# Not All Cops Are Trigger-Happy Rednecks **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 25, 2010, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930 "2010-07-25T06:55:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/41 "2010-07-25T23:33:10Z")
I’m with the OP. I’m also smack-dab in one of the demographics least likely to have contact with the police. Young white female driving a 4-door family sedan who doesn’t smoke pot, have illegal weapons or do anything that would grab the attention of a police officer. It’s hard for me to have sympathy towards people who do something they know will get them in trouble (like carrying marijuana on their person) and then bitch when they get caught. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/42 "2010-07-25T23:44:46Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > I’m with the OP. > > I’m also smack-dab in one of the demographics least likely to have contact with the police. Young white female driving a 4-door family sedan who doesn’t smoke pot, have illegal weapons or do anything that would grab the attention of a police officer. > > It’s hard for me to have sympathy towards people who do something they know will get them in trouble (like carrying marijuana on their person) and then bitch when they get caught. Why don’t you get a fucking clue. No one here is saying we should sympathize with criminals. The whole point is that sometimes it’s the COPS who act like criminals. Those who view them as bastions of all that is good and right tend to turn a blind eye to their abuse of power. I do believe that some on the other side of the fence do the opposite and think of them all as untrustworthy. The truth lies in the middle as is usually the case. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/43 "2010-07-25T23:44:50Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > It’s hard for me to have sympathy towards people who do something they know will get them in trouble (like carrying marijuana on their person) and then bitch when they get caught. Yeah, because that’s what this thread is all about: people who bitch about getting caught doing something illegal. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/44 "2010-07-25T23:57:25Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > It would be helpful if the OP could link to the post of the person who claimed that “All Cops Are Trigger-Happy Rednecks”, because I can’t find it. Yeah, the OP should get it right – it’s [“inbred redneck dickless assholes”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12719323#post12719323). ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/45 "2010-07-26T00:06:24Z")
You’re an imbecile. But we know this already **Hal Briston** , you don’t need to keep proving it to us. You see, the rest of us -with normal working brains- understood his question to be “who claimed that **ALL** cops are…”. The post you so kindly provided as evidence of your idiocy, is about the **SPECIFIC** cops who are tazing the hell out of the 57 year old woman. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/46 "2010-07-26T00:37:03Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > > [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > > > > > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > > > > > > > If the majority of police officers were so altruistic, they should be willing to do the job for a minimum wage. Nobody is forcing them to take such a challenging job. > > > > > > One could say the same thing about doctors, lawyers, firefighters, and pretty much anyone else who does a job they like because they like helping other people. > > > > Are you suggesting that all those people go in that field because they want to help people? If only that were true. > > Did I say “all”? No, but the response would indicate the vast majority went for more altruistic reasons over money. I doubt that. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/47 "2010-07-26T00:42:29Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > You’re an imbecile. But we know this already **Hal Briston** , you don’t need to keep proving it to us. Sorry, but I have another imbecilic question. Can you please explain the definition of “redundant”, as used by **MTCicero** in the [previously linked post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12719323#post12719323), to show how he _wasn’t_ referring to all cops? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/48 "2010-07-26T01:05:52Z")
> [@Cort](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Overall, cops do us all a great service by making our lives safer. Of course, the thousands of arrests that go perfectly smoothly and put deadly criminals behind bars are never reported, but when a cop shoots a gundealer because he looked like he pulled out a gun, we’re all morrally outraged. > > > > Why can’t we all recognize the great service 99.9% of cops do us, and realize that the other cops are the exception, not the norm? > > Fucking well said! I was at the G8 protests in London last year (not protesting, I used to work round that area) and I saw some mad anarchist slagging off a bunch of cops outside a bank. Anyway, he was saying shit like “All cops are pigs and pigs are only good for slaughter” and other really repugnant shit. The police were just standing there taking it, which I thought was admirable. Anyway, some of my best mates are cops and so I was really offended by this so I said to him “You do realise that if someone punched your lights out 'cos of what you’re saying, they’re the _only_ people round here who’d give a shit, right?” People don’t appreciate cops enough, IMO. Yeah, I’ve got to agree with you both, here. Cops do us a great service, and despite the fact that _some_ cops are douche bags, not all of them are – most are not. > [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I am not _against_ the police. I am _afraid_ of the police. -Alfred Hitchcock > > If they want my support they can try to be friendly. I don’t fear the police – I have no reason to. I’m a 20 year old male, and have always been a big, mean looking kid – admittedly I am white, so I’ve got that going for me. _But_, I’ve never had a run in with the cops that turned out negatively for me, and there were repeatedly times when by all rights it could have. I’ve always been a mouthy, sarcastic jerk of a person. I’m acerbic and sharp tongued, and despite this, and my size (6ish feet, and now around 200, but formerly around 300 pounds), every interaction with cops I’ve had was a positive one. In high school, I skipped class and smoked pot. I was still on decent terms with the officers who worked at my school, and most of the cops who worked at/around the station (which is next door to my high school). Really, the only regret I have was not being nicer to them, and working harder in school. I didn’t get in any trouble with them, and wouldn’t have gotten in any without first starting trouble. People bitch about cops a lot, and I’ve had quiet a few interactions with them (usually friendly, no business other than chatting), and the few times it’s been anything other than shooting shit (or talking guns – even high school, I was a fan of firearms…) it’s been quick, professional, and reasonable. People need to stop bitching about “cops” and start bitching about individuals. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/49 "2010-07-26T01:59:20Z")
I heard a noise in front of my house. The cops had pulled over a couple teens. They were being very abusive and nasty to them. I went to the front yard and pretended to trim my front tree. The cop yelled at me and told me to go back in my home. I asked him what he was talking about and he bitched at me for a while threatening me with arrest for not following a police order. He eventually calmed down and went away. I felt like I saved the kids a beating. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/50 "2010-07-26T02:03:26Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > I heard a noise in front of my house. The cops had pulled over a couple teens. They were being very abusive and nasty to them. I went to the front yard and pretended to trim my front tree. The cop yelled at me and told me to go back in my home. I asked him what he was talking about and he bitched at me for a while threatening me with arrest for not following a police order. He eventually calmed down and went away. I felt like I saved the kids a beating. Aww, aren’t you just a super hero savior. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/51 "2010-07-26T02:08:43Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@CWN](#): > > > > Who on this board ever said cops have the right to “assault , rob or murder anyone they please”? > > I said “in this country”, not on this board. This board is pretty centrist; while America is nigh-fascist in its worship of cops and soldiers. If we have any “worship” for soldiers, policemen and firemen, its because they by and large are decent people doing a yeoman’s job for low pay and are providing necessary services/protection/etcetera. True, there are many many crazies and morons on a power trip in all of these areas, and I wish we did a better job of screening them out and getting rid of them, but these people are appreciated for the job(s) they do because its not a job just anyone can do or would be willing to do so. On the surface, all are noble professions all things considered. And relatively thankless, despite your assertion of worship and flag-waving. And we aren’t anywhere close to being a fascist country. That notion is just absurd. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/52 "2010-07-26T03:13:08Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > I heard a noise in front of my house. The cops had pulled over a couple teens. They were being very abusive and nasty to them. I went to the front yard and pretended to trim my front tree. The cop yelled at me and told me to go back in my home. I asked him what he was talking about and he bitched at me for a while threatening me with arrest for not following a police order. He eventually calmed down and went away. I felt like I saved the kids a beating. > > Aww, aren’t you just a super hero savior. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/53 "2010-07-26T03:21:12Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > > [@CWN](#): > > > > > > Who on this board ever said cops have the right to “assault , rob or murder anyone they please”? > > > > I said “in this country”, not on this board. This board is pretty centrist; while America is nigh-fascist in its worship of cops and soldiers. > > If we have any “worship” for soldiers, policemen and firemen, its because they by and large are decent people doing a yeoman’s job for low pay and are providing necessary services/protection/etcetera. True, there are many many crazies and morons on a power trip in all of these areas, and I wish we did a better job of screening them out and getting rid of them, but these people are appreciated for the job(s) they do because its not a job just anyone can do or would be willing to do so. > > On the surface, all are noble professions all things considered. And relatively thankless, despite your assertion of worship and flag-waving. > > And we aren’t anywhere close to being a fascist country. That notion is just absurd. I think they make pretty good money. They also get strong benefits and retirement. The ones with talent get promoted and can make a lot of money. TV does a good job of making people believe cops spend their lives in shootouts. It is not as dangerous as people think. In the next community from mine a cop got killed in the line of duty. he was the first one ever. The township has been around a long time. It has a population of 66,000 and is connected to a couple of cities. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/54 "2010-07-26T03:41:46Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > > [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > > Did I say “all”? > > No, but the response would indicate the vast majority went for more altruistic reasons over money. I doubt that. And your response indicates that my original point sailed right over your head. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/55 "2010-07-26T04:10:06Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > > > > [@CWN](#): > > > > > > > > Who on this board ever said cops have the right to “assault , rob or murder anyone they please”? > > > > > > I said “in this country”, not on this board. This board is pretty centrist; while America is nigh-fascist in its worship of cops and soldiers. > > > > If we have any “worship” for soldiers, policemen and firemen, its because they by and large are decent people doing a yeoman’s job for low pay and are providing necessary services/protection/etcetera. True, there are many many crazies and morons on a power trip in all of these areas, and I wish we did a better job of screening them out and getting rid of them, but these people are appreciated for the job(s) they do because its not a job just anyone can do or would be willing to do so. > > > > On the surface, all are noble professions all things considered. And relatively thankless, despite your assertion of worship and flag-waving. > > > > And we aren’t anywhere close to being a fascist country. That notion is just absurd. > > I think they make pretty good money. They also get strong benefits and retirement. The ones with talent get promoted and can make a lot of money. TV does a good job of making people believe cops spend their lives in shootouts. It is not as dangerous as people think. In the next community from mine a cop got killed in the line of duty. he was the first one ever. The township has been around a long time. It has a population of 66,000 and is connected to a couple of cities. The money is OK for a lower middle class living for most cops. YMMV depending on where the jurisdiction is. Some inner-cities pay cops shit while they make a good living being a security guard for a gated community. It just depends. I don’t know anyone that would call a cop’s pay “pretty good money”, though. Unless you’re the Chief of Police or something…then you approach six-figure territory. Its _decent_ in most places, but like the role of soldiers, teachers. firemen, etc I think its still underpaid. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/56 "2010-07-26T04:23:02Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > > > > [@CWN](#): > > > > > > > > Who on this board ever said cops have the right to “assault , rob or murder anyone they please”? > > > > > > I said “in this country”, not on this board. This board is pretty centrist; while America is nigh-fascist in its worship of cops and soldiers. > > > > If we have any “worship” for soldiers, policemen and firemen, its because they by and large are decent people doing a yeoman’s job for low pay and are providing necessary services/protection/etcetera. True, there are many many crazies and morons on a power trip in all of these areas, and I wish we did a better job of screening them out and getting rid of them, but these people are appreciated for the job(s) they do because its not a job just anyone can do or would be willing to do so. > > > > On the surface, all are noble professions all things considered. And relatively thankless, despite your assertion of worship and flag-waving. > > > > And we aren’t anywhere close to being a fascist country. That notion is just absurd. > > I think they make pretty good money. They also get strong benefits and retirement. The ones with talent get promoted and can make a lot of money. TV does a good job of making people believe cops spend their lives in shootouts. It is not as dangerous as people think. In the next community from mine a cop got killed in the line of duty. he was the first one ever. The township has been around a long time. It has a population of 66,000 and is connected to a couple of cities. Yeah… cops don’t make “pretty good money.” They make okay money. They make enough to eat, and to live, but the cops who I know need to work 2nd jobs to make ends meet in the areas they live, and/or their wives work full time jobs if they’re married. A lot of cops work security for events, like School football games, or Pro Hockey games (or any sports arena). And while you say “That’s a benefit of being a cop,” I say “it’s more work that they need to do to make ends meet, beyond the normal 40.” Yes, it pays more – but being a half decent CPA makes at least as much or more than a cop, doesn’t have physicals, shooting proficiencies, angry people (okay, some angry people) trying tell you that you’re “just out to get 'em, cause they a minority” (what, if the other side can say all cops suck, I can say all people who are pulled by cops suck too… wait, you only like broad generalizations when they agree with you, Gonzo? Oh damn… nevermind…), etc, etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/57 "2010-07-26T04:24:16Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > > [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > > > > Did I say “all”? > > > > No, but the response would indicate the vast majority went for more altruistic reasons over money. I doubt that. > > And your response indicates that my original point sailed right over your head. No it did not. Actually saying they do a job they like because they like helping other people makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/58 "2010-07-26T04:28:09Z")
I’d love it if 99.9% of the cops were good cops, because the .01% who were bad would screw up in front of the good ones, be reported to internal affairs, and be out of the picture. And yet, somehow, it seems like the bad cops don’t screw up in front of the good ones, they only seem to screw up in front of video cameras. Not all video cameras, because the dash cams often malfunction, and the CCTV is notoriously bad for going out whenever something exciting happens, and the witnesses phone cameras seem to wind up wiped or lost if they get near enough for the police to confiscate, but some video cameras. They tend to be video cameras that show up after all of the reports from the good cops are in, detailing that hail of bottles from the demonstrators (Ian Tomlinson), or the belligerent and combative lunging of the deceased (Robert Dziekanski), or the way cats can affect a traffic [accident](http://http://www.freedomslighthouse.com/2009/07/dashcam-video-of-police-conspiring-to.html) ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/59 "2010-07-26T04:43:12Z")
The CCTV mention above should have included a reference to Jean Charles De Menezies. I’m sure that this is all just a coincidence, though, and that there is nothing wrong with the culture of police departments that might cause them to cover for one another. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930/60 "2010-07-26T05:03:33Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I am not _against_ the police. I am _afraid_ of the police. -Alfred Hitchcock I searched for that quote on Google and I found only three hits. All three of those hits were from you, on the SDMB, claiming that Hitchcock said that. [Here](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7077271&postcount=31) and [here](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2920096&postcount=35). What Hitchcock _really_ said was “I’m not against the police, I’m just afraid of them.”! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-all-cops-are-trigger-happy-rednecks/547930.md?page=4)