Quote: (11-19-2014 05:46 PM)Zelcorpion Wrote:
Quote: (11-19-2014 05:26 PM)jimukr104 Wrote:
I had many regulars who would stop ,shoot the breeze or chat me up in the diner, etc. They became somewhat people I would consider work friends( i saw them at work technically). I am pretty sure they liked their interaction considering day after day, month after month they would pull up chairs next to us and actually have conversations.
I learned a lot from some of these friends. Had an investment banker, nurse and dentist all part of the lunch family!
You have to bite the bullet when you interact because you got CAUGHT!But you can choose to have other interactions if you want to.
Frankly all those accusations towards the cops are useless. In the end it is similar as accusing a US army recruit for shooting some civilians in Iraq in the line of duty or for guarding a poppy field in Afghanistan.
The militarization of the police is something that is affecting all officers in the force. I am also certain that if you pulled 100 average men from all walks of life and enlisted them into the police force, then you would find out that most of them would have changed views and perceptions after having been on the force for 2 years. Some of them you would not even recognize.
The question that everyone should ask himself is WHY all those changes in the force are happening, so that the police more resembles a standing army than some peace keepers?
And I am sorry for anyone who cannot see the clouds gathering - crime is significantly lower than in the 1970s, but the militarization is tantamount to civil war preparations.
I apologize. I think you a questioning the increase in SWAT teams and such yes?
I don't have an answer but I do understand why many want to join. It is kind of prestigious in LE similar to becoming a Navy Seal in the military. It is often also a promotion to Detective.
But now I will lay out a few reasons why the nations police dept's are becoming like that. Understand I can only give you opinions since I don't write policy and know what the evil Darth Vader's of each city have in mind, but it all starts with Bush and continues with Obama.
Here are my reasons:
1. Many see the crime reduction in NYC and want to do the same. Crime in NYC I think is at 1955 levels lol. They are trying to copy a police dept that has 40k cops by copying the whole 'broken window' theory (google for info). It works and as the premier agency all the others want to follow..but with fewer officers they can't get the same success without militarizing at becoming BAD ASSES.
2.Bush and Obama give weapons, tanks, APC'S, helicopters , ETC left from our wars to Police depts.
They give more obviously based on need. How do they determine need you may ask?
By how many positions will be available to use the equipment. So these dept's are making large swat teams and creating a need/reason to get this stuff. I hear many barely out of the academy are getting into these special teams without much experience. Of course I bet we can all see how that plays out,yes?
We all remember post 9/11 terrorist funding? They were giving Armored vehicles to tiny 6 man sheriff dept's in the south lol.
3. Many returning war veterans are joining up. They of course often are violent and suffering from PSTD. Ironically, after Vietnam war Law Enforcement ranks were also swelling with many veterans that had killed a few too many. As we know the 70's was a tough time with many fighting the cops.
These are some of my views as to the increase militarizing.
As for my reasons for the bad relations change from old days:
1. End of community policing. For us older guys in the big cities we often grew up knowing the local cops. We respected them regardless if we liked them or not because they were from the community and walking around chatting with the folks. That has been replaced by a mobile vehicle dept that basically drives around never interacting with anyone except when going after them.
2. Quotas and micro management. In the old days cops could do what they want. That could be bad as well but if you were a decent guy who made a little mistake they could warn you and wave you off..the friendly cop. But that has changed.
Today cops can get in trouble for using their descrition..blame politics and SJW'S. They want a cop to treat everyone equally. So basically if a cop would ticket/arrest a thug with multiple convictions..they want them to do the same to the NICE guy who errored.
That is one of the reason state troopers are bastards. THEY have camera's on their dashboard watching them.
3. Lawsuits and cover your own ass politics.
4. Most cops come from middle class families that moved out to the suburbs. Most cops don't actually live where they work so they actually act like they don't care since it isn't their backyard.