What's Wrong With American Cops?

[Tannedbaldhead]

Elroy Blue said:

Where's the outrage and protests. Certain posters seem to be keen to list what goes on in the USA

https://www.officerdownthethinblueline.org/recent-...

Outrageous and heartbreaking for her family and colleagues but....

RDMcG said:

This is not of course a defence for the excesses that are regularly reported here.

[Elroy Blue]

Nobody says it was. But there's a certain section of society that will demand Police Officers be hung from the nearest lamp post regardless of circumstances (there's a few post regularly in here).

However, officer killings by firearms in the US have increased 1000% (one thousand) this year. Where are the usual suspects protesting their slaying.

[Tannedbaldhead]

Elroy Blue said:

Nobody says it was. But there's a certain section of society that will demand Police Officers be hung from the nearest lamp post regardless of circumstances (there's a few post regularly in here).

However, officer killings by firearms in the US have increased 1000% (one thousand) this year. Where are the usual suspects protesting their slaying.

If that's right and I have no reason to doubt you that figure is jaw dropping shocking. WTF is going on over there?

[havoc]

Tannedbaldhead said:

If that's right and I have no reason to doubt you that figure is jaw dropping shocking. WTF is going on over there?

The have-nots are being increasingly marginalised and criminalised...USA has FAR higher a prison population per-capita than any other Western nation.
The middle-classes are being increasingly taken for granted.
Inequality of both income and wealth has increased substantially since the recession - mainly in favour of the top-1% (or less).

In short, US society seems intent on self-destruction - it's become a plutocracy already (rather than a democracy) according to a number of independent academics/observers. The police, and their behaviour, is seen as the front line in the protection of the status-quo by those unhappy. And things are getting nasty...

[craigjm]

Elroy Blue said:

Where's the outrage and protests. Certain posters seem to be keen to list what goes on in the USA

https://www.officerdownthethinblueline.org/recent-...

first day on the job

[Tannedbaldhead]

havoc said:

The police, and their behaviour, is seen as the front line in the protection of the status-quo by those unhappy. And things are getting nasty...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AdDLhPwpp4

I suppose when you see peaceful protesters being treated like this nobody is going to break their heart if the casual tear-gasser took a bullet to the skull. In fact, it would be hard not to crack a wee smile.

Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Monday 29th February 21:25

Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Monday 29th February 21:26

Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Saturday 19th March 19:32

[Devil2575]

Elroy Blue said:

However, officer killings by firearms in the US have increased 1000% (one thousand) this year. Where are the usual suspects protesting their slaying.

You're going to need to back that up with evidence.

[carinaman]

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-sandra-bland-t...

Perhaps things will improve?

How someone can die in police custody for failing to indicate a lane change on an empty road is rather perplexing.

Dying in police custody for failing to indicate a lane change doesn't seem very proportionate.

[Hilts]

Cop pepper sprays passing bikers.

And they gave this moron a gun.



http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/03/15/texas-cop-...

[XCP]

good job he didn't use it!

[Foliage]

craigjm said:

Elroy Blue said:

Where's the outrage and protests. Certain posters seem to be keen to list what goes on in the USA

https://www.officerdownthethinblueline.org/recent-...

first day on the job

Tragic BUT I think its vastly different a police officer who is being paid to do the job they love protecting the community they love while armed with a variant of weapons and while also wearing body armor to an unarmed civilian (quite often having a mental illness) being gunned down in the street or killed in their own home in a no knock raid simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

So its tragic but no outrage from me, police officers get killed in the line of duty just like firemen and soldiers, unfortunately it comes with the job. They have my utmost respect from me for the work they do.

[Hilts]

XCP said:

good job he didn't use it!

Hopefully he'll never get the chance now. I wouldn't trust him with 2 pencils and an eraser.

[Raine Man]

Hilts said:

Cop pepper sprays passing bikers.

And they gave this moron a gun.



http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/03/15/texas-cop-...

Off topic but his helmet-cam is very good quality!

[anonymous-user]

Just released a day or so ago:

Video of an officer shooting a guy for holding his wallet.

Horrific.

The motorist was on his way back to his Army base when he had a minor traffic accident with a truck. The drivers then stopped on the side of the road to exchange details. The an officer arrived on the scene to assist, and promptly shot the driver as he got out of his car to speak to the cop whilst holding his wallet.

The motorist was then left lying on the floor screaming in pain for 10 minutes while the officers discussed what happened. If you watch the extended version of the video you can hear several officers helping the shooter to get his story straight.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lr0NFyD0Nzw

[markclow]

As an Englishman living in Atlanta since 96, I have a high regard for the cops despite having a few run-ins with the law for speeding. They have always been professional to me, more so than the English plod.

I am not surprised there are horror stories because it is such a huge country. Just driving across Texas takes days.

And American society is not breaking down. I have been able to leave my front door open for years during the day and never had anything happen. Try that in England.

[anonymous-user]

NinjaPower said:

Just released a day or so ago:

Video of an officer shooting a guy for holding his wallet.

Horrific.

The motorist was on his way back to his Army base when he had a minor traffic accident with a truck. The drivers then stopped on the side of the road to exchange details. The an officer arrived on the scene to assist, and promptly shot the driver as he got out of his car to speak to the cop whilst holding his wallet.

The motorist was then left lying on the floor screaming in pain for 10 minutes while the officers discussed what happened. If you watch the extended version of the video you can hear several officers helping the shooter to get his story straight.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lr0NFyD0Nzw

I can see how he'd interpret his wallet as a gun. Not a great way to exit a car in the US.

The lack of first aid is shocking.

[Sa Calobra]

RDMcG said:

There is no doubt that there have been some appalling acts by police officers. I have a winter home in Scottsdale Arizona which in general is a fairly calm place. However it is estimated that nearly 70% of drivers in Arizona are armed so there is at least some explanation as to how twitchy they can be at a traffic stop. I have driven through some very remote parts of the US and I can imagine what it would be like to pull over a car at night on an empty road .This is not of course a defence for the excesses that are regularly reported here.

Every day, multiple times they might have to perform stops.

Not a chance I could see on their job. I'd be stressed to the max.

[JumboBeef]

markclow said:

Try that in England.

Yes I do. And my neighbour has had his back door unlocked since he moved in here 13 years ago.

Your point is....?

[Sa Calobra]

We used to have our front door unlocked but as we still have a key safe outside people still try/open the door.

On my day off like today, especially in summer it can be interesting.

[anonymous-user]

markclow said:

They have always been professional to me, more so than the English plod.

And American society is not breaking down. I have been able to leave my front door open for years during the day and never had anything happen. Try that in England.

I certainly don't think American society is breaking down, but I don't believe your point about leaving the front door open is relevant. Where my family lives in England you can leave your front door open and indeed the keys in your cars, and there is not much chance of anything going missing.

Try leaving your front door open in Detroit.

So I think we can both agree that giving examples of society breaking down or not is pretty pointless from either side.

When you say about American cops being 'professional', how do you mean? Are you meaning they are all business and treat everything in a very strict 'Yes Sir No sir' routine?

I'll be honest I prefer the often informal approach of UK cops. Where they try to approach most non-serious situations with a bit more of a friendly, informal and light hearted approach. Not all of them of course, but in my dealings with them (speeding and other motoring offenses etc) they have been quite laid back and human.