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In reply to the discussion: Changing The Conversation To, "You're Saying, 'All Cops Are Bad' So You're A Hypocrite" [View all]Ino
(3,366 posts)73. Challenging that "probably 95%" statement...
One day I started thinking "There are all these cops who demand others do whatever they say, do it NOW, do it without question... who meet the slightest resistance or challenge with overarching force. Do they turn off that attitude when they go home?" I looked into that. Studies have shown that at least 40% of police officers engage in domestic violence (4 times the general population).
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/09/police-officers-who-hit-their-wives-or-girlfriends/380329/
As the National Center for Women and Policing noted in a heavily footnoted information sheet, "Two studies have found that at least 40 percent of police officer families experience domestic violence, in contrast to 10 percent of families in the general population. A third study of older and more experienced officers found a rate of 24 percent, indicating that domestic violence is two to four times more common among police families than American families in general." Cops "typically handle cases of police family violence informally, often without an official report, investigation, or even check of the victim's safety," the summary continues. "This 'informal' method is often in direct contradiction to legislative mandates and departmental policies regarding the appropriate response to domestic violence crimes." Finally, "even officers who are found guilty of domestic violence are unlikely to be fired, arrested, or referred for prosecution."
So that leaves only 60% who may be "good people." There are probably a fair amount with cushy jobs who spend their days writing tickets and are never really put to the test.
But how many of those 60% who ARE put to the test see wrongdoing by their fellow officers and say nothing, look the other way, lie to help them cover it up, do not report the wrongdoing to their superiors? Most of them, IMO. Maybe they are good cops who would never engage in brutality themselves, but they are well aware of the repercussions that ratting out their partners would have to themselves. So they would rather watch someone get beaten, tazed, shot, arrested, jailed, humiliated & ruined than speak up. Their cowardice and weak moral center make them complicit, accessories, perjurers. That makes them nearly as bad as the bullies. Other than that though, they are great people
There are precious few cops who speak up. A statistically insignificant amount.
Do you know some "good cops"? Friends or relatives? Ask them what they would do (or what a good cop would do) if one of their fellow officers started beating someone up without cause. Listen carefully. Do they look annoyed and attack you for asking? or start hedging around the question, i.e. "Well, the perp shouldn't resist... you don't know what it's like... no one would do that... you have to control the situation"? How many of them immediately, unequivocally say, "I would stop him... I would report him"? Precious few.
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Changing The Conversation To, "You're Saying, 'All Cops Are Bad' So You're A Hypocrite" [View all]
marym625
Dec 2014
OP
What is that saying about All it takes for Evil to grow is for good men to do nothing.
Bandit
Dec 2014
#7
How many of them have spoken out against the criminals among them? I know of one,
sabrina 1
Dec 2014
#24
I included the Police Chief in the three I was thinking of. Here is a link to the
sabrina 1
Dec 2014
#36
The culture is corrupt from sea to shining sea. The desire to individualize at all times is a tactic
TheKentuckian
Dec 2014
#51
Why are good Christians silent as the fundies take over the GOP and distort the religion? They are
Fred Sanders
Dec 2014
#29
Where are they? As I said above, I know of three so far. All of them have been villified
sabrina 1
Dec 2014
#25
Sabrina, I don't think I've ever asked anyone to be silent about the bad ones.
NaturalHigh
Dec 2014
#26
Sorry if I misunderstood you then. I know there are good cops, but they do not have
sabrina 1
Dec 2014
#28
But I noticed you didn't say anything about being "sick" of police violence.........
socialist_n_TN
Dec 2014
#45
I can think of a few reasons why some would never say anything negative about cops.
Rex
Dec 2014
#44
When I wonder why there isn't more outrage on this and other problems, sometimes
LiberalElite
Dec 2014
#46
It is not a liberal value to hold people responsible for the actions of others
treestar
Dec 2014
#52
It ranks FAR below overpopulation and the myriad problems associated with that.
20score
Dec 2014
#61
If you changed "police" to "Muslims" yoiur post would be right at home on Free Republic
Lee-Lee
Dec 2014
#83