giving ID in a state that does NOT have Stop and ID. > - “Trespassing” on public property like a sidewalk. > - Videoing police in action in a public space. It is usually threaten, since they assume the citizen is ignorant of the law. And they are usually right. The actual arrest is usually “resisting arrest” or some such. You do have to Identify yourself- but not by producing ID. As a retired Fed and part of a Civil Grand jury- by no means are _all_ cops bullies. Bit too many are. > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Yet I understand there is a major problem with how policing is done in the U.S. _Way_ too may LEOs are bullies, racist, or simply corrupt. Not just in the USA, In fact, our police are among the least corrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276/20 "2022-08-11T01:15:11Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Nope, right wingers hate you too! Well, they’re certainly making a stink that the FBI is lawfully doing their job. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-not-know-the-law-or-just-dont-care/969276.md?page=2)