Colombia

Good one

There appears to be an agenda on DU with some posting constantly of police misconduct. I thought we should have a more balanced view--since DU has a tendency to portray all cops as evil.

Who made you pope of this dump?

we could ask you the same thing.

I think it could be that whenever any 'bad cop' thread is posted, most replies are "all cop suck" "its a police state now." Perhaps those posting the 'good cop' stories wanted a little balance.

prosecutors, judges, politicians, etc

Why not cheer people who do their jobs? What's wrong with that? It's not always about pay.

That most of us wouldn't want to do. And not very many would want the job to go undone.

dozens of times in years worth of videos- just to count the number of charges for the indictment. He'd already put his career on the line to help get that evidence. That wasn't exactly what he signed up for. Many have to see or do things that haunt them forever.

There are a few agendas here. Nice to see both sides of an issue.

I guess we should ignore certain things CNN style to give the illusion of a balanced and fair system.

What is presented, and the way it is presented does indicate an agenda. We only need to look at fox news to see that. And, we only need to look at DU to find the constant attacks on LE, here. Please to try to pretend that is not the case.

What kind of bizarro world do you live in where publicizing miscreants' actions is attacking them?

The fuck?

The fuck--right back at cha

If some police officers wouldn't beat, tase, and shoot unarmed suspects who pose no immediate threat, then perhaps people wouldn't post about it here.

A Montclair police officer saved a baby boy choking on a cookie on Sunday.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/06/montclair_police_officer_saves_baby_boy_choking_on_cookie.html

MONTCLAIR — A Montclair police officer helped save the life of a baby Sunday evening, authorities said.
The boy, who is less than a year old, had stopped breathing after choking on a cookie around 7:15 p.m, police spokesman Det. Lt. David O'Dowd said.
Det. Thomas Liloia flipped the boy over, performed three "back blows" and dislodged the cookie, O'Dowd said. The Heimlich maneuver, normally performed on a choking victim, cannot be applied to the chest of a baby, O'Dowd explained.

Police don't deserve congratulations for doing their job. All this "here are cops being awesome" stuff? That's called "police doing their job". "To protect and serve", and all that. It's not extraordinary. It's commendable, yes, but it's not so out of the ordinary that we need to comment on them actually doing what they're supposed to be doing. What's extraordinary, or should be, are the actions of police officers who are very manifestly NOT doing their jobs, or at least, not doing them properly. Police officers beating unarmed suspects who pose no immediate threat? That's extraordinary (or should be) and worthy of comment (and condemnation).

They are not bankers, or waitresses, who do their jobs every day. They risk their lives every day. Every day. For YOU. And, if you were in a burning vehicle, whether on the job or not, they would be the first to run to YOUR life.

When they walk up to a drunk driver, they have no idea whether that person has a gun. And there have been numerous instances when they have been shot and killed when just "doing" their jobs.

When they do not do their jobs...they should be stopped. And I am the first to make sure they are stopped. But, I am tired of this place being so one sided and ugly towards the people who would not hesitate to save their very lives.

If they don't want the job, they should quit. This pro-cop authoritarian worship you are espousing is very close to the pro-military jingoistic worship that enables Republicans, the MIC, and other authoritarians their means to continue to destroy this country.

Fucking feel for the cops, lol.

we are.
I'd say 75% of the time we respond to a call, we're first on scene.

die in the line of service. Per 100,000 cops 25.8 fatalities, fishing industry is at 111.8 per 100,000. More than 4 times more dangerous than what the officers do.
Other occupations that see more fatalities than cops include roofers, miners, loggers, refuse and recycling workers, pilots and flight engineers and truckers.
Almost all of those occupations are also compensated much less than officers of the law, without the benefits and pensions we provide to those who take a much lesser although more often lauded risk in daily work.
Ever start a thread about any of those occupations? The more dangerous, lower paying occupations?

out of someone. I mean, they have a dangerous job, you know.

Read the grounds of my habeas- it's worth the read for sure. We got proof from multiple experts after trial. My friend had to do the investigation by herself- lead detective DEAD a few weeks prior to trial! My attorneys agreed to use my strategy then refused to use it- they told me to shut the F up when I told them to object to false testimony. Now they claim they had no reason to think evidence was tampered with! Just recently, when one of my volunteers went to get copies of documents she asked for them not to use her name anywhere (since detective died under what we believe we're suspicious circumstances). They gave her a receipt with my name on it- then intentionally posted her name Online----intentionally endangering her life. Listen to the phone call below the article below that lists grounds to declare me innocent.

http://friscopaul.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-grounds-why-frisco-texas-mans.html?m=1

http://friscopaul.blogspot.com/2014/06/paul-baileys-volunteers-names-were.html?m=1

instance of a drunk driver and a police officer
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090612/NEWS01/706129849

Their jobs are all more dangerous than being a cop.

Problem is, people who are predisposed to see law enforcement in a positive light, are more likely to excuse actions of theirs which are out of line. Just look at any Internet thread on police brutality for proof.

In my experience, people (including myself) are more likely to agree with the evidence that supports their initial expectation. Which would include both people who want to commend most cops and those who want to condemn most cops.

about "cops behaving badly." Any way you look at it, something is very wrong.

No one does that.

Even though if the public actually knew the risks they really faced, they probably would.

and whoever else I can see in the cockpit.

I've been known to compliment a pilot now and again.

caught up in miserable weather conditions - airport officials were getting ready to close the runway because of ice. We were the last plane that landed before the closing. You could feel the plane sliding when it landed but the pilot kept it on the runway and got a round of applause from all the passengers.

I remember one plane trip that the person sitting beside me was complaining that pilots were over paid. Oh, hell no. I want the pilot of my plane to be well paid and happy - not depressed over money.

teachers, nurses, doctors who are willing to provide abortion services, janitors, firemen, airline pilots (think Captain Sullenberger here), politicians, or people of ay other profession never deserve praise for doing their jobs.

Amazing logic isn't it? It reminds me of Republicans who cry about the "librul media" when a Republican politician gets caught in a scandal.

go their in assholish fashion, likening me to a republican. Your ability to carry on a conversation without personal attacks, makes me glad you are not in uniform.

The "reporting of real events" is limited to the bad cops. And, the quoted sources are generally anti-law enforcement who have agendas. The reporting of "real events" when officers save lives appears to be a problem for you.

Perspective.

Do you make the news when you go to work? I usually don't. When a cop breaks the law and isn't held accountable, that's news.

And I have no problem with bad cops being held accountable. I do have a problem with the agenda that appears to be prevalent on DU which is that all cops are evil.

"When a cop does his/her job it isnt news:" it should be. They risk their lives every day for you. That should be news.

And they don't risk their lives everyday. You probably believe every war is about "protecting freedom" too.

Local cops make like 80-100k a pop, in a town where most people maybe make 25-30k.

You want to talk 'risking lives every day', WTH don't we pay military entry level personnel 80k as well?

And I'd like a fact check on 'they risk their lives every day for you'. I'm willing to bet most of them do not, in fact 'risk their lives every day', unless the ones you're talking about work in high crime zones like south Chicago, parts of LA, New York, etc. If there is one violent police encounter a day in my town, we're having a serious crime wave, and we've certainly got a lot more than one cop in town. Unless they all respond to every single incident, statistics suggests that maybe 1-2% of days, they might be risking violent contact, maybe even their lives. Our firefighters risk their lives a heck of a lot more often than our cops, and the only time we see stories on them in the news is when they actually die.

If your cops want better pay, they need to move from NE PA, I guess.

Because there was a cop suspended not very long ago in one of the local departments, and they noted that with less than a year on the force, he was making 80k.

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2013
33-3051 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment.....Mean hourly wage.....Mean annual wage
635,380...........$28.23....................$58,720

Top paying States for this occupation:

State................Employment.....Hourly mean wage.....Annual mean wage
New Jersey........21,130.............$42.41.....................$88,220
California..........68,340..............$41.37.....................$86,040
Alaska................1,100..............$35.57.....................$73,990
New York..........50,390..............$33.98.....................$70,670
Washington........8,160...............$33.96.....................$70,640

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm

since you also said it should be legal to charge women more for health insurance than men?

Our local deputies barely make over minimum wage to start.

Here in Ohio, they seem pretty strong, and also sucked up to the union-busting gov. Kasich, one of the few unions that endorsed him, iirc, and also by coincidence one of the few that weren't targeted in union-busting legislation that Repubs tried to cram down our throats a couple of years ago.

Many people don't know that unless you stay to retire in the military you don't get anything towards retirement.

And yes you're right about why don't military salaries start at cop pay.

One thing worth noting is military are prosecuted if they obey an illegal order. Not so with cops. They are even protected under color of law against civil suits.

They beat the shit out of us and kill us for us!

and help the justice system hold the bad cops accountable for their illegal actions are in effect accessories after the fact. Looking the other way does not absolve the "good cops" from their responsibility of doing the job that they are hired to do - protect and serve and that does not mean protect and serve the bad cops.

If "good cops" don't want to be tarred with the same brush as the bad cops it is very simple - they need to do their job. As long as the bad cops are continued to be allowed to get away with their bad acts, all cops will be tarred with the same brush.

Search and rescue people make the news when they rescue. Teachers make the news when their classes do something exceptional. Firefighters make the news when they save folks lives while risking their own. My Dad made the news recently for being the heart and soul of his diverse neighborhood.

The police in my town are well educated, community minded, helpful and very kind.

It goes without saying that "When a cop breaks the law and isn't held accountable, that's news." But if you are so filled with hatred that you can't appreciate the other 99% of police officers that routinely risk their live to keep their neighbors safe, then you need to run for local office and change things. You will probably make the news for doing your job.

my thought on the subject as well...

People complain all the time about "bad this" or "bad that", yet they never seem to be doing shit to change things.

They need to get elected to town or city offices.

Become a cop and conduct a purge of the bad cops.


Form citizen groups that demand accountability from cops.


What are they doing instead? Spewing hatred on the Internet.

Wonderful.

It's not that I don't believe you, but I think the point needs to be made regardless.

who abuses everyone who is not like them constantly and no one ever says anything about it but you and your friends! None of these people ever do anything good and none of them could be doing another job where they make more money and are not required to risk their lives.

Since there are no Black, Hispanic, female or young cops, you can't expect to be protected by them unless you are a white male.

"sarcasm"

Get real. Most police officers are just your neighbors doing the difficult and (sometimes) dangerous job of protecting their communities. As in all walks of life, there are some people who abuse their power. It should be everyone's job to point out those abuses. Tarring everyone in law enforcement with the same brush just makes you appear reactive instead of an activist.

at least on an individual level. But like it or not, who you are has an effect on how you're treated by society.

you might have a different perspective on law enforcement. Which is not to say they're all bad people, that wasn't my point.

Get sued for using the device...

Our new orders are to be hyper aggressive and beat suspects to near death and into submission...you know for their own safety...and ours....

Have you never run across right wingers who find black on white crimes to post? Just story after story with the obvious agenda.

I try to find hate crimes to oppose them. It's not easy. These right wingers have some blog or person looking for them.

and instead allow the bad cops to get away with their crimes: 1) the god cops are violating their oath to protect and serve the public and 2) they become part of the problem.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Edmund Burke.

If good cops want to be valued by the public then they need to do their job.

then why do they turn a blind eye to the injustice that is meted out to these victims by their fellow officers?

Cop #1 brings a homeless guy shoes on a cold day.

Cop #2 pins a homeless woman's head to the street and punches her in the face fifteen times.

Which of these two officers do you think needs more attention on them? Think really hard here.

Now, a similar question.

Bear #1 is roaming the woods of alaska, eating berries and fish and doing other things one expects a bear to do.

Bear #2 is rabid and just wandered onto the school's playground during recess.

Which of these two bears do you think needs more of our attention on them?

The false equivalency shit gets old. Thanks!

there are both good and bad cops - and a lot that fall somewhere in-between.

Broad brushes are easier to paint with - but not very accurate. It's easier and requires little thought, but not everyone is comfortable with that kind of thinking.

Some people like balance in what is presented. I have no problem with that at all.

Answering a story of police corruption with a story of a good cop is not balance, that's agenda. It is the exploitation of the good cop to dress up the cop who is beating some poor woman's head it. It is a claim that some cop helping a puppy in St Louis somehow mitigates another in Oakland kicking the shit out of some black kid for walking down the street. It is one hell of a rhetorical claim. It's like saying that Ted Cruz is not so bad because Elizabeth Warren is a Senator too. Nonsensical.

Good post

there certainly does seem to be a widespread anti-cop attitude here.

For every bad cop out there (who attract the most attention), there are probably ten more who are truly decent people.

Nobody ever mentions them, though.

It's always "bad cop this" and "bad cop that", as if every single cop in the US is a corrupt, inhuman egomaniacal monster.


One would hope that liberals would appreciate hearing both sides of the story.

But I question anyone who willingly signs up to enforce racist and archaic laws. Most of them probably do want to do the right thing but they end up doing to bidding of the 99%.

if their very function is one of direct evil, such that anyone who seeks to become a cop you presume to be either an authoritarian goon or an idiotic dupe.

If police only serve the 1%, why not abolish them?

they must be saying there should be no cops, and who thinks that? Other than anarchists or criminals who just don't want any brakes on their actions? It's ridiculous and makes the left look dumb.

There's about one good one for 10 bad ones.

Or should we just take your word for it?

I'm an authority like the OP. That should make authoritarian worshipping cop fellators moist.

Some asshole on the internet called me an asswipe. You sure showed me.

Some are "former" RWers

Look at some of the ones in this thread.....

that's not how it works.

Show data if you want people to believe your numbers.

is your data available for review?

You don't like to read stories of regular cops helping people? Don't read them.

e.g. throw a flash-bang in an infant's crib, they are never held accountable.

Doesn't matter how many Good Cops there are - the issue is absence of accountability to the public for institution-wide abuses.

that doesn't mean ALL cops are shits.

And never say they are "never" held accountable.


http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/former_springfield_police_offi_4.html

a cop beating the shit out of someone, and the other cops on the scene either stand by and watch, doing nothing whatsoever to help the victim, or they actively join in the fun? That's what usually happens.

How many times have we seen a cop step in and protect the victim of an abusive colleague? It happens occasionally, but it's exceedingly rare.

How many times have we seen a cop arrest another cop on the spot for committing a crime, whether it's falsifying records or perjury or assault and battery or murder? That never, ever happens.

What would be a good guess as to the ratio of recorded beatings to non-recorded beatings? About one out of what...a hundred? Five hundred? A thousand? More?

And good cops never seem to arrest bad cops.

I'm sorry but one cop delivering milk does not overcome another cop sawing open the throat of a restrained dog. These are not equal and opposite reactions. One is a cop being a decent person, just like he is EXPECTED TO BE. Decent people deliver groceries to people who need 'em.

The other is a psychopathic freak who needs to be removed for the safety of the community of people around him.

why don't teachers gang up and pig-pile (innuendo intended) on their fellow teachers?