I`m biased. My dad became an LEO in 1970 when I was 4 years old and had a 33 year career. I became an LEO in 1990 and am still active. The thing that I have noticed most is how much more scrutiny LEOs are under now than they were in 1970. We have to everything by the book and by the letter although the book doesn`t and can`t cover every possible scenario.
In my dad`s day, actually fighting or initiating an assault on the police was a rarity, nowadays, it`s almost the norm. Criminals don`t seem to run away anymore, they are out for blood and too often we shed it. Criminals are nowadays seen as victims, or more specifically, "victims of society" while police are being seen as the villains, particularly if we have to use ANY level of force to control or stop a violent subject. Most people don`t understand why it takes 5+ cops to bring down & control 1 man (or woman). Most of the officers I know can and have handled fights one on one, BUT one of both of them ALWAYS gets hurt. When there are multiple officers, each officer only has to use a little bit of force on the subject which by itself isn`t much but the cumulative strength of 5 officers each using a little force, is more than enough (usually) to control a subject WITHOUT ANYONE getting hurt.
As for LEOs "scanning" or "profiling" ... how many of you know what is "normal" for your own neighborhood? You know which neighbor drives what car and the kind of hours they normally keep and you know when a car or pedestrian that is lingering around "just isn`t normal for that area" and you tend to watch it a bit more closely. I know about all that in my neighborhood. Like the older guy who walks down my street every morning about 0900 to go the the store and get his newspaper. Or that the silver Pontiac Grand Prix with the loud muffler and missing tail light belongs to the neighbor two doors up.
THAT`S what police do, they get used to their `beats` and after time, they recognize who and what is `normal` for their areas of patrol. So when there is something out of place, they watch a bit more closely. License plate scanners are an interesting tool. I`ve used them on several occasions and they DO hit on stolen cars and cars whose owners have warrants, but they`re not perfect and everything the plate reader comes up with is double checked by the operating officer.
When there is a pack of cars speeding down the highway, why don`t we get them all? When you`re fishing, have you ever caught the whole school of fish? People forget that driving a car is not a right, it is a privilege. Nowhere in the Constitution is it mentioned that The People Have the Right to Drive a Car (or back in the times it was written it wasn`t a `right ` for a man to own & ride a horse). Your Driver`s License and your License Plates do not belong to you, they belong to the State, which gives me the right to check your plates through LEADS (or whatever system I use) at will, I don`t need a reason. Which is why you can be driving perfectly and still be pulled over for a plate or Driver`s License violation. You`d be surprised at how many people don`t realize their DL or plates are expired or that their license is suspended. So instead of going on the defensive right away, calmly ASK why you were stopped. I`d say it`s safe to say that 99% + of the time if you are calm and reasonable talking to the officer, they will be calm and reasonable with you. In my experience, it`s ALWAYS the person with the biggest mouth & worst attitudes that have a warrant out for them or a suspended license.
An officer`s #1 rule is to go home after his shift. Period. So it`s when people start getting loud and putting off aggressive signals, that officers go on the defensive and prepare to go on the offensive to protect themselves, their partners and the public. We learn to rely on our gut feelings when dealing with people. Which is simply an experience driven sense that compares the current situation to past situations and how the past scenarios played out to determine our course of actions. None of this is consciously done, it is all subconscious and fairly quick. Many of you have the same ability. You can "read" people and this lets you decide within minutes or seconds if you could get along with this person or not. ANY combat veteran knows what I`m talking about.
We ARE NOT the enemy. Yes we are prepared to use violence, we are trained to use violence IF NEEDED. Like the video said, in this fashion we are similar to the wolf (criminal). but unlike the criminal, we are trained to use violence against those who would come after use or the general population, NOT the general population as a whole. I will agree that there are a few bad cops, but just a few. If it were a wide-spread issue, then it wouldn`t be newsworthy and wouldn`t make the papers or CNN.
Want a closer look at our life? Take a Civilian Police Academy Class if there`s one in your area, go for a ride-along. Or just start talking to different LEOs to see their side of things. We are people too, of all different backgrounds and upbringings. I`m sure you`ll find we are more alike than we are different.
