Today's Law Enforcement

[Faulkner]

Timothy McVeigh and Ted Bundy were caught on "routine traffic stop(s)". Son of Sam was caught due to parking tickets. Stories like this and the way society thinks of today's law enforcement officers truly makes a person reconsider this career.

It's scary to think that one day, doing the job and of protecting their own life and those they are sworn to protect, an officer will have to make a split second decision that others will take months to tear apart and report on how it should have been done. Few of those providing the Monday morning analysis are trained in this profession. Decisions officers make every day can land them in jail while he's fighting the evil everyone wants to pretend doesn't exist make many of them rethink this job every single day, especially the dedicated ones. I know I used to love getting up for work and being there to help better my community, but in these times I wonder if the community supports us.

Things have changed, now many officers struggle every day to go to work, leaving their family that love them dearly, to go to a job that they will be hated for. We know that unless we are killed we will be the villain, regardless of the facts. All that matters, it seems, is we wear blue and therefore are a horrible, hate filled being that gets up every day looking to murder some poor, "unarmed" person minding their own business.

That being said, I will not teach my children to be quitters. I will not walk away from protecting those who need it. No matter what the judge, juror, prosecutor, or media ever says about me, the ones who know and love me will always know that I stood for what I believed in and did not quit. I have seen the evil in our communities and I will stand between it and the ones they prey on. Someone has to, if not me and my brothers and sisters in blue, then who?

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I wanted to be an LEO in my teens, I would like to think so for the right reasons, but my path was elsewhere. My 11 year old son wanted to be a law enforcement officer and I encouraged it. Then one day he said that he did not want to a policeman anymore, because he did not mind worrying about the "bad guys" threatening him, but he did not want worry about "everybody" being a threat to him.

 

[Roadtrash]

I never wanted to be an LEO myself but I sure appreciate those that choose the job. I'm glad there are those that go to work everyday and make an attempt to make my life and everyone else's a little safer. Without them where would we be?

 

[LostintheOzone]

I support LEO's any way I can.

Sure there are a few bad apples in LE but people being what they are will fail in any group. Generally, police work has become much harder in this century. The police have become targets. Small wonder that they react the way they do when they perceive a threat.

Personally, I don't see the police as the source of all the inner city problems. That has to be a leadership fail of local government. Police are just the visible representatives of gov't authority and more accessible than the mayors office.

Here's a good blog written by a cop, a combat vet and a published author. You may not agree with everything he says but few of us have this guys experience.

In a lot of ways the police are being abandoned by their command structure just like the military.

http://chrishernandezauthor.com/2015/07/26/chattanooga-weve-been-abandoned-again/

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Things have changed, now many officers struggle every day to go to work, leaving their family that love them dearly, to go to a job that they will be hated for. We know that unless we are killed we will be the villain, regardless of the facts. All that matters, it seems, is we wear blue and therefore are a horrible, hate filled being that gets up every day looking to murder someone poor, "unarmed" person minding their own business.

I believe the overwhelming majority of folks respect police and appreciate what they (you) do. The minority who don't are largely criminals, low-lifes and some media talking head idiots. Hardly worth paying them attention other than to arrest them or change the channel.

 

[Biginge]

Very well put Faulkner. You guys have my utmost respect and appreciation for the job you do. I, honestly, don't know how composure is kept. I come from a long line of LEO's, back when a 5 cell mag lite could be used for more than illumination. I cannot, presently, think of a more demanding and subject to criticism job out there.

I go out of my way each time I see an officer to "thank" him for all he does. Thank you Sir, too.

Be careful out there. If you survive the fray, the worst may be yet to come.

Only the best to you and the Brothers in Blue.

 

[neorebel]

Timothy McVeigh and Ted Bundy were caught on "routine traffic stop(s)". Son of Sam was caught due to parking tickets. Stories like this and the way society thinks of today's law enforcement officers truly makes a person reconsider this career.

It's scary to think that one day, doing the job and of protecting their own life and those they are sworn to protect, an officer will have to make a split second decision that others will take months to tear apart and report on how it should have been done. Few of those providing the Monday morning analysis are trained in this profession. Decisions officers make every day can land them in jail while he's fighting the evil everyone wants to pretend doesn't exist make many of them rethink this job every single day, especially the dedicated ones. I know I used to love getting up for work and being there to help better my community, but in these times I wonder if the community supports us.

Things have changed, now many officers struggle every day to go to work, leaving their family that love them dearly, to go to a job that they will be hated for. We know that unless we are killed we will be the villain, regardless of the facts. All that matters, it seems, is we wear blue and therefore are a horrible, hate filled being that gets up every day looking to murder some poor, "unarmed" person minding their own business.

That being said, I will not teach my children to be quitters. I will not walk away from protecting those who need it. No matter what the judge, juror, prosecutor, or media ever says about me, the ones who know and love me will always know that I stood for what I believed in and did not quit. I have seen the evil in our communities and I will stand between it and the ones they prey on. Someone has to, if not me and my brothers and sisters in blue, then who?

Thank you for your post! I've been in the game for over 18 years with two short breaks. I retire in 7 years.

I serve and protect and love people!

 

[Kanewpadle]

What would we do without you?

 

[Nevada Ed]

The real scary part is this............

My son is a LE............ my brother a retired Calif. HP officer.

Old guys are retiring.....
some going out on medical or health problems........
some just getting out for safety reasons.

As it is going, there are not a lot of people wanting to fill the voids the way things are going ......
which is stretching the work force pretty thin, now.

If the LE lets the news and public run the show and not get things back in order, we will need to start boarding up out homes and head for deep cover.

 

[Faulkner]

The real scary part is this............

My son is a LE............ my brother a retired Calif. HP officer.

Old guys are retiring.....
some going out on medical or health problems........
some just getting out for safety reasons.

As it is going, there are not a lot of people wanting to fill the voids the way things are going ......
which is stretching the work force pretty thin, now.

If the LE lets the news and public run the show and not get things back in order, we will need to start boarding up out homes and head for deep cover.

You're right, there are a number of good cops getting out and moving to other professions.

 

[whitestang]

Todays officers have an up hill battle with the bad guys and the vocal public and in some cases their own command level. Many are judged before all the facts are in and when shown to have done the proper thing it is mentioned in passing. I was a Deputy Sheriff in a small county so lots of folks knew the Sheriff,so you had to be on your toes. I'm sure some of you have been told by a citizen "I pay your salary since I pay taxes so you work for me." I did a few times,I always wanted to tell them I pay taxes too. My hats offs off to those who still but on the uniform and Serve and Protect!!

 

[Kanewpadle]

What I've learned over the years is that it takes a special person to be a cop. Knowing that every tour could be dangerous, dealing with the same scum day in and day out, and dealing with the political environment must be tough.

I aspired to be a cop long ago but pissed away the opportunity. Many years later I realized that I didn't have the temperament to be a good cop. If someone spit on me I would not only have arrested them but............ Well, lets just say that I would have faced excessive force charges on a regular basis.

I have nothing but respect for those good coppers that do the job and do it right. And I tell them that when I see them.

 

[4506517]

If I could, I would leave tomorrow.

However, at my age its too late to start over in another career.

I tell young people that ask me about a LE career to try something else. Totally not worth it.

The public hates you, your agency won't support you, and you don't make enough to survive.

Before too long, America will receive the society it deserves.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

There is a lot of talk about training police better. There is not enough talk about training the public how to act when stopped by an officer.

The majority of those killed or injured by the police acted in ways that put them and/or the officer in danger.

You do not have the right to tell an officer that they can not tell you what to do. You do not have the right to ignore an officer's commands. You do not have the right to resist arrest. You do have the right to take it to court if you do not agree with what the officer did to you.

 

[greevestim]

LEO Today

I spent 42 years, as a LEO, about the last half in administration and training. With the political situation today, especially in the last 6 years, I would consider moving in a different career path had I do it over again.

 

[Old Corp]

Did 30 years of it. It spanned from being the best to the worst times in my life. I was a subject of interest up to, and including visits to my city by 'the revrunds' Jackson and Sharpton.

It's a very sobering event in your life where you narrowly escaped death at the hands of a violent criminal that morning and see 'community activists' calling for your prosecution for First Degree Murder that evening.
I miss some of the clowns, but certainly not the circus.

 

[LostintheOzone]

People who trash talk the police and don't cooperate should just get a busy signal when they dial 911.

 

[Xfuzz]

Complete boredom to sheer terror within
seconds.
Pure comedy to hiding tears.
Best damn job a young man could have.

 

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

Todays officers have an up hill battle with the bad guys and the vocal public and in some cases their own command level. Many are judged before all the facts are in and when shown to have done the proper thing it is mentioned in passing. I was a Deputy Sheriff in a small county so lots of folks knew the Sheriff,so you had to be on your toes. I'm sure some of you have been told by a citizen "I pay your salary since I pay taxes so you work for me." I did a few times,I always wanted to tell them I pay taxes too. My hats offs off to those who still but on the uniform and Serve and Protect!!

After 35 years of the job I would have taken 2 cents out of my pocket and told them "here's your refund" ungrateful fool. That's probably what that ******* contributed to your pension or paycheck. What a moron.

Cheers;
Lefty

p.s. I'm glad you made it brother, have a long and happy (healthy) retirement. God Bless you!

 

[KKECK5]

Complete boredom to sheer terror within
seconds.
Pure comedy to hiding tears.
Best damn job a young man could have.

IT'S amazingly how true your comments are.....
there's a difference now. back then late 60's to 90's i knew about 6 guys that pulled their gun out, three that shot and killed somebody...NOW..........it's a whole lot crazier.....better equipment but it's just not the same......