# The Police **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283 "2003-01-27T17:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sinful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Sinful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinful)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/1 "2003-01-27T17:44:16Z")
…and I’m not talking about the 1980s new wave band. 😛 I’m talking about police officers. LAPD, NYPD, London PD, et al. What do you think of them? ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/2 "2003-01-27T17:56:03Z")
Good and bad employees everywhere, in every profession. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/3 "2003-01-27T18:02:12Z")
They’re people, just like me and you. 2 of my best freinds are police officers. What are you getting at? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/4 "2003-01-27T18:06:04Z")
I think they have a rough job and, in most cases, they don’t really get the credit they deserve. I _hate_ them because they have the authority to cuff me and haul my ass to jail, but it’d only be my own fault anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sinful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Sinful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinful)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/5 "2003-01-27T18:33:31Z")
In a nutshell, I’m a firm believer in a strong police force. The problem in many cities is that they’re under funded and there aren’t enough cops. Then there’s the problem of police brutality, racist cops and corrupt cops that all need to be dealt with. But not all cops are bad. Most police officers are regular joes and janes trying to put food on the table while protecting the citizenry. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/6 "2003-01-27T18:46:18Z")
There are good cops and bad cops and I’d say that most cops are good ones. _However_, at least around here, cops tend to have an “us vs. them” mentality and refuse to do anything to curtail the bad cops. I have never heard of a cop saying anything bad about own of their own, no matter how corrupt the guy turns out to be. There are all too many accounts of whistleblowers being actively harassed; cops would rather let one of them own beat up people indiscriminately than kick the jerk off the force, and anyone who tries to bring a modicum of professionalism to the rogues is ostracized. Around here, the cops are uncontrollable, since the took over the local Conservative party and can dictate which politicians get their endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/7 "2003-01-27T18:47:28Z")
[ul][li] You can’t live with them[/li][li] You can’t live without them.[/ul][/li] 😉 [sup]Or am I thinking of lady cops?[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/8 "2003-01-27T23:38:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sinful \* > \*\*In a nutshell, I’m a firm believer in a strong police force. The problem in many cities is that they’re under funded and there aren’t enough cops. Then there’s the problem of police brutality, racist cops and corrupt cops that all need to be dealt with. But not all cops are bad. Most police officers are regular joes and janes trying to put food on the table while protecting the citizenry. \*\* I agree with most of what you said, except that in a nutshell, I am a firm believer that we have too many police and that they have too much power. There is too much police brutality, racist cops and corrupt cops. Police are very good at writing reports for your insurance company AFTER a crime has been committed, or drawing chalk lines around your body on the pavement AFTER you are dead. They are not good at, nor are they authorized to protect you, or to prevent crime. Cops do not “protect” the citizenry. Cops are not body guards, and can do nothing until a crime is already committed, i.e., after the fact, after you have been criminalized. The gun a cop carries, is to protect him, not you. Police “do” catch a “small” fraction of criminals, but since we give so little actual jail time to convicted murderers, rapists, robbers, etc, the criminals are back on the street anyways in a few short years(96 months for convicted murderers, 73 months for convicted rapitsts, 48 months for convicted robbers, etc USA Today, October 24, 2001, page 1, Bureau of Justice Statistics). All the efforts of police, good and bad, to keep criminals off the streets are very temporary. Contrary to popular opinion, the job of a cop is not dangerous, and no insurance company charges a higher life insurance premium for cops. Farming is much more dangerous than being a cop. I know too many cops who drink and drive and do other things and never get punished at all because they just flash their badge when stoped by other cops, and they get away with it(“us vs. them” mentality ). Lots of today’s cops tend to forget that THEY are public ““SERVANTS””, and that it is we who are supposed to be their masters, we who are their bosses. Lots of cops forget just who is the master, and who is the servant. Most cops used to be good guys, and they prided themselves by actually calling themselves “peace officers”. Now they commonly call themselves “law enforcement officers”. Big difference. Those few good cops who still do believe and obey the US Constitution, who are not racists, and who do not abuse their authority, are ok employees in my book, and they deserve the salary that I give them, and they get good cooperation and appreciation from all us good citizens to help keep crime at bay. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/9 "2003-01-28T00:06:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Susanann \* > \*\*I agree with most of what you said, except that in a nutshell, I am a firm believer that we have too many police and that they have too much power. There is too much police brutality, racist cops and corrupt cops. \*\* They are also the ones you hear about most often. If there was 1 crooked cop in 10000, he/she would be the one making the news. That being said, you’ll get a bad cop just like you’ll get a pedophile preist or schoolbus driver. \*\* > [@](#): > > Police are very good at writing reports for your insurance company AFTER a crime has been committed, or drawing chalk lines around your body on the pavement AFTER you are dead. They are not good at, nor are they authorized to protect you, or to prevent crime. Cops do not “protect” the citizenry. Cops are not body guards, and can do nothing until a crime is already committed, i.e., after the fact, after you have been criminalized. > The gun a cop carries, is to protect him, not you.\*\* So, lets get this straight. Basically, you’re saying there isn’t a cop around when you need one, but earlier you say there are too many. 😕 A cop would shoot an armed criminal if it appeared he was going to endanger life. His sidearm is not _just_ for his/her own protection, although that is how it is usually used. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Police “do” catch a “small” fraction of criminals, but since we give so little actual jail time to convicted murderers, rapists, robbers, etc, the criminals are back on the street anyways in a few short years(96 months for convicted murderers, 73 months for convicted rapitsts, 48 months for convicted robbers, etc USA Today, October 24, 2001, page 1, Bureau of Justice Statistics). > All the efforts of police, good and bad, to keep criminals off the streets are very temporary. \*\* Police don’t make the laws. They enforce them. \*\* > [@](#): > > Contrary to popular opinion, the job of a cop is not dangerous, and no insurance company charges a higher life insurance premium for cops. Farming is much more dangerous than being a cop. \*\* Bullshit. I am not going to comment on the life insurance premiums, but I have seen injury stats and cops where right up there. I’ll try to dig some up. And yes, I’ll agree that farming is a dangerous occupation as well, but for totally different reasons. > [@](#): > > \*\* > I know too many cops who drink and drive and do other things and never get punished at all because they just flash their badge when stoped by other cops, and they get away with it(“us vs. them” mentality ). \*\*Yes, that happens at times. They’re humans. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Lots of today’s cops tend to forget that THEY are public ““SERVANTS””, and that it is we who are supposed to be their masters, we who are their bosses. Lots of cops forget just who is the master, and who is the servant. \*\*They are employed to protect the public. Not to fetch you a fucking coffee. \*\* > [@](#): > > Most cops used to be good guys, and they prided themselves by actually calling themselves “peace officers”. Now they commonly call themselves “law enforcement officers”. Big difference.\*\* What’s the big difference? FWIW, I’ve heard them called both. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Those few good cops who still do believe and obey the US Constitution, who are not racists, and who do not abuse their authority, are ok employees in my book, and they deserve the salary that I give them, and they get good cooperation and appreciation from all us good citizens to help keep crime at bay. \*\* Wow! Only a few? I’m sure they’ll be relieved they’ve got your stamp of approval. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/10 "2003-01-28T00:59:32Z")
First I noticed her eyes Then I noticed her badge. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/11 "2003-01-28T01:12:26Z")
**bernse** , if you wish to comment on the original question, please do so, but in an IMHO poll one does _not_ critique another poster’s answer. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/12 "2003-01-28T01:34:37Z")
We need 'em. I always have a good chuckle when I hear people talking about how the man can do this and that, and get away with all this stuff. Sounds pretty nice, and oh they are hiring, go join them. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/13 "2003-01-28T01:58:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \* > \*\ ***bernse** , if you wish to comment on the original question, please do so, but in an IMHO poll one does _not_ critique another poster’s answer. > Thank you. \*\* Of course. Apologies. Feel free to delete my post. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/14 "2003-01-28T02:44:17Z")
Not when it serves as a good example of how not to post. 🙂 BTW, watch the swearing, please. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/15 "2003-01-28T02:57:31Z")
bernse, don’t apologize, there are some folks that need a reality check. And I am going to critique your post: Job well done. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-police/151283/16 "2003-01-28T06:00:35Z")
**racer72** , please do try to remember which forum you are in, and act accordingly.