# Do you generally trust the police as an institution? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984 "2014-12-01T00:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/1 "2014-12-01T00:07:24Z")
This strikes me as a key factor in one’s attitude in approaching the Fergueon controversy (not always, but significantly enough). Feel free to elaborate (e.g. I only distrust them when they serve the war on drugs). ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/2 "2014-12-01T00:10:24Z")
Yes. Reason 2341 why it fucking rules to be white. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/3 "2014-12-01T00:11:52Z")
Generally - yes, in the area where I live. Can’t say about the other areas, even in general. Particularly - I’d have to know the particulars. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/4 "2014-12-01T00:15:33Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Generally - yes, in the area where I live. Can’t say about the other areas, even in general. Particularly - I’d have to know the particulars. How about when you visit another area, or if you were to move? I think your visceral/default assumptions could help answer the question…? ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/5 "2014-12-01T00:28:50Z")
There has never been a culture, society, civilization, or Galactic Empire etc… in which the police could be trusted. That’s why we have a United States Constitution. Distrust of police was one of the main motivations behind the Bill Of Rights. People who act to expand the powers of the police at all levels (Reagan and W come first to mind) are the ones to be mistrusted. That said I think Big Mike was a crazy fool who deserves no sympathy unless maybe Baby Jesus can scrape some together for him. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/6 "2014-12-01T00:42:55Z")
> [@slowlearner](#): > > Distrust of police was one of the main motivations behind the Bill Of Rights. The Bill of Rights generally didn’t restrict the police (or any other state officials) until the mid-20th century, so it was executed very poorly if that was the case. ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/7 "2014-12-01T00:52:25Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > This strikes me as a key factor in one’s attitude in approaching the Fergueon controversy (not always, but significantly enough). > > Feel free to elaborate (e.g. I only distrust them when they serve the war on drugs). I don’t generally offer my trust to anyone who hasn’t specifically proven themselves to me to be trustworthy—authority figures even less so, armed authority figures, even less so than that. There is a lot more to lose by being overly trusting than there is by being guarded. I still think the rioting in Ferguson is senseless. I’d call it, _misplaced rage_. If you believe the police are the source of your woes, then direct your rage at them, not random Joe shopkeeper, just because he’s in a convenient location. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/8 "2014-12-01T00:52:44Z")
No, I do not trust the police. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/9 "2014-12-01T00:55:17Z")
Generally, yes. But I realize I’m not in any group that is typically harassed by the police. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/10 "2014-12-01T00:59:09Z")
Well, I trust them more than I trust criminals. That said, I had a non-white boyfriend in 1980s north Florida. I’m very white and very American. We were traffic stopped and the car searched a lot simply because we were a mixed-race couple in a decent car. (We were both students, so the only thing anyone ever found was a lot of textbooks and bad artwork I’d done for class.) So I’ve had a bit of a glimpse into the the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/11 "2014-12-01T01:07:04Z")
Yes. As I said quite a while back in another thread, I have been in legal trouble before (won’t give details, but was arrested but not jailed, and ultimately did not get a criminal record). I guess being disabled probably worked in my favour, but I was treated as respectfully by the police as one would expect a complete asshole (me at the time 🙂 ) to be treated. I don’t particularly care what other people think of the police - I respect the Edmonton police individually and collectively, even more so after that little incident. I realize that there are exceptions, but I firmly believe the majority of people’s “issues” with the police are their own fault. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/12 "2014-12-01T02:10:46Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > How about when you visit another area, or if you were to move? I think your visceral/default assumptions could help answer the question…? I usually research the areas to which I move before I move. One thing that I am looking for is low crime/good policing. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/13 "2014-12-01T02:17:49Z")
Sure I trust the cops, provided you are white, respectful, and aware of the possibility of railroad justice. I am all 3. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/14 "2014-12-01T02:25:09Z")
I never fully trusted the police, but any trust I did have evaporated completely once I heard about the bullshit that perfectly ordinary, law abiding citizens were subjected to for driving outside the State with Colorado tags. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/15 "2014-12-01T02:51:09Z")
As individuals…I’ve known some really decent ones. As an institution? No. I think the job attracts a lot of people that want to boss other people around and bully them if possible. Plus, police are the most lied to people on earth and after a while…they start to think that everyone is lying all the time. I worry about the whole militarization of police departments and the old “If you are a hammer every problem looks like a nail” situation. IME, there is a strong current of “If you’re not an LEO, you ain’t shit” with a lot of them. In my life I have been “inner circle” with a few county sheriff families, seen the good and the bad. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/16 "2014-12-01T03:03:48Z")
Not in the least little bit. Not with any weapons, not with any power. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/17 "2014-12-01T03:07:58Z")
Yes. I’m also not a criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/18 "2014-12-01T03:10:52Z")
No. They serve a useful function but they can be very thuggish and insular with very little respect for the public. Not all are like that, but enough are that I don’t default trust the police. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/19 "2014-12-01T04:03:20Z")
Trust them to do _what_? It really depends on what the situation is and what outcome is desired. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984/20 "2014-12-01T04:23:28Z")
Yes, but I also make an effort to remain very aware that my positive interactions with the police (as individuals, as an institution) are heavily informed by the fact that I’m a white woman who looks like a mom (I mean, I am a mom but even before that, I had a very mom look, like I might at any moment go to a PTA meeting). There are a lot of cops in my family, so I’m pretty comfortable with cop culture in general … BUT wow, am I ever aware this is A LOT of privilege on my part. I tend to think that most cops are good individuals, but am more suspect of the institution, and feel that we (in the US) have a system that creates situations that tip to the worst case scenario rather than the best case. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-generally-trust-the-police-as-an-institution/705984.md?page=2)