why all the police hatred?

Hey all,

I want to take some time to explore a trend I see unfolding here at ATS, the magnification of "bad cop" material. I am going to present some material to shed light on the other side of this story, "good cops". I will argue that it's easy to point out one's wrong doings and misgivings and that the media will latch onto any misuse of power by the police. I'll start with a few recent threads that I'll put into the "bad cop category.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The thing that these three threads have in common? an obvious attempt to shed light on the police in a negative way. Again pointing out the misgivings or wrongful actions of a small number in attempt to sway the overall opinion of the whole group. This is the same route that racism takes, now the point I'm trying to make is far from accusing any of being "racist" it should be noted that the mindset is the same.

Many people have had "run ins" with the police and in the process have probably developed some hard feelings. This is understandable, to a point.
Our civilized society requires us to protect each other thus we have trained, qualified, willing individuals undertaking this task, some who have followed generations before them in law enforcement work. Most police officers possess the need to protect, keep peace and ensure safety in their respective communities. Wiki defines police as,

Police are agents or agencies, usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order through the legitimized use of force. The term is most commonly associated with police departments of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of responsibility. The word comes via French from the Latin politia (“civil administration”), which itself derives from the Ancient Greek πόλις, for polis ("city").

"Empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order" that's a pretty selfless explanation of the job at hand. It is common to think the police are "servants" in a sense" but this could not be further from the truth and in the mantra "to protect and serve" the word protect comes first followed by the word serve, with "serve" here meaning within the context of the job itself not to be confused with service outside it's perramiters. Police officers are the cornerstones of civilized society.

With camera phones on the rise, the small number of questionable police activities captured has drawn attention to police agencies and their operating policies, however these policies are a matter of public record and can be accessed at any time not just after an incident therefore any citizen with motivation to question a policy could do so through appropriate channels ( council meetings, mayor's office) instead of doing so after "something happens" Nobody can refute the fact that a police officer's job is a tough one and never ending at that, so policies are ever changing to compensate for varribles.

As crime rates rise so does the level of police involvement, many areas experience drastic levels of violent crime while others less. Many officers are forced to work double shifts to keep presence at acceptable levels while placing stress on the officers as well as their families. This fact alone would make for a topic all it's own yet goes unnoticed by many police accusers that would think these men and women are " less then human". Most people in fact take the police for granted and expect a level of protection and error rate more fitting of a comic book superhero.

criminals often lack the restraint we expect of our officers, and in fact disregard their humanity at all taking kindness for a weakness around every corner. The legal system gives many the chance to circumvent the police all together, weather through plea deals or alternative sentencing allowing many to re offend for years without being caught thus a rise in crime rates resulting in the blame being placed on.. you guessed it the police.

What follows are accounts of police heroism that often go unnoticed and placed in the "par for the course" category.

Police heroism January 22, 2008 Tape shows cops saving man from burning car Channel 5 has a great slide show up on their Web site that shows two Iowa police officers pulling a man from a burning car. The whole thing was caught on tape with a police dashcam.

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Henry police officer receives heroism award By Jason A. Smith [email protected] A local police officer says he is proud to be recognized a second time for his efforts, which helped to save the life of a child. Henry County Police Sgt. Joey Smith received the Heroism Award June 9, from the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). The honor stems from an August 2007 incident, in which Smith rescued a toddler from drowning.

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The other honoree, Trooper Charles Wilt of Hollidaysburg, went into a burning Roaring Spring house in October trying to rescue a man who had set fire to model airplane fuel and then fatally shot himself.

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A police dog stabbed to death in the line of duty was hailed as a hero on Thursday, as a man faced court charged with the slaying. "The dog gave his life to protect his handler," NSW Police Minister John Watkins said. Three-year-old German shepherd Titan was stabbed to death by a man waving two knives, ending a seven-hour siege in Sydney's west about 4.30am on Thursday, police allege. Titan will be preserved by a taxidermist, becoming the centrepiece of a memorial honouring police dogs at the Goulburn Police Academy.

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Foremost among those actions was Officer Raymond Trodden’s. He received the police department’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, for shooting a man last summer who had dragged another police officer nearly 80 feet in his vehicle and was revving his engine, preparing to drag the officer farther. Trodden shot the suspect in the head, freeing Officer Daniel Besseck, who received a purple heart Wednesday night for injuries he suffered in the July 23 incident. “In my 22 years, I never thought I’d be in that position,” Besseck said. “I’m extremely proud of Officer Trodden.” Trodden said he was humbled by the honor and grateful he and Besseck walked away.

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Police heroism goes unnoticed for many, as does the daily risk they take to keep us safe, the manner in which they execute their daily duties should not be understated. If you feel safe in your community thank a cop! In the mean time I ask why all the police hatred?

[edit on 4-2-2009 by alyosha1981]

I wouldn't call it police hatred BUT the police have themselves to blame in many situations. My best friend is a Police Officer in the Phoenix area and he tells me all the time what a bunch of jerks most of the other Officers are.
They're on a constant power trip and LOVE confrontations - they have a term of endearment called the "polyester pileup". Yes it has something to do with the polyester uniforms they wear, and the odds they prefer.
There are times when they cross paths with someone in an embarrasing situation, or a mentally challenged person - they call their buddies over for the pure sake of entertainment.
Alot of them consider themselves above the laws we, as citizens must follow. That policeman hiding over the hill with the radar gun will be the same policeman who "falshes tin" if he's ever pulled over for the same infraction.
Yes, there are police heros - unfortunately there quite a few who are not.

Because a lot of people here have a strong distrust of all authority and all that. Can't say I share it, but that's how it is.

Originally posted by alyosha1981
Again pointing out the misgivings or wrongful actions of a small number in attempt to sway the overall opinion of the whole group.

Whether it's 1 in 10, 1 in 100 or 1 in 1000 police officers who react wrongly, it is a public service to report the wrong action in a public forum. Why? Because they are a unit. If one cop beats a person senselessly while two others watch but do not participate, who is to blame? If the two other officers weren't present but hear the offending officer talk about it and do nothing, whose to blame? All of them. They act as a unit, they fall as a unit. That's the way it works. Why do you think cops don't turn in other cops?

Perhaps if the police did a better job of policing themselves there would be no need for the public to inform each other of such acts because they wouldn't exist. But most of these illegal police actions go on thanks to the quiet complicity of their comrades, if not outright support, compliance and participation.

So I would ask, if the police won't police themselves, who should? We should. Abuse of power is a cancer. When it goes unspoken, undetected it spreads. And if you're worried about the perception the public has of the police, I'd say you're being misdirected. We should all be more worried about the cause of that perception and how to fix it. I have no problem commending people for a good job, and so I feel just as much right, even obligation, to point out when they're doing a bad one.

That being said, I don't hate cops; I hate the abusive, uniformed or not.

[edit on 4-2-2009 by TravelerintheDark]

Thanks for the thoughts! I think the job itself causes much of the mentality that certain officers have, unfortunatly. My point is that not all officers have this "power trip" mentality that accusers use to label cops as a whole.

reply to post by alyosha1981

My point is that not all officers have this "power trip" mentality that accusers use to label cops as a whole.

Say What, have you ever seen COPS TV show? There has been more than one time when I have wanted to jump through that TV and whup up on a cop.


Seriously, I agree 100% with you. Unfortunately it is the 10% that get all the attention and give the cops a bad name. The 90% should quit circling the wagon when these bad cops get in trouble if they want a cleaner image.

I expect bad things from just about any "authority" especially one so arbitrarily designated with such absolute power as the police. It's a learned response from being alive and paying attention.

With cops shooting pets and acting on no-knock warrants I see them all as they see me. Guilty until proven innocent.

For the record I've never had so much as a speeding ticket in my life so I'm not some bitter jailbird who's just upset he keeps getting caught and I dont have any illegal hobbies or practices that make me irrationally paranoid.

The police are only in society to kill anyone they want. If they solved crimes they would get no money, fact get it, to the thread starter.

My life is the perfect example of police using there powers to murder. They did everything under the sun to destroy my life and i have never done anything wrong, so why are they not in jail for what they did.

This is just one story of what the olice do.

Police are sjust the seriel killer element of society they want to kill everyone they can throughout there careers. They only help out there fellow murders they hang around with, and jump at the chance to kill anyone they can. This is a fact.

I wonder how many homes they are perving into tonight, watching all your kids getting undressed, fokking perves.

The one thing we do not need on these threads, is people standing up for paedophile murdering scum, that the police are.

Ugh, I personally despise cops. I have friends and family members who are cops and I can, without any hesitation, say they are all assholes. They are bitter about life and will take it out on you in a moment. I have never had a good experience with dealing with a cop. Here in Columbus, I had my car broken into and they cop had the audacity to say "What do you want us to do about it." Are you serious?! I told him to send a car, and allow me to file a report so I can notify my insurance company. The same attitude was given after calling them about having my phone stolen, kids driving a truck around on my lawn and a few others.

I try my best to be nice to them, but there as so few with redeeming qualities. During the riots at the OSU campus, they shot as me (with rubber bullets) while I was silently observing inside of my home! They are an organized, legal gang.. they can do nearly anything they want.

Sure, like anything, not all cops are bad... but I haven't found one yet.

[edit on 2.4.2009 by Avarus]

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere

For the record I've never had so much as a speeding ticket in my life so I'm not some bitter jailbird who's just upset he keeps getting caught and I dont have any illegal hobbies or practices that make me irrationally paranoid.

Commendable, and I'm glad that someone whose not biased by dealings with the judicial system has given an opinion, thanks.

Originally posted by andy1033
The police are only in society to kill anyone they want. If they solved crimes they would get no money, fact get it, to the thread starter.

My life is the perfect example of police using there powers to murder. They did everything under the sun to destroy my life and i have never done anything wrong, so why are they not in jail for what they did.

This is just one story of what the olice do.

Police are sjust the seriel killer element of society they want to kill everyone they can throughout there careers. They only help out there fellow murders they hang around with, and jump at the chance to kill anyone they can. This is a fact.

I wonder how many homes they are perving into tonight, watching all your kids getting undressed, fokking perves.

The one thing we do not need on these threads, is people standing up for paedophile murdering scum, that the police are.

This is a good example of what I'm talking about. How have the cops riuned your life? seriously if you don't want to answer I'll understand. I never believe the "poor me" police stories though if you break the law then they have to do their jobs and prosecute, plain and simple.

Well your very first link should be enough to illustrate what the problem is, and that this Nazi SS legion that is now walking the streets and beating up civilians, instead of protecting has to be done away with. This is the SS, and they need to be dealt with by the collective will and force of the citizens if necessary. Its a constitutional obligation to ensure fascism doesn't exist.

Originally posted by mystiq
Well your very first link should be enough to illustrate what the problem is, and that this Nazi SS legion that is now walking the streets and beating up civilians, instead of protecting has to be done away with. This is the SS, and they need to be dealt with by the collective will and force of the citizens if necessary. Its a constitutional obligation to ensure fascism doesn't exist.

Would you care to explain how the police are even remotely related to the SS? I see no connection between the two.

reply to post by alyosha1981

My point is that not all officers have this "power trip" mentality that accusers use to label cops as a whole.

How many of the ones that don't "power trip" report what they see of it? If they report it and then see it again do they again report it? I don't think so. They'd be chastised by their peers as well as heirarchy.

So failing to report incidents is thereby condoning this power tripping. The video here is a good example. The two cops that held the women down should be stepping forward and pressing charges against the criminal that assaulted her.

He is no longer a cop and failure to push the matter above where ever its being halted, is failure to perform their duties. All cops are guilty of this in some way. Failure to address the situation is condonation of those actions. I witnessed this in the military for 26yrs. It's not getting any better only worse.

Cops nowadays deserve NO respect. They haven't earned squat in my eyes. You want respect cop, earn it, turn in your partner for breaking the law and standup for justice. What you supposedly signed up for. But I don't think that is true... most seem to like the power tripping part.

This is only going to escalate in the near future, but you won't be seeing an increase because they'll fix that with the banning of filming criminals in the act of their duties. Cops I mean.

Originally posted by AllTiedTogether
This is only going to escalate in the near future, but you won't be seeing an increase because they'll fix that with the banning of filming criminals in the act of their duties. Cops I mean.

Even if they make the filming of police officers illegal we'll still see incidents filmed by dashcams, which accounts for most of the indiscretions caught on tape anyways. BTW thank you for your 26 of military service.

reply to post by alyosha1981


The dash cams will be abolished also or they'll make it illegal to use... they'll find away around it.

Please don't thank me. I did illegal things in the military like everyone else but I didn't agree with their policies so they kicked me out. That's the only great service I did for anyone, letting them get rid of me so I couldn't continue breaking the law for the government.

It is only now that I'm out the military and awakening people to what is going on and trying to protect the citizens. Now is when the thanks would kick in. I'll just take it as a thanks for my job now as an ATSr.

Your welcome... Alyosha
S&F

Have you ever watched COPS ? I watch it all the time while going to bed at night(maybe thats why I have so many nightmares)..But they NEVER show cops in their normal state, anytime a camera is pointed at them, they act like nice guys, turn it off, its a different ball game.

I worked at a bar/grill here in town on the graveyard shift and all the cops would come into my place because there was no food near that was as good as ours, so I had to tend to them every night. I would hear their COP stories whether directly or indirectly, and some of the things I have heard them talk about, made me sick. Out of all of the cops that came there at night, there was only one of them that I actually liked, he is the one that talked to me with respect, and really never said a word when the other cops were talkin trash about people. He is also the only cop that I found that was a ex military man like myself, he was a marine as was I. That was 1 cop out of at least 20-30. Those arent really good odds now are they?

Like I said, these are personal experiences from cops, and a lot of other experiences I have had when dealing with cops on the streets wasnt so great either.
I think the more that people can catch these guys doing what they normally do, the more that will be behind bars(or not).

Im not intentionally trying to bash police officers, Im just telling it how it is, and that is why there is so much hatred for cops.

Theres no excuse for (oh I worked a double shift, im a little tired and awnry so that gives me reason to punch a woman on a bike on the sidewalk 4 times in the head) And when they do this kind of thing, they do it without remorse!!!!

I dont care if their wives left their asses for being the way that they are, that doesnt give them the right to take it out on other people. ESP when there is 2-3 of their armed buddies there to back them up.
Why all the police hatred? THATS WHY.

reply to post by AllTiedTogether


I always make it a point to thank vets even ones who don't wish to be, just how I was raised but to any end I'm greatful. The dashcams are a great resource for defending officers during legal litigation as well as prosecuting suspects what makes you think they will get rid of them as well? I see them as protection for all involved.

reply to post by Common Good


Errm the tv show cops was first aired on fox, fox! do I need to say any more on that? and I've seen plenty of those episodes and I can't see your point. The fact of the cameras being there was to shed light on the job not the people and to boost ratings for the network.

reply to post by alyosha1981


You answered your own question. They'll get rid of them because they are "protection for all involved". Why else would they do away with the filming of cops? Has a video been used to "frame" a cop? I don't see any indication of that, and I'm pretty sure that video footage of some cop being framed would be just as big on ATS as the anti-cop footage. There seems to be enough people on ATS to support the cops and military.... well at least their own cyber-supporters. Their trolls....

Sorry I go on... I don't like cops.... No use for them now, only cause the crime....

Rgds