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It's a complex issue. I think more so then most people realize. The number of times a citizen will file a BS complaint because they didn't like getting a ticket your being arrested is pretty damn high. Dash cams and cruise voice recorders have saved many officer a lot of grief and several their jobs.
I also think it's not fair to say good cop and bad cop. Sure there are bad cops, no doubt. But the vast majority are just trying to do their job. You never deliver good news, ever. 20+ years never once did I get a call that said "would you please go inform ______ they won the lottery?" No you get calls like "Execute arrest warrant on _____ for _____, be advised they're known to carry weapons and have assaulted officers in the past." Or my favorite "Please respond to _____ at ______, their child _______ was the fatality in the incident at _____ this evening." Great 3am and I get to go wake up a family and delivery the worst news they could possible get.
Then you have an officer that's been on the job for 15yrs, never done anything but by the book. Goes to work one day after getting some crappy news at home and has a bad day. Sometimes that one bad day costs him or her their career. Almost always cost someone else their basic rights, too.
And of course there are just some people that just shouldn't be in law enforcement. Power happy control freaks really shouldn't be in the business IMO. But for years police exams weeded out anyone not aggressive and power happy. Think that's getting better, started when 4 yrs degrees became a common requirement.
/end thread jack.
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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo
Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club
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