# I hate the oppressive police culture in the USA **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534 "2014-09-15T04:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/141 "2014-09-17T14:47:11Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually it was released in response to a Freedom of Information request from members of the police, not at the behest of the police. That should read “from members of the public”. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/142 "2014-09-17T17:13:47Z")
> [@XT](#): > > It’s just a bunch of anecdotes in an IMHO thread. So, before I get riled up I’d like to see some stats on exactly how many ordinary citizens have been arrested and prosecuted for having prescription drugs in their car outside of the bottle, even if they produce the RX. YMMV of course, since you obviously have a CHiP on your shoulder. 😛 One anecdote, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Highboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@Highboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Highboy)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/143 "2014-09-18T02:55:57Z")
I agree 100% with everything you said Grude. I knew all the replies on here would be negative. Bunch of fuckin morons. The police are the biggest gang in the United States. I fucking hate them and everything they stand for. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/144 "2014-09-18T05:02:40Z")
> [@Highboy](#): > > I knew all the replies on here would be negative. Bunch of fuckin morons. It’s against the rules to call other posters names outside of the BBQ Pit. Don’t do this again. Idle Thoughts IMHO Mod ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/145 "2014-09-18T16:09:19Z")
See, that’s an example of the oppressive mod culture we have here on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/146 "2014-09-18T16:59:05Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > See, that’s an example of the oppressive mod culture we have here on the SDMB. Complaints about the oppressive mod culture belong in ATMB. Are you a registered member of the Dope? Let’s see your membership papers. Have you been drinking? What’s in that bottle? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/147 "2014-09-18T18:12:15Z")
Attica! Attica! Power to the people! Down with the capitalist hegemony! Regards, Occupy the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/148 "2014-09-18T18:15:18Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Complaints about the oppressive mod culture belong in ATMB. Are you a registered member of the Dope? Let’s see your membership papers. Have you been drinking? What’s in that bottle? _snap of rubber glove going on_ Now, bend over…this won’t hurt a bit… ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/149 "2014-09-18T18:18:14Z")
> [@XT](#): > > _snap of rubber glove going on_ Now, bend over…this won’t hurt a bit… Come see the violence inherent in the system! HELP! HELP! I’M BEING REPRESSED! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/150 "2014-09-18T18:21:03Z")
_:lobs a scimitar at **Idle Thoughts** :_ Splash, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/151 "2014-09-18T22:17:56Z")
Sometimes I wonder if there is a generational issue here, if you’re not a minority or live in an area where police were more reasonable decades ago you were a young person before the sea change in US policing from community servants to actively looking for a reason to arrest every member of the public they see. And now as older adults you are out of the age range usually targeted by the cops for harassment, hence you have no reason to believe cops are heavy handed. I could be off base but who knows, it is a theory. \*Just to add to this all my bad experiences with cops have been in urban areas in the south, I agree rural areas are a different experience. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/152 "2014-09-18T23:42:47Z")
I agree location could have something to do with it. I live in Pima County, AZ near Tucson, but I’m in an unincorporated part of the county. Our responding police force is the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. I live kind of in between two small towns, Marana, pop. about 38,000, and Oro Valley, pop. about 46,000. Each has their own police department. Where I live runs mostly rural to suburban, so there is very little crime. The people living here value and respect their respective police forces and you don’t hear about people getting hassled. Downtown Tucson is probably a different matter. There are more homeless people and drug and prostitution activity. There’s more of a likelihood of police being more aggressive in keeping down crime and more of a chance of innocent people being stopped for no reason. Where I live, there is little or no suspicious activity going on, so there’s more reason for citizens and the police to trust each other. Not to say the police have reason to hassle anyone in a high-crime area merely for suspicion of a crime being committed, but to the police, everyone in such an area is wearing a target. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/153 "2014-09-18T23:53:09Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Sometimes I wonder if there is a generational issue here, if you’re not a minority or live in an area where police were more reasonable decades ago you were a young person before the sea change in US policing from community servants to actively looking for a reason to arrest every member of the public they see. > > And now as older adults you are out of the age range usually targeted by the cops for harassment, hence you have no reason to believe cops are heavy handed. > > I could be off base but who knows, it is a theory. > \*Just to add to this all my bad experiences with cops have been in urban areas in the south, I agree rural areas are a different experience. I share your theory about where the naïveté comes from – not being exposed to first-hand examples due to demographics – but what of the comments indicating that one’s look or demeanor must be inviting the police interaction? As if failing to be a conservative-looking mature caucasian somehow is a minor crime in and of itself, so if such people are subject to harassment it’s fine and dandy? It’s like unless they see it happen to someone they think is like themselves, whatever that may be, they can’t see it as a problem. We are confronted with news stories about clearly inappropriate police actions every day, but some people just dig their heads into the sand deeper and think its a few bad actors, rather than a systemic problem. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/154 "2014-09-19T00:32:42Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I will say in Germany and Europe driving while intoxicated is taken far more harshly than the USA, but that is good. No kidding. I was driving on the Autobahn in late July/ early August for about 10 days, on and off. Holy mother of god. I’m white-knuckled because I’m doing 80-90 mph ( yes, yes, they count in klicks. The Odometer showed both so I knew what I was really doing ) and periodically BMW’s would go screaming by me as though I were stopped on the side of the highway ( which I found out is illegal. Interesting… ) enjoying an ice cream cone. My GOD they drive fast there. :eek: I cannot imagine being near a drunk driver who is going at those speeds. To the OP, I’m not keen on the rising level of violence in this country either, but compared to living in most other countries, I’ll be very happy to remain here, thankyouverymuch. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/155 "2014-09-19T00:39:33Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > I share your theory about where the naïveté comes from – not being exposed to first-hand examples due to demographics – but what of the comments indicating that one’s look or demeanor must be inviting the police interaction? As if failing to be a conservative-looking mature caucasian somehow is a minor crime in and of itself, so if such people are subject to harassment it’s fine and dandy? > It’s like unless they see it happen to someone they think is like themselves, whatever that may be, they can’t see it as a problem. We are confronted with news stories about clearly inappropriate police actions every day, but some people just dig their heads into the sand deeper and think its a few bad actors, rather than a systemic problem. I will continue to believe that. ---
**Author:** ![Highboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@Highboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Highboy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/156 "2014-09-19T01:14:30Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > It’s against the rules to call other posters names outside of the BBQ Pit. Don’t do this again. > > Idle Thoughts > IMHO Mod Power trip much? Sounds like maybe u shoulda been a cop. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/157 "2014-09-19T03:18:31Z")
> [@Highboy](#): > > Power trip much? Sounds like maybe u shoulda been a cop. Not being allowed to insult others outside of the BBQ Pit is [a global and long time rule here:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/faq.php?faq=vb3_board_faq#faq_sdmb_rules) > [@](#): > > You are free to express your views in a forceful manner provided you remain civil. **Hate speech, insults, and purposely inflammatory remarks (i.e., trolling) will not be tolerated**. If you want to appeal it or discuss it, make a topic in ATMB, but don’t post about it in this thread again. ---
**Author:** ![Highboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@Highboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Highboy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/158 "2014-09-19T19:19:32Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Not being allowed to insult others outside of the BBQ Pit is [a global and long time rule here:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/faq.php?faq=vb3_board_faq#faq_sdmb_rules) > > If you want to appeal it or discuss it, make a topic in ATMB, but don’t post about it in this thread again. No really, you must be a cop. Do you get a little power trip from telling people what to do? Lmao ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/159 "2014-09-19T19:22:27Z")
> [@Highboy](#): > > No really, you must be a cop. > > Do you get a little power trip from telling people what to do? Lmao I think this will work out well for you… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534/160 "2014-09-19T19:39:27Z")
> [@Highboy](#): > > No really, you must be a cop. > > Do you get a little power trip from telling people what to do? Lmao With only seven posts so far, one of them breaking a rule, two of them thumbing their nose at the chiding for it, and the rest all seemingly troll-like in nature, it’s clear you’re here for only one reason. I’ll show you the door. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-oppressive-police-culture-in-the-usa/698534.md?page=9)