There are some bad cops out there

[NNN0LHI]

But being a cop is a bad job. Think about it. The situations that a cop finds himself in and the decisions they have to make are tremendous burdens. Decisions I would want no part of.

I think about myself just being a traffic cop. What would I do if I pulled over a women in a junk 15 year-old car with a couple of kids not belted in properly. What do I do? Write her up and maybe cost her a couple hundred bucks and because of that these kids may miss some meals or not get any new clothes for school? Or do I let her go and then get called to the scene of an accident a week later with the same woman involved and find a tragedy?

See what I mean? I couldn't make decisions like these on a daily basis without going nuts. Could you? Would you want to?

Don

[thepurpose]

1. Bad cops are really only bad employees, but they have guns and can use lethal force

That's why its very important in my opinion that their bosses hold them accountable for their actions, properly supervised and train them in the first place. Observe them on the job to spot signs of over aggression and deal with it. Being fearful is no excuse for using excessive force. If it is then maybe swat teams ought to be the ones writing traffic tickets.

[Mythsaje]

2. Someone once, not too long ago, suggested I was

"too cowardly" to be a cop.

I decided a long time ago that I was too ethical to be a cop. I couldn't enforce laws with which I don't agree.

:shrug:

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

3. Aye, that's my biggest problem with cops. They're required to enforce laws,

most of which I find inane and immoral.

[Sadie4629]

4. The example you gave . . .

The woman is poor, but buckling seatbelts doesn't cost a cent. She knowingly risks getting a ticket when she chooses not to buckle in her kids. If she has to make a choice about some essential in order to pay the ticket, then she will make sure her kids are buckled in every time she drives them anywhere. This will keep her kids safe. This will also set a good example for the children, who will get in the habit of buckling their seat belts. This will keep them even after they are no longer children.

[Orsino]

5. There's nothing better than a good cop...

...but maybe there are worse people than the bad ones.

[AlertLurker]

6. Certainly some bad ones in Vancouver...

What was it, 23 seconds before they tased that Polish man? Then tased him again (two tasers at the same time), and then kneeled on him and beat him with a baton?

I devoutly hope I never have to fly through there...

[Echo In Light]

7. Anyone who wants to be a cop shouldn't

Many cops have authoritarian personality traits, and this is the true impetus which fuels and guides their views, choices and actions, not altruism, philanthropy or moral truism.

When a pig begins tailing you, intentionally following way too close, hoping to intimidate you into any move that will justify pulling you over, and you're doing nothing wrong, aren't breaking any laws, do you feel safe or nervous? Exactly. Being a long-hair, I had plenty of experiences with small town, overtly macho deputy dawgs growing up, and most of em are insecure, rule-crazy imbeciles ...which is precisely why they crave wielding power over others.