Reply #5: I don't think that should be only their role [View All]

I grew up in England where my mum always told us that if we were ever lost or needed help, find a policeman.

I remember once, when I was 15, I missed the last bus home from town (11pm) and I was running to get home before my curfew. A pair of policemen gave me a lift home and kindly let me out around the corner from our house so my mum wouldn't see me getting out of a police car. And then there was the time my friend and I were thumbing a lift and once again got a lift from a pair of friendly bobbies. Two London bobbies did a fake 'arrest' of my son when he was 12 for a souvenir photo. I have always found the British police to be helpful and friendly. I'm sure there are people who have ran into a some bad ones but all in all they seem to have a different role than the American police.

After living in the US for 37 years I have found the police do have the "get the bad guy" attitude you describe and that's a dirty shame. I'm a law abiding person yet I have been treated very rudely by them for no reason. I do believe the police force attracts many people who like to drive fast, carry a gun and have authority over people. I also believe they shouldn't have authority over us because they work for us. Protect and serve is their motto.