I tend to be a reactive person. I take things personally, often when I shouldn't. I know this about myself...but it doesn't make it any easier when I hear people complain about cops. I realize that there are dirty cops out there (lord knows I deal with a similar situation in my line of work), but seriously, one scandal is enough to make the media sharks turn the public on all police. Same thing with teachers...someone effs up and we're all evil child-molesters out looking to take advantage of innocent children.
Now a days, it seems as if everyone is out to video tape and trap police (and teachers) doing things they shouldn't be doing. It's become an "us against them" sort of thing...and the families get dragged into it, too. Police families want to protect and defend our cops, which can make us defensive. I just happen to get it coming and going since I work in a similarly loved/hated profession where the workers in the trenches take the brunt of the complaints and negative attention.
For example...Occupy Everything. While this seems to have begun as a public outcry against economic irresponsibility by the government/fed/Wall Street...it quickly morphed into a bitch session about everything, including cops. The "Police Brutality" set came out in full force...pulled out their cellphones, and worked together to taunt the cops into action. These videos then, out of context, moved like wildfire across the internet.
As a police wife, I had to actually stop watching the news, reading articles, and talking to friends about the Occupy movement. It made me too angry. Police were called upon to keep the peace, remove people who were looting, harassing passersby, and interfering with local business. Yet, somehow, they came out "the bad guys".
And then there are the websites and the facebook pages...take any town or city and search google or facebook by filling in this blank: ____________ brutality...or ______________ police brutality. You'll find them.
The other night, "the man" and his partner were called out to do a bar check. It was supposed to be a big concert...a dozen bands in a small bar. It had "disaster" written all over it. They stopped by, with someone from the fire department...to make sure, before it started, that the management were aware of the laws...so everyone stayed safe. The following day, they made the brutality site with the complaint that they came in and bullied everyone, harassing everyone and throwing their weight around. I just can't believe how twisted stories can become.
"The man" works in a fairly small town...where the vocal minority really hates the cop...feeling them to be "militarized bullies who take advantage of the people and abuse their rights at every turn." This, of course, couldn't be further from the truth. They do their job. They arrest people who break the law. They ticket people who speed or park where they shouldn't. The drive and walk around town because that's what cops do. So, basically, what it comes down to is...they wear a uniform and they exist. That's offensive enough for some people.
In some bigger cities, it's a much more serious issue. People actually target cops with violence. They hunt them down, corner them, beat them up, kill them...for sport...for admission into a gang...for revenge. It blows my mind.
Sometimes, I wonder why police do it at all. I wonder...if all the cops took the day off and let the people deal with their own problems... Well, I know how that would turn out. It would still be the cops' fault. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't. Another thing I can relate to, in my profession. I suppose someone has to do it. I just wish we were given the respect we deserve. It's a hard enough job without the public criticizing our every move.
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