Is anyone else as tired as I am reading all the cop bashing on the internet? I realize it’s not allowed here, and that’s a good thing, but some of the stuff these clueless, entitled people post is pretty stupid. They lump all cops into the same basket & mention getting rid of qualified immunity without knowing anything about it. This is pretty easy to do from the safety of a keyboard, and absent any facts, training or experience. I’ve learned not to even try and correct them b/c they don’t want to hear it. A few years back I tried to educate someone on how criminal trespass works in hopes of helping people avoid arrest, but they called me all sorts of names. I was a cop for 30 yrs (retired in ‘97) that included OIS, seeing my partner gunned down and delivering the bad news to a new, young widow, and staying with her for several hours. I did spend a brief time in IA getting rid of bad cops so I have seen & done it all. Thanks for listening, rant over.
Internet Cop Bashing
- Thread starter Old cop
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Faulkner
Member
Funny how the bashers never call a celebrity or athlete to come help them when they get in a bind.
That's the thing about the internet...if you aren't very careful where you look 90% of it will make you annoyed, sad, mad, depressed, or sick at your stomach!
Rotorhead1026
Member
Forums and (add your preferred social media site) are the preferred outlet for idiots. Those people used to just mumble to themselves; now they’ve got the internet.
Last edited:
Most of those who bash police don't realize that any decent officer despises a crooked officer more than a regular citizen does. Those police officers who don't are in the crooked officer category.
I too fired officers and was ill when an officer that I wanted to fire resigned before I could pull the trigger. (The state of NC' personnel rules require three days to fire somebody. Anybody with half a brain will resign before the third day).
What is worse is the failure of a police administrator to require an extensive background investigation, a psychological exam and a polygraph exam before hiring someone.
Police officers come from society. There are all types of people in society and occasionally one slips through the cracks. I can say that in my 46 years as a sworn law enforcement officer, good officers are more than ten to one more prevalent than bad ones.
I too fired officers and was ill when an officer that I wanted to fire resigned before I could pull the trigger. (The state of NC' personnel rules require three days to fire somebody. Anybody with half a brain will resign before the third day).
What is worse is the failure of a police administrator to require an extensive background investigation, a psychological exam and a polygraph exam before hiring someone.
Police officers come from society. There are all types of people in society and occasionally one slips through the cracks. I can say that in my 46 years as a sworn law enforcement officer, good officers are more than ten to one more prevalent than bad ones.
Last edited:
Autonomous
Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2017
- Messages
- 1,112
- Reaction score
- 1,716
Mass, cheap entertainment including sophisticated propaganda and lack of consequences has a lot to do with how incredibly shallow, irresponsible and emotion driven huge segments of society have become.
Right behind you. Retired after 27 years in 2011. Finished up Detective Bureau Commander and also worked IA.
Agree with you; there’s nothing lower than a bad cop, but I’m no longer interested in hearing about the subject from the peanut gallery.
No offense against anyone who has an opinion but I’m at the point that I no longer even disclose my prior career to many people. Most folks with an axe to grind are poorly informed and base their opinions on sparse anecdotal information or a complaint against a single officer. If asked, I reveal that I was an oil truck delivery driver and school bus driver. Also true.
Sorry, I may have hijacker’s your rant.
It’s a hard job that takes dedication and training. Most of the time just plain boring. Other times it can be a little terrifying Everyone thinks they can do it better. Including certain people on the internet.
Probably the same people who were never in the military that bash everything they do.
On forums if they are persistent I just put them on ignore and continue on with life.
Probably the same people who were never in the military that bash everything they do.
On forums if they are persistent I just put them on ignore and continue on with life.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
People have always hated cops. Its just the internet that makes it seem worse now.
ColbyBruce
Member
Some folks sure are thin skinned. You ought to try being a retired USPS letter carrier.
LVSteve
Member
Cops get the blame for the qualified immunity thing, but it is the jurisdictions that should really be pilloried. The police are employed by a local authority, and when their cops foul up I have no issue with the jurisdiction paying up. People being killed because the cops went to the wrong address, or SWAT trashing a house where the perp is long gone are "shouldn't happen" events, and when they do, I firmly believe the bill should be sent to the jurisdiction. Yes, it will push up the insurance of all the myriad of podunk authorities to the point they may have tax and spend issues. Well, welcome to the 21st century where the person deemed responsible for the screw up pays. This is what is expected.
It is my firm belief that, at some point, POTUS is going to rule that qualified immunity doesn't fly. Better hope that it is limited to a particular case and not generally. That said, even a ruling in a single case will shake to the tree, big time.
At the same time what needs to change is that an admission of wrong doing makes you or your jurisdiction uninsurable. The insurance industry needs to be taken by the throat and shaken until lunch reappears for that attitude. This taking a multi-million dollar payout as a de facto admission of wrong doing is just window dressing. Admitting mistakes is not a sin in of itself, but large chunks of the Anglo-Saxon Western world treat it as such. The same game is played in the UK. See the current UK Post Office scandal, Norfolk's mental health services, and the City of Nottingham's effective bankruptcy.
TL;DR version. If your cops foul up bad enough, the jurisdiction pays up.
It is my firm belief that, at some point, POTUS is going to rule that qualified immunity doesn't fly. Better hope that it is limited to a particular case and not generally. That said, even a ruling in a single case will shake to the tree, big time.
At the same time what needs to change is that an admission of wrong doing makes you or your jurisdiction uninsurable. The insurance industry needs to be taken by the throat and shaken until lunch reappears for that attitude. This taking a multi-million dollar payout as a de facto admission of wrong doing is just window dressing. Admitting mistakes is not a sin in of itself, but large chunks of the Anglo-Saxon Western world treat it as such. The same game is played in the UK. See the current UK Post Office scandal, Norfolk's mental health services, and the City of Nottingham's effective bankruptcy.
TL;DR version. If your cops foul up bad enough, the jurisdiction pays up.
fiasconva
Member
When I was a young smart aleck teen hanging out with some white trash hoods I had nothing but disdain and hatred for our local LEO's, just like they did. Once I grew up and got some sense and ridded myself of them my attitude changed completely. I have great respect for the boys in blue and the almost impossible job they have to do today. I hate seeing all the disrespect and bashing they get online. IMHO, the vast majority of LEO's are good hardworking, honest people that are a credit to their profession. But just like any other profession, it's the bad ones that get the publicity.
Last edited:
cballman
Member
The majority of every Police Officer I have known has been an excellent role model to the citizens. Even the one that wrote me a speeding ticket. I am not and will never be a police officer. I didnt even stay at a Holiday inn last night. A few years ago my wife and I witnessed a wreck involving a drugged out person. When my son who happened to be a paramedic on scene and we watched him do his thing and didnt even acknowledge us at all, I was a proud father. I was talking to some firemen on the scene and a young officer came over and started asking what I was doing and why I was there. I calmly explained that my wife witnessed the accident and thought they needed witnesses but if he didnt I would just leave and go to work. He then asked for my license and wanted to know what happened and I explained in detail. The funny part was when he looked at my license, then looked at my son, then looked back at me , then looked at my son again THEN I had to explain to him that yes that was my son and we both had the same name. The firemen almost laughed the poor boy off the scene. So sometimes the attitude of people can be a fun to play with even young police officers.
I'm not surprised. Research about prejudice conducted after World War 2 found that people who are highly prejudiced (against any group) are immune to any factual data that counters their prejudice. They refuse to learn from factual information and continue to flout their prejudice. The internet has made it much easier to broadcast such drivel anonymously, making much of today's internet a sewer of prejudice. We are very fortunate that our moderators make the Forum is a safe haven from that, er, stuff.
As a crusty old lieutenant told me 40 years ago after we all came off the line at a coal mine strike, "Do your your job and no one likes you; don't do your job and no one respects you." It's a daily choice.
cmj8591
Member
Be careful what you wish for with the qualified immunity thing. If it goes away for the cops, then it will go away for everyone else. It will become impossible for any city or town to do business. Contrary to what you may hear or want to believe, qualified immunity does not protect anyone who commits a negligent or criminal action in performance of their duties.
It's at least worth considering that strangers very often reflect upon one a person's behavior towards them.
I grew up around cops. My dad was a Game Warden. I have vacationed, hunted camped, and just visited with cops my whole life. I have seen them go out of their way to make a young boy (me) smile. I have seen them at my kitchen table, head down, talking about someone they couldn't help, and how crappy that made them feel. What I never witnessed was them talking about beating the hell out of someone who wouldn't shut up, shooting someone who wasn't a threat, or even make a racist joke, much less violate someone's rights because of their color. They were professionals that cared deeply about doing their jobs and serving their community. I have watched a 20 year Sergeant cry into his whiskey over a DV homicide that he felt he should have prevented. Bash cops if it makes you feel better, but don't expect me to buy into it.
LoadedRound
Member
"Thanks for listening, rant over."
Old cop has earned the right to rant.
Old cop has earned the right to rant.
Similar threads
