Do You Trust Law Enforcement?

[LERCA]

Don’t like ‘em. Trust most of them.

 

[Dingfelder]

I don't trust anyone whose interests may be actively aligned against mine.

 

[ridgeway]

I was listening to a story about a town in Texas, they have no property taxes. The way they fund the city is two cop cars, a speed trap and a drug sniffing dog.

 

[bullfrog]

Sounds like an ideal place for me as I’m old and just putt around backing up traffic, don’t use illegal or legal drugs in excess and if I’m lucky my wife hasn’t stole my $10 I carry in my wallet.

 

[vgilbert]

Hello Everyone,
Retired Firefighter/Paramedic here.
There are good and bad in all professions including your trusted first responders......
Like any segment of society I trust until given a reason not to trust. Police officers ask questions like where are you going, what are you doing out here, can I see your ID, all in an effort to "investigate". My advise is to answer a couple of their questions with polite questions. For example: You are stopped for a speeding violation, officer asks "where are you going today" Answer: Im sorry Officer but why is that important in regards to my infraction? You will know right away as to the officers attitude towards their job.
Please consider this thought. I was working before 911, During 911 (was on duty that day), and after 911. So many things in law enforcement changed after 911 as officer training in the academy (from their first day) has taught them that everyone is to be considered suspicious. Younger officers tend to go "above and beyond" in their questions while officers with many more years on the job tend to stick to the infraction at hand.

In a nutshell it still boils down to one fact: If you are doing no wrong you are fine.
Good luck out there
God Bless

 

[ridgeway]

bullfrog
    "Sounds like an ideal place for me as I’m old and just putt around backing up traffic, don’t use illegal or legal drugs in excess and if I’m lucky my wife hasn’t stole my $10 I carry in my wallet."

I would imagine it could be a good place for insiders just an expensive place for "outsiders". That is if you get along with Billy his mom and his cousins.

 

[shadowmoss]

I think I got a ticket in that town in Texas. I wasn't in the wrong, but it was an obvious set up and was told to just go to this website and pay and we won't notify your state or insurance company. I won't willingly travel Hyw 54 ever again.

 

[B and C]

I was listening to a story about a town in Texas, they have no property taxes. The way they fund the city is two cop cars, a speed trap and a drug sniffing dog.

Patton Village, TX is famous as a speed trap place.  Only about 20 miles from me!  Never got stopped there though.  A short stretch of the highway so always drove under the speed limit there (still do).


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patton_Village,_Texas

 

[desert_sailing]

In a nutshell it still boils down to one fact: If you are doing no wrong you are fine.

Like Breonna Taylor???

 

[eDJ_]

In my county here in southern Ohio you can go to court over a traffic fine.  But if you are wise you won't.

If you go before the Judge you have three pleas. 1) Guilty,  2) Not Guilty, and 3) No Contest.

You're only in front of the judge one to two minutes max. 

A no contest plea implies you may be guilty or somewhat guilty. 

If you fine is $80 dollars when you went before the Judge and he knocked $15 off the fine you leave the Court thinking you've accomplished something.   But when you get to the clerk's window she tells you that you owe
$65 dollars.    W-R-O-N-G  !!!!    She tells you that you owe $265 dollars which includes the two minutes of Court Cost. 

I've only had a few speeding tickets.  But now I just smile at the girls at the window who urge me to go before the Judge and I say NO.   But he may reduce the fine.  And I smile and say.....and add $200 in court cost to it. 

Then it's nothing said.  They know I know about their racket then.

So I just look at a traffic citation now as an occasional at random TAX for using the highways. 

I noticed on those occasions the Officer saying to console me......."well, look at all of those times you may have been speeding and DIDN'T get caught.   It's like it's their way of evening up for all of those times.

In my rig now I have a small CB radio and a Radar Detector which are mounted out of sight.  I can flip a switch
to cancel the power to them  But the most effective prevention to this stuff is my cruise control.   But even so,  on some stretches of the roads I travel the speed limit is posted differently every few miles by as little as 5 mph. And this is why don't really trust LEO's as when I see this stuff I figure they are just beating the road for fines. It isn't only the LEO's, the Courts are behind it too.

 

[ridgeway]

I think I got a ticket in that town in Texas.  I wasn't in the wrong, but it was an obvious set up and was told to just go to this website and pay and we won't notify your state or insurance company.  I won't willingly travel Hyw 54 ever again.

I think Texas has a few of those towns.. The one I was hearing the story about was Von Ormy on hwy 35 - https://www.npr.org/transcripts/771371881  (interesting story)

We have a town in Colorado called Morrison the entire police force is funded by speed traps they employ about 12 officers. Morrison had 4 calls and dispatches for disturbing the peace and domestic violence and more then 10,000 speeding tickets the other year. This year they fired the sheriff because he could get enough speeding tickets.

I think everyone would love police if they only went after robbers, rapists and murders but the sad reality is the vast majority of their "work" is strong arm extorting the public.

 

[Axel]

I trust most of them, but there's some bad apples. I think they're over-tasked, and tasked to do things that would be better handled by a social worker or other specialist. Might be why there are so many problems. Because they can be targeted, and because they're armed, cops are trained to enter situations with more power, force, and tactical mindset than would normally be necessary, thereby escalating situations which can result in harm to someone who might only be having a bad day.

It's a job that I wouldn't want to do and I salute them for it (most of them), but I think there needs to be better standardized training and continuing ed for cops, and as a country I think we need to examine their role vs. the role of of specialists, as appropriate. When your only tool is a hammer, everything is a nail.

 

[nature lover]

‘tis true that there’s a lot of what police do that would be better done by a social worker. The major problem is the dispatcher can’t tell the difference. As an old EMT and first responder many years ago (one of my first careers).I got shot at several times I screamed at many times and cursed out more times than I care to remember. The recent shooting we had in Lancaster by a policeman Caused some local rioting. They sister of the “perp” The next day released a statement saying her brother needed mental help not being shot.The policeman‘s body cam showed it was clear that the deranged subject was running towards him with a raised knife in his hand, a large one and sharp one. Yes a social worker might have been able to calm calm guy down then Again a social worker might’ve had got a blade in his heart or brain. The sister told the dispatcher that her brother was distraught and threatening her mother with a knife. He could’ve easily killed a mother and a sister and a police officer.There is no way that the dispatcher can tell the difference between a call that can be taken care of by a compassionate social worker or an armed Policeman. There in lies the problem. And two days after that incident I had a run-in with the police officer who was what I would call belligerent and verbally rough. But was he thinking about what happened only 48 hours before and just 1 1/2 miles from where We met. You’re right I wouldn’t wanna wear that uniform either. God bless the nomads and all the first responders too and keep us all sane and decent. Tall order God.

 

[becida]

These days? No.

 

[rvwandering]

I have deleted a few of the posts. This is a tough subject to discuss but bashing law enforcement is not permitted. Please try to post only your experiences.

From Bob's Rules of the Forum  

2) Don’t ever attack, belittle or denigrate anyone. If you have something bad to say about someone, keep it to yourself. This includes politicians, police officers and the homeless. You can hate them if you want, but you don’t get to spread your hate here.

 

[WanderingRose]

I had the opportunity a few weeks back to spend some time with a young woman who was getting her Masters Degree in Social Work, and planning to specialize in Forensic Social Work.

I have been retired and out of the field for 13+ years, and had never heard of this specialty.

Forensic Social Workers apparently work with law enforcement and the court system in various capacities, which seems an excellent field of study.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_social_work

May help address some of the deficits we see and hear about, tho it’s also important for law enforcement to call the local crisis team for assistance when presented with someone with mental health issues.

 

[LERCA]

My career was in South Central been in dozens of lockdowns. Been in the middle of gang members shooting at each other across the street. Had a classroom facing the street with bullet holes every Monday (never saw a bullet) Had a plant manager raped another shot point blank in the head. Had several kinder teachers assaulted. Also had lockdowns when kids went missing and the police who had contacts across the city were searching,I could go on and on. I’ll call SWAT for help. You call a social worker. Unbelievable how naive and what easy lives some people have led. Thank God someone’s willing to put on the uniform and pick up a gun.

 

[desert_sailing]

willing to put on the uniform and pick up a gun.
Unbelievable how naive and what easy lives some people have led.

There are literally millions of people willing to pick up a gun and put on a uniform...sorting those who are QUALIFIED to serve is the problem.

I also  wouldn't call folks that refuse to live in those sorts of war zones naive .In fact I would wager they are probably the wisest of the group to have removed themselves and their children  from such dire and violent situations. 

I would rather live in a refrigerator box in safety than a mansion in danger. The phrase " You couldn't pay me to live there." comes to mind.

I don't applaud folks for doing what they are paid to do. Their paycheck should be all the applause they need.

Notice how some fast food places now have a tip jar (applause jar)... for doing what they are paid to do and they still feel entitled to a tip??!! Should we also now tip/applaud the cashier at walmart?

just an fyi....I have however told several store clerks "thanks" and to "stay safe" for putting themselves out there for us.

 

[WanderingRose]

Wow.

Social workers are not law enforcement, nor do they want to be, nor would they try to intervene when law enforcement is clearly required.

There are situations involving law enforcement where help from the helping professions might defuse a situation and perhaps save lives.

 

[rvwandering]

I think this thread has run it's course. Thanks to everyone who stayed on topic and respectful to everyone.
Thread closed.