I'm uncomfortable with the constant demonization of police thats occured lately. These are the people that keep us safe. These are the people that deal with the lowest of the low on a daily basis. That being said I'm fine with their actions being filmed. I think its a good idea for local governments to require police officers to wear body cameras so all interactions are reviewable.
I can think of no instance where any Police Officer should be given a blank check to kill an unarmed suspect
I agree that there should be no "blank checks" - that people need to be held accountable, and that cops in general need to be held to the highest standards. Things like the shooting of an unarmed running man in the back like what happened in SC a couple of months ago are totally unacceptable and should be punished severely. But at the same time, there should be no rush to judgement when things happen. Sometimes some witnesses lie and physical evidence proves it, as in the Mike Brown case. As we've often seen, cops sometimes have to defend themselves, even against an unarmed subject on occasion. It's stupid for any citizen to deliberately not comply with lawful orders or try to resist arrest, and especially to pick a fight with a cop (or anyone else) who is armed.
There is no "demonization" of the police, it's just that less and less people are blindly believing what they say, because they can see for themselves that they will lie on police reports and under oath. These videos are the only things that have pulled the curtain back. Prior to that, it was "hey, if the cop says it, then it must be true!" People are now finally believing that the "truth is stranger than fiction," and those movies about the thin blue line and corrupt cops were not the exception, but the rule. Most police departments are a legal form of a criminal organization and when the cops get to go undercover, it's just that much worse.
The police do get given a hard time but in some cases it's entirely justified. If they went about their roles in the manner we expect, then they shouldn't have any problem with being caught on camera. A lot of the time the police have to bend the rules slightly in order to do their jobs, I don't think people have anything against that, but when you see some of the things that have been captured recently it goes a lot further than bending the rules.
There are always a few bad apples in every profession, but the idea that "most [entire] police departments [or even most cops themselves] are a legal form of a criminal organization..." is ridiculous. I've been alive for nearly 46 years, traveled all over, never had the slightest issue with any cop anywhere. I was issued a handful of minor traffic violations over the last 30 years that I deserved, but I've never, ever been treated with anything less than respect by LE. Then again, I'm polite and respectful to people myself, not one who engages in criminal behavior, and I don't curse, spit, or try to fight LE or whatever any time I encounter them. Never pick a fight you cannot win. If the cop got out of line, file a complaint after the fact - don't try to fight or even disrespect an armed police officer who has been given a legal authority beyond what the average citizen has. It's just stupid. But again, I guess such foolish rebellion is largely a cultural thing, and often a reaction of criminals in general.
Oh, so because you've never had a run-in then it must not happen? Well, it's good to see that arrogance isn't on just one side of the badge. While I will concede that if you know that you have done something wrong and are stopped while doing it, you should take low man. But, what about when you know that you aren't doing anything wrong, but you are stopped, which is now harassment because you look like someone that "fits the profile" of a wrongdoer. You consistently get stopped on "hunches" and see if you are as nonchalant about "picking fights" with someone that yes, has the legal authority to do whatever they want to ruin your day and life's record, if they feel like it. Now, that will still go over your head as an excuse, but I believe you're a married man, so think about whatever it is that your wife seems to enjoy nagging you about. Think about how you feel when she gets on that jag. Think about how you would feel if she got on that jag without even knowing that this time, she's out of line, because what she was complaining about doesn't apply. Pretty annoying, eh? Now, imagine if when she finds out that she's "correct," she can go above and beyond a reasonable reaction to your wrongdoing, she could key your car, bend golf clubs in half, destroy your computer, anything she desires and when you tell your side of the story, everyone simply says, "hey, if mama ain't happy, nobody's happy." That's the least of what happens to you when she was right, but oh, when she isn't right, not only do you have to suffer the indignation of being falsely accused, wrongly punished, but everyone stills says it was your fault or simply, "get over it." Now, you may still deny that there is any reason for a person to hold resentment or mistrust towards this kind of person, even if this is a part of your daily life simply because of where you live or what you look like. But, because now the police are starting to treat white people just as poorly as they treat non-white people, you will hear of an incident happening to someone who you previously believed in and found acceptable and questions will creep into your head, when they do, continue to push them down in your belief that there are more "good cops than bad cops" even though the "good cops" never seem to turn in those bad cops.
Ok, I know I'm throwing fuel on this fire but I'm feeling spunky this morning. Here's a public service announcement that people need to see. (Warning, harsh language) Search YouTube for "Chris Rock gets pulled over"
I'm not married myself. Sorry about your experiences. I am all for any bad cops being held accountable. But I don't believe it's anywhere near a majority of them, and I don't believe for a minute that anywhere near most police departments are corrupt criminal organizations on the whole.
