Cops...do we need to make changes?

[Rob Thomas]

IMHO, if someone is convicted of a crime punishable by death, KILL THEM. Sorry to say that's way to harsh in the NE states, we are much kinder and gentler. We'll just foot the bill to keep the scumbag alive for 50 years. What we need is more states like TX, they do it right

Quoted from Bigsaint





Scott, I agree with you 100%.



Later , Rob

 

[IdaH.O.Train]

Mike Ellis, you may have been able to lay off the dope while you were in high school; however, it looks like you've more than made up for lost time since then. Either you have never been around too many dopers, and I'm not talking about pot smokers, or you just don't get it. When we are talking about stimulants, we are talking about a VERY DANGEROUS category of drugs. Drugs that cause people to throw their babies out the window of a moving car. Think it doesn't happen. THESE THINGS MAKE YOU NUTS. So, when you say a person should be able to do what he/she wants to his/her body, you're right. Unfortunately, they don't just keep to themselves. They always find a way to involve the innocent public or family members, many times with violence.



Secondly, you're talking about legalizing highly addictive drugs. And believe you me, if this is a regulated industry, like let's say TOBACCO, you had better believe that Uncle Sam will tax the living dog smack out of it to support increased health care costs and "treatment" options. Drugs would end up costing the user more. And because a large percentage of drug users don't have a regular income, they are still going to have to get their dope from some where. See a problem?



I realize that people are going to continue to use, regardless of the laws. However, that goes for every law out there. Does that mean we should just throw them all out? Think of the money we as tax payers could save then.



BTW, Mike Ellis, Crank is a slang term for methamphetamine. They are one in the same.

 

[Wayno]

Hey Patriot, I think you might just be right. My Dad is 80 year's old and when I was very young I was alway's told by my Dad that COP stood for Constable on Patrol. We lived in the country for many,many year's. That's all we had for Law enforcement was the Constable. There was'nt a city around for mile's when my Dad was young. Ca'nt say that anymore thank's to Economical Development. The only reason that I could see way a Police Officer would be offended by being call'd a Cop is that he would'nt want to be a Constable.

 

[sdalton]

Re: WHAT IS MY POINT?

Originally posted by GLASMITHS

YOU SAID" Your preception of Law Enforcement is based on your limited, ignorant, immature mind. "



The point is that you have a group of people of limited IQ, cain't get any other job, under the authority of law, abuseing the people the are being paid to protect.



I'm out of here----------------------

You are such an arrogant jerk. Some of the most educate, intelligent people I know are police officers. It is more a calling than a chosen profession.

I myself have a degree in biology with a minor in Chemistry. My I. Q. is 139, I dont abuse the people I protect. I have friends with engineering degrees, law degrees, and every other type of degree you might imagine that do this job. The vast majority do not abuse their jods. A select few have and they are characterized as typical cops.

A few people that have been bashing cops here have a major axe to grind and need to take a big deep breath. A lot of grief that you all received was brought on yourself, by your disrespectful, arrogant, in your face attitudes.

 

[Sled Puller]

I guess I had better post, because this will be locked shortly!!!!



Law Enforcement should not forget they are PUBLIC SERVANTS.



Treat us with respect, use a little common sense, and never, EVER forget, you are not above the very law you enforce.





Legalise drugs?



No, better than that, GIVE them away, tons of them, all you want, We would lose some good people, but drug crime would be wiped out over night.

Thinning the gene pool, if you will.



Of course, that would put thousands and thousands out of work that were fighting the "War on Drugs"

 

[Steve M]

"Dremelts, I cant agree with you more, and that reminds me, dont the democrats, gun control freeks, athiests, communists, socialists, illegal aliens, Powerstroke lovers, Duxamax fanatics, feminists, and homosexuals just think too much of themselves??? I dont know why, but your post just seemed to make me think of those things. I hope this will not step on any toes. "



Is this the thought process of a typical cop? I sure hope not. The prejudice and bias are obvious.



There is a big difference in how cops react based on the person they're after. I've never been pulled over in my truck...

I was pulled over in the hills of the Florida panhandle 21 years ago while riding my Honda Goldwing. I was doing 87mph. The deputy swaggered over to me and explained why I was pulled over. I accepted. We wound up talking about fishing in the area. His final coment was, "well, I can see you ain't no Outlaw biker on account you ain't ridin' a Harley. Jest keep yer speed down an' I'm gon' let ye go". I can't complain about getting let go but it's odd that I can do 87mph on a Honda and not get ticketed but I get harassed to no end on my Harley. There is a difference.

 

[Shovelhead]

For a slight variation on this thread.

Anybody been pulled over by a FEMALE cop?

Experiences?

 

[Sled Puller]

Female cop, twice, one in Pa, one in Ohio.



Both very short. ? Both to the point, polite, stern, here is your ticket!

Not near the buttheads the men were, but I knew I was not getting a warning, no chance.



Anyone hit on a female cop? Results? Ticket or not?

 

[swexlin]

As someone who applied for several LEO jobs, (and got one, which I later resigned from) I can tell you the selection process is VERY demanding. I have led a clean life, no durgs, no arrests, passed exams, but:



1. Can you pass a lifestyle polygraph? Just from the statements some people have made on here (I'm not passing any judgements, just stating a fact), I would venture to say no. I have taken (and passed) both FBI and DEA polygraphs - but, they are VERY difficult.



2. How about past drug usage? Not to sound like a holy roller, but I am one of the FEW people I know of on the planet my age (38) who has never experimented with illegal substances.



3. General background check - any arrests, even for something MINOR?



My point is, the LEO selection process is much more demanding than people think. Hell, if your vision is less than say 20/60, or you're color blind (or at least test so), forget it.



Just my ?0. 02, go ahead and flame away.....

 

[Mike Ellis]

NoCal,



My point of view may differ from yours on the drug legalization aspect, but it sure ain't because I'm doing any. I haven't even had a drink of alcohol in more than 20 years. Maybe this is why I think "crank" and "meth" are different products. One of my in-laws who spends most of his time drugged up with one product or another described in detail to me how people make the two, and they sure sounded different. (One used off-the-shelf products from the drugstore and a piece of window glass, the other took drums of chemicals and was done on a larger scale. Maybe they are the same, heck if I know)



If they are legalized and Uncle Sam taxes 'em, more power to 'em. I'd personally prefer it if the government gave the crap away for free. Sled Puller and I have the same viewpoint on that one.



The pertinent questions to ask on drug legalization are as follows:



1. Should people be able to do what they want to with their own bodies and minds?



2. If the answer to #1 is "yes", then why should we object if people want to fry their own brains with drugs?



3. Finally, if people ARE going to fry their brains with drugs regardless of how diligently we try to police their activity, wouldn't we be better off as a society if the ones who do so are able to get their "fix" safely, for free, in a controlled environment rather than being resorting to a life of crime and predation to fund their habits????



For me, the answers to those questions are simple. You CANNOT STOP someone who wants to do drugs, or alcohol, or anything else for that matter. I'd rather see each city designate an abandoned warehouse as the local "opium den", fix it up with military bunks and showers, and let the addicts stay in there stoned for free as long as they want while the rest of us get on with our lives. It would be a heck of a lot cheaper than the "War on Drugs" in both financial and human costs, and the rest of us could once again enjoy our parks and cities without the constant threat of petty crime.



If you disagree, explain how we would be worse off than we are now if the above plan was implemented and the illegal drug trade collapsed. Repealing Prohibition back before WWII didn't cause our country to implode, and neither would legalizing drugs.

 

[Koa Man]

Originally posted by Shovelhead

For a slight variation on this thread.

Anybody been pulled over by a FEMALE cop?

Experiences?

In the early 70s I got pulled over by a female cop for "running a red light. " I was the second car waiting to make a left turn. My VW bug was in the crosswalk, cars coming straight did not stop until the light turned red. Car in front of me made a left and I followed. I told her I was sitting in the intersection while the light was green waiting to make a left. She told me I wasn't in the intersection and gave me a ticket. Told her I'll see you in court. Judge dismissed the ticket and told her, "You exercised very poor judgement in this case. The crosswalk is part of the intersection. His vehicle would be blocking pedestrian traffic. If he was already there when the light was green and could not make a left until the light turned red, he has the right to go. " I looked at her and smiled. Two weeks later I read in the paper that she got punched in the face while trying to apprend a drunk and was hospitalized.

 

[IdaH.O.Train]

Mike Ellis, I find it interesting that you keep making references to depressants, by talking primarily about heroin use (ie. opium den) and you keep dodging the other classes of drugs. I assume from this you might live on the east coast and may not have much exposure to the more dangerous drugs. Anyway, I don't see the point, then, of having the government warehouse these addicts, just so they can be happy. What would they be contributing to society? What would their purpose be? What would be the point? I'm not blind. I realize, just as much as anyone else does, that people are going to do, what people want to do, regardless of the law. However, we, as a society, don't have to support it, nor do we have to endorse it.



I guess you're right on one point, if drugs WERE legalized, and GIVEN OUT FOR FREE by our government, then yes, the illegal drug trade would most likely have no business in THIS country. I can see it now. Several years down the road, my grandchildren are in history class learning about how the government, once again, crapped in their mess kit by legalizing drugs. Ah, who am I kidding, why in the hell would they be in school, when they could be in a government sponsored program where they could sit around and get wasted all day.



Did Prohibition work? No. But look at what a major problem alcohol is in our society, not only with adults, but with our kids. Look at the billions of dollars alcohol related issues cost us tax payers. When people drink too much, do they always keep to themselves? Do they make sound judgments? Why compound the problem?



Now, if you're talking about legalizing marijuana only, that is considerably different.



Just a little tid bit of trivia for you: The term "Crank" was coined from the method in which the methamphetamine was transported. Outlaw Biker Gangs used to put the dope in the crankcases of their motorcycles to get it from point A to point B.

 

[Warpig]

Rob Thomas

Tim, your gonna give yourself a heart attack,



I appreciate MOST of the duties you guys do, and admire that you have the brass to do it. Your takin' this out of context, I'm talkin' about traffic, and the average "joe", not creeps, and hardend criminals.



LOL... ..... Rob you're ok in my book for what it's worth.

 

[Warpig]

Re: WHAT IS MY POINT?

Originally posted by GLASMITHS

YOU SAID" Your preception of Law Enforcement is based on your limited, ignorant, immature mind. "



The point is that you have a group of people of limited IQ, cain't get any other job, under the authority of law, abuseing the people the are being paid to protect.



I'm out of here----------------------

I would respond to this post but I can't seem to find my copy of

"Hillbilly's for Dummies" so I can translate it.

 

[BNH4221]

The irony certainly wasn't lost on me that this thread started what, 3 spots below the Patriots one about his home being broken into. Who did he call first? The cops.

When your precious Ram gets broadsided at an intersection who do you call? The cops.

When someones daughter was kidnapped who did they call? The cops.

When your neighbor cranks the rock & roll at 0200 hrs who do you call? The cops.

The list goes on and on and on.

My suggestion to the folks here who can blather on for paragraphs about the injustices done to them 20 years ago by a cop is GET OVER IT. We have all had bad experiences with a cop, a waiter, a cashier, a mechanic. It's part of life. But a ticket you got 20 years ago? Geez. Let it go.

Heck, you don't like cops? Don't use them.

Your wife is kidnapped and raped? Call Al Sharpton.

Your house is B+E'd ? Call Jesse Jackson or Geraldo Rivera or one of the other loudmouths that profess to know so much about policing.

My Dad taught me to keep my mouth shut about someone unless I have walked a mile in their shoes. So, I have no idea what it is like to be a Harley Rider with long hair. But do you know what it is like to be a cop? I bet not.

Perhaps if everyone lived by the golden rule, the world would be a better place:

Treat others as you wish to be treated. It works for me.



It's all good.

Steve

98 QC 12v 116,000 happy miles.

 

[R-N-R]

Good & bad cops, bikers, & speeders... . yep we got 'em all!

Stereotype profiling... seems to be pretty common as well.



Are cops human too? Yep! Should we hold them to higher standards than ourselves? Yep! If for no other reason than the fact that they experience more day to day stress than most of us will ever realize in our lifetimes... . and they carry guns. Therefore they need to hold themselves to the highest standard!



Too bad our society is so accepting of our sport "hero's" compensation. It's also too bad that we are so accepting of how we compensate our LEOs, EMTs, Teachers, etc...



Legalize drugs? Helmet laws? Personal choice? Sounds great to me... . but then so does personal accountability! Anybody read this years Stella Awards?



I do find it interesting that today's lawyers whom are interpreting the law, become tomorrow's judges that make the law... so much for check and balance. Personally I think we would have less issues with our cops if we fixed our judicial system.



Legislate human behavior..... good luck!

 

[mimprevento]

COPS

The morons that drive these trucks never seem to stop amazing me- I have been honored in my professional career to be counsel to thousands of cops- and where I am from New York -and for twenty years Virginia- they are honored to be so called. To a man and woman they have been outstanding people who put up with crap, start every shift not knowing if they will live or whether they will have to make that career ending deadly force call that will be Monday morning quarterbacked by some "community leader" with political aspirations. I have seen men who have seen war and horror cry because they may lose their ability to provide for their families because some dirtball tried to hurt or kill them and they responded with force. " The Job" as my cops call it is more dangerous than ever- the abolition of parole in many states has led to desperate criminals trying to fight their way out of an arrest and my guys in "quiet" Virginia have had several instances where they were shot at or run down by cars and luckily survived. Remember- when the officer comes up to your car he has no clue who you are- a gun sitting in plain view is a warning and the law will respond accordingly. This is a thankless low paying job with few rewards except for a pension that hopefully you will survive to collect and not die from the stress that you lived under for 20-25 years. A prime example of the young trainee pulled me over in North Carolina last night as I was leaving a reactive steel course at Blackwater in Moyock NC between sessions. A cop was with me and the truck was loaded with weapons and ammunition. The trooper was very cautious and approached in classic fashion but he knew where we were from after he had a chance to check us out- the cop with me never ID'ed himself but the Trooper who was 22 if he was a day gave me a warning and left. I was doing 14 miles an hour over the speed limit. I just came from this intensive shooting session and some of the students were cops who want to learn how to protect themselves and go home to their families - This thread sucks and few of our TDR members are in any position to criticize or even "rate" law enforcement because you do not have a clue.

 

[Rob Thomas]

I keep talkin' about traffic cops, cause thats all I ever encounter, because I'm not a criminal. I agree that they're jobs are gruling and I wouldn't want to do it, therefore, when I get pulled over, I ALWAYS roll my window down, and have BOTH hands on the steering wheel, and watch him in my mirrior, so ho KNOWS exactly what I am NOT doing. Just to put him at ease with me. Thats just one more thing they dont teach you in driving school, it falls under the common sense category, to bad more dont have it.



I also agree that the judicial system sucks, with the early parole and "light" sentences given. I am a firm beliver in the death penlty, if proven without a doubt you killed someone unjustly, right to the tree you go, or the chair, not the x-amount of years on "death row".



As I said before, I appreciate what cops do for us, its just the attitude's of some I can do without. I have a scanner and have listened to some of the calls that they recive and they do have they're plates full at times, and as far as that goes, I belive they do a GREAT job.



I just wish they wouldn't harrass me so much while drivin', I have more driving experiance at 33 years old, than most people will see in a lifetime. I have drivin' in 44 states and 4 Provinces in Canada, well over 2 million total miles. All mojior cities and all types of weather, terrain and driving senerios. Graduated 1st in my class in Truck driving school and aced the skid-pad. I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE, I shouldn't be held accountable for the inncompetance of the general public. The cops dont issuse issue stupidity ticketes, so here I rant.



Later, Rob

 

[Sled Puller]

I'm with ya Rob!

I feel for the good guys, but they always protect the jaggoffs. If you get a bad cop, run him off.



It should be the public AND the police, working together for a better community.

Police should be our friends, not our enemy. Yet why do we cringe when we see one hiding in the bushes??



Q? WHY DO THEY HIDE???



A: EASY MONEY

 

[mimprevento]

Cops

An overwhelming majority of deadly encounters resulting in dead police or disabled police arise in two main contexts- the traffic stop and the domestic call. I met police from all over who described going into a situation where a man and woman were arguing because they were called by the wife yet they get there and than the wife turns on the cops and it gets ugly. The traffic stop is the scariest for them because in our mobile society anyone from anywhere can be in the car- the statistics are alarming and there are scores of documented cases where the routine stop becomes a life and death struggle because the driver has warrants or drugs. Troopers stop speeders and are vigilant to ensure that safe trucks are on the road. I have had several cases where deaths were caused because trucking companies cut corners and ICC bars were not replaced, cheap retreaded tires blew out, loads were incorrectly tied down- these were all deaths of motorists-in two cases mothers and wifes. That is why trucks go over scales and get stopped sometimes randomly. If a cop stops you for a traffic violation- oh well. THey are enforcing the laws of the respective state legislatures as well as federal CFRs pertaining to equipment. No money is easy money for those in law enforcement- if they do not stop you they get complaints from citizens who do not want speeders in their communities. If they stop you they get crap for issuing a citation. Oh and by the way now cops on the highways are burning to death because their Crown Vics catch fire in rear end collisions- another danger to the job they do not need. Sorry the whining falls on deaf ears.