I may be missing something but why is there this trend to want to mess with cops doing their job? What are they trying to prove, what’s the profit ?
If you ain’t the perp, co operate and let cop move on. As a citizen it is your duty. There are a few bad cops but a lot more bad guys.
I would agree if there was a way to tell the regular cops from the uniformed thugs, but there isn't.
I am enthusiastically supportive of the former and intolerant of the latter. Thus it's always going to be in my best interest to keep my mouth shut.
When I retired USAF I briefly considered a career in LE, but there were two problems; first I hate DVs, the abusers, and the drama associated with them. I suppose training can overcome most of that. The second, and dispositive reason I didn't, involves police behavior I witnessed. When a 'bad cop' does bad stuff, the other cops are obligated to lie and cover up his bad behavior. They might be good cops, dedicated, professional, and valuable public servants, but if they expose the bad cop they're ostracized, so they're complicit. So in that regard all cops are or need to be 'bad cops'. Again, this is something I've seen firsthand.
The experts advise against talking to the police; I'll take their sage advice. There is no such thing as a casual conversation with an on-duty police officer; they have an agenda, and it isn't in support of
you. Given there are cops in here that don't know Terry Stop rules, it's best to say nothing and walk away.
During the OC movement in WA about a decade ago, we were patient with the officers for a long time, recognizing that they might not be aware of the laws (or lack of laws) governing it. We used each encounter as an opportunity to guide departments to issue training. Nobody got litigious unless the officer(s) disregarded their training bulletins and guidance.
We were always polite, never confrontational, and never trying to egg anyone (LE or citizens) on. Yeah, I've seen it happen, but only after the OC movement met its goal and the johnny-come-lately OCers saw it as a way to stir the pot. There are far more numbnuts carrying concealed, and casting a bad light on firearms carry than OCers- we tend to be very polite.
In any event, yes, we should always do our civic duty. Once you've had a few encounters, it becomes very easy and fast to know when the encounter is legitimate or a just a 'bad cops' fishing expedition.
