Cops abused me for an hour for no reason at all!

[Fun2BMe]

 

Last night I had an argument with my husband. So I left the house and went to the store, bought booze, took a few sips, and drove back.

 

I was sitting in the car and thinking, without drinking, when a police car came

 

I couldn't believe that he stopped, but I opened the window. He asked how he could help me

 

He asks if the fight with my husband was physical.

 

So I play it safe - I act obedient.

 

Two young cops, a jerk and a bitch, approach me and start asking me ridiculous questions. She tells him that she spots a sledge hammer in the car

 

He asks me if I had some alcoholic beverages. I say NO (I lie). He asks "What do I smell?" I tell him it's cooking wine.

 

You are obviously smelling of alcohol and maybe acting a bit drunk even though you can't tell, and might look physically such as in your eyes and speach as though you have had something to drink. Police are extremely experienced in this area, and so if you are lying about something as obvious as this - which their smell, sight and instincts are telling them, how are they to believe the other things you are telling them, such as the hammer and saw will not be used in the fight you say you had with your husband, or that he did not abuse you or you him? They are trained and obligated to investigate these matters, compared to counties where they will turn a blind eye and let people get away with these things.

 

As the US motto goes, better to be safe than sorry. Remember Jeffrey Dahmer, how one of his victims had escaped but the foolish copys had returned him into his custody only to get killed? Cops are always told to investigate any hunch or suscippicion they have, especially in higher end neighborhoods where their is a higher liklihood of people complaining if they don't do their job right or getting sued.

 

They are checking my driver's license for a long time as if there is a lot to check there.

Again, how do they know unless they check? I'm sure they see a lot of 'innocent' people who after they run their license could have a warrant, DUI, stolen car and so on. If cops don't do enough, people complain. When they do their job or be extra cautious, people complain. I personally prefer a cop to run the license of a woman who smells of alcohol sitting suspiciously in a car in a nice neighborhood than to just say have a nice evening and drive off.

 

He finally comes back and starts giving me some crap about how he could arrest me for operating a vehicle in a DWI, blah-blah...At this moment I figure that he can't arrest me for sh*t, because I am not operating a vehicle

But you were earlier, and he was behind you before you pulled over to stop, so yes, you are very lucky how things unfolded.

 

 

The male cop tells me that they have to check every case, it's their job, family violence happens..

Yes, exactly. It's his job and he doesn't know you or your husband to determine what you are saying is true unless he investigates, which he is obligated to do and has nothing to do with his educational background as you are snobbishly implying.

 

Finally I am free to go.

You were never arrested and in custody. In fact, every step of the way you had the right to say stop and leave. They are not entiteld to search your car or home without a search warrant, but they are allowed to ask and you were allowing them all those things, and the more they saw and found out, the more they were obligated to investigate.

 

I do feel bad for you that your husband wasn't supportive and left you feeling so alone. But I can understand how upset he too may have been and known it was because of your running away from the home and buying alcohol in an upset state that led to the what happened.

 

My question is: can I report them? Will they be punished or at least criticized for torturing an innocent person for nothing? I am afraid that they will see me again and torture me if I report them.

Questioning a woman sitting alone in her care at night smelling of alcohol, with a hammer in the car and who admits to having fought with her husband, is not considered torturing but doing their job. I have always lived in upscale neighborhoods. When I moved to my new house a few months ago, I noticed a (handsome) man across the street sitting with a laptop. I called my sister because I was concerned. She told me to call the police. I felt that he might be spying on me or not belong in the neighborhood. I finally got in my car and drove to him, rolled down my window while clutched to my phone in case I had to call the police and asked what he was doing.

 

He said he lived there and I felt stupid, but most people in upscale neighborhoods are weary of any suspicious behavior and a woman sitting alone in a parked car at night would 100% be approached by a cop in my neighborhood. In fact a few years ago I was sitting a few streets away from my house one night, I was too upset to drive all the way to my house as I was crying hysterically from a break up. I pulled over and eventually cried until A security patrolman came by and asked what was going on. I explained how I was crying and just sitting there, that I lived a few blocks away. He told me I had to drive off and not stay there. I am sure a neighbor may either have reported suspisious behavior since it's not normal for someone to be staying in a car, and/or he was doing his job.

 

I am glad that cops and security patrol do their job and I don't find anything wrong in your scenerio, other than the fact that you were drinking and driving, regardless of if it was within the legal limit, I still find that to be terrible and think you are lucky for not having been pulled over while still operating the vehicle, and you have the balls to complain about the police doing their duty.

 

 

Now I am afraid to get out of the house out of fear that if I just stand in the street I will be suspicious and be taken to jail for that.

Pl-EEZ:rolleyes:

 

This is not how it's supposed to be in the United States. This is typical for some dictator's country, but not here.

Can you be very specific as to what part of what happened is comparable to a dictator's country? A woman smelling of alcohol sitting alone in her car with a sledge hammer in an uperscale community admitting to having fought with her husband - sorry but unlike your homeland of Slovakia, in the US cops investigate such matters instead of walking away and ignoring it.

 

 

I shouldn't be afraid to walk or drive freely.

Yes, and thanks to cops who investigate their suspicions, the streets are much safer. What if the gender was reversed, a man smelling of alcohol was sitting in his car at night with a sledgehammer and admits to the police he had just had a big fight with his wife. Do you think any sane cop would tell him to go home or just continue sitting there without investigating anything, only to find something bad ended up happening as I'm sure oftentimes happens when cops are too lazy to investigate or don't have the instinc to?

 

Can I report them to the authorities? What would I achieve by that? Any information is appreciated.

It is people like you who give cops a bad name. Don't drink and drive is the advice I would give to you, and don't get cops in trouble who are only trying to serve the community and the people they work for otherwise they might not investigate another case where someone who really is a threat gets away with a crime.

 

RP, I think at the end of the day, you are the one who abused yourself if you meditate and honestly think about the whole scenerio. In fact, if you want them to continue doing a good job in your neighborhood - you can only imagine all the difficulties they come across as with you - you should send them a little apology card and maybe a gift basket with goodies to keep them going. They risk their lives when they investigate someone in a car at night who can shoot them or harm them if not physically then verbally. Cops should be treated with respect, so when you were being hostile they responded likewise, especially since they smelled you to be under the influence and saw a potential weapon in the vehicle.

 

Try to put yourself in their shoes too and imagine the story they are explaining to their family when they go home about their encounter with you. And yes these are people who do all this work and risk their safety for a salary that is probably smaller than what some janitors get paid. I bet if your incident was recorded and aired on the tv show COPS that you would be the one who seemed to be abusing the law enforcements time and was unappreciative of their efforts to get you help and advice which you are clearly in denial that you are desperately in need of.

[StaringContest]

This really isn't my argument but I would just like to add that I think you need to do a little research in domestic law SC..

In Georgia where I am if 911 is called on a domestic someone almost always goes to jail.. evidence or not..

 

I understand that. And in some states, the law is that if there was any act of violence reported by anyone or witnessed by the cops, they must make an arrest. I'm not talking about those situations. IN THIS CASE, they were not called on a domestic. A cop just saw a woman (who did not report any act of violence) and started questioning her. The woman also did not have any injuries (unless RP left something out).

 

Why make this thread about domestic abuse when this thread was about RP and her being pulled over and questioned for lying about drinking while the police checked up on her story after she had mentioned that she had an argument with her husband ?

 

I'm not the one making it about domestic abuse. I'm talking specifically about the situation RP described and people telling her "if you were abused, you'd be grateful". Other people are bringing up completely different situations like if the cops have been called there or if the wife is bloody and bruised, none of which occurred in RP's situation.

 

It's like people think that the cops can just walk into a house and tell by looking at a guy that he abuses his wife. The reality is that abusive men are often very charming toward the people they're not abusing.

 

Just for the record, I'm not making any statements about whether the cops took the best course of action. I haven't weighed the pros and cons to form an opinion. I've just been trying to explain the simple concept (it seems simple to me at least) that if the cops had come to RP's house and met her husband, there's a good chance he would have been very friendly with them and the cops would have left RP alone with her husband just like they did, for which an abused woman would not be greatful. (Note that I am not talking about a situation where the cops come to investigate a reported act of violence.) I don't think what I said is so far fetched that it warrants this much dispute.

 

For the record.. I have a police officer in my family.. and they do arrest on suspicion.. most of the time.. probable cause is another reason.. they arrest for a multitude of reasons.. many have nothing to do with upholding the law..

 

It may be that way where you live, but not where I live. I did ask my roommate about whether in this situation he could have made an arrest for domenstic abuse (not for the alcohol in the car). He told me they could not have. They would have needed a witness, injuries, or some indication abuse had occurred.

 

He also told me that he gets people on the street all the time that they KNOW 100% are high on god knows what, but they can't arrest them unless they do something wrong, because they could just be crazy. Of all things, I'd think the cops could arrest on suspicion of drug use base only on how a person was acting, but apparently here they can't. *shrug*

[Teacher's Pet]

Please read, it's interesting.

 

...and it was.

 

I guess it depends a lot on the state you live in.

 

In New Jersey, if you having been drinking and are behind the wheel of a car, even if a cop did NOT see you driving, you can be found guilty of DWI.

 

In NJ, if you are in the driver's seat, the police are allowed to ASSUME you have been operating the vehicle, and if they smell alcohol/test you positive for alcohol, they CAN arrest you.

 

Again, that's Jersey. Usually the alcohol they smell in a car is hairspray.

 

-tp

not as think as you drunk I am

[Zona76]

I think also you need to realize that police SHOULD be treated respectfully. BAD GUYS are rude, nasty and talk back. You lied, you were behind the wheel and they smelled the alcohol.

You could have answered them, *about the tools* They're my husbands tools I don't know what he does with them nor what they're used for.

 

Hon, for all you know, the cops were sitting there on a call of a possible break in.

Are you saying if someone pulls off to the side of your street and just sits in the car you wont get scared and phone the police department?

[destination_unknown]

When you have had to pull a dead child out of a vehicle that has been in an RTA with a drunk driver who had "a few sips" and inform the childs parents their is nothing that can be done, then reconsider.

[britchick]

So true Destination. Taking statements from children who've been in a smash that has killed one of their parents due to drink driving is pretty heart wrenching, had to do it a few too many times in my last job. There is just no excuse for it, over the limit or not alcohol impairs your reaction time.

 

As for investigating domestic violence. Hasn't it taken years for us to get to a stage where attacking your spouse is viewed as a crime? I'd rather be questioned and have someone ask about my private life than give that up.

 

There was no abuse here, just people doing the job they are paid to do. Think yourself lucky that there are people out there who are willing to put their own lives in danger to protect you.

 

Sorry, but b**ching about public servants really gets my goat (they pay taxes too you know)

[ridingthebulls]

"

So I left the house and went to the store, bought booze, took a few sips, and drove back.

Anyway, I continued and turned onto another street, made a U-turn and parked my car here to finish my drink."

 

Drinking WHILE driving?? Maybe you need to get accustomed with American laws before you get behind the wheel.

[amerikajin]

Piling on here a bit late, but sorry, RP: as much as I like you and all, I think your behavior invited the situation in the first place. I understand why you might have been edgy, but let's rewind a bit.

 

1. You pull over and start drinking in a car on a public road. Whether you're moving or not, if the keys are in the car, in a lot of jurisdictions, that's sufficient to meet the legal definition of driving a car under the influence of alcohol. People have been convicted of DUI after falling asleep on the side of the road or in a parking lot and turning the car off. You can even be convicted if you pass out in your own car on your own property.

 

2. The officers come by to check and you tell them that you're thinking, and that you've had a fight with your husband. So now they're actually concerned about your welfare and ask more questions, as they should.

 

3. You're busted for drinking. They smell alcohol. They test you. They are not out of line for doing so. And you complied with it, by the way.

 

They probably were a bit gruff, but your behavior a) led them to be suspicious and b) you weren't aware enough of your rights to back them off.

 

In the future, here's what you can do:

 

When an officer starts investigating you, your best bet is always to remain calm and never get pissy with them, even if they get that way with you. You have the right to politely ask them who they are, get their badge number, and ask exactly why they are questioning you. With a few notable exceptions (suspicion for DUI not being one of them) they are required by law to divulge all of this information to you. How you do this, though, has everything to do with how well things go from there. If you're edgy, nervous and irritable, they will not leave you alone; if you are polite about it, they will know that they are not dealing with some idiot who doesn't know their rights. And in that situation, unless you give them clear reason to suspect that you are drunk, they will probably leave you alone. If you appear drunk, there's no way in hell they will leave you alone.

[Craig]

Ok... you don't want to be "harassed"() by the PoPo... here is the trick.

 

Ready for it... "Don't Break the Law" (SURPRISE)!!!

 

Google "Police misconduct" ... 529,000 hits

 

Google "Police harassment" ... 287,000 hits

 

Google "prosecutorial misconduct" ... 397,000 hits

 

And just for the record I'm one of those fine upstanding citizens that the cops never bother because I don't fit "the profile" but I have seen police harassment, police misconduct, racism by police and prosecutorial misconduct with my own eyes in multiple situations.

[Tony T]

Google "Police misconduct" ... 529,000 hits

 

Google "Police harassment" ... 287,000 hits

 

Google "prosecutorial misconduct" ... 397,000 hits

 

And just for the record I'm one of those fine upstanding citizens that the cops never bother because I don't fit "the profile" but I have seen police harassment, police misconduct, racism by police and prosecutorial misconduct with my own eyes in multiple situations.

 

No doubt there is police misconduct from time to time. However, it's certainly not the rule. I think there's a feeling among many people that if the police stop them at all it's police harassment. I've seen this sort of thing on TV many times...the citizen was getting truly rowdy while the police officer was keeping his cool.

 

Yes, absolutely, the police do get out of hand at times but I don't think it's often. Many people these days just don't like any form of authority interfering with what they'd like to do.

[Craig]

No doubt there is police misconduct from time to time. However, it's certainly not the rule. I think there's a feeling among many people that if the police stop them at all it's police harassment. I've seen this sort of thing on TV many times...the citizen was getting truly rowdy while the police officer was keeping his cool.

 

Yes, absolutely, the police do get out of hand at times but I don't think it's often. Many people these days just don't like any form of authority interfering with what they'd like to do.

 

Tony T, thank you for a thoughtful comment. I agree that your beliefs are not uncommon however the reality that I have witnessed and continue to witness tells me that law enforcement has some major problems.

 

That is why there are so many hits on those Google searches. That is why there are privately funded citizens engaged in things like the Innocence Project.

 

Record Producer was wrong about being harassed and abused by the cops that stopped her. She was guilty as heck and could have been arrested had the cops that stopped her had reasonable cause to further search her car and found the open container.

 

ilmw made the comment that suggested that only those who break the law are harassed by the police. I disagree and posted the Google search results to suggest that his statement is not correct and innocent people get harassed by the police.

 

Not only does ilmw's statement contradict written policy it suggests that police misconduct is so institutionalized and accepted that even police like ilmw make statements that say if you don't want to be harassed (by the police) don't break the law.

 

There is no legitimate document produced by governmental agencies or legislators that sanction or allow harassment of the accused, the convicted or even citizens at a traffic stop. Is there?

[Guest]

 

Is it illegal to argue with your spouse, too?

 

No, and you werent arrested for it were you? You were detained while they confirmed or refuted their reasonable suspicion. However, it IS illegal for the Police not to investigate a situation in which there is reasonble suspicion to believe a domestic situation has occurred: its called neglect of duty.

 

Im a big fan of personal rights and liberties, including my right to a safe community. I expect the Police to investigate when

a: there is evidence of possible impaired driving, (ie smell) and

b: evidence of a domestic argument (once they are aware one has occurred they are obligated to investigate it).

 

Mothers against drinking and driving who have lost children to drunks behind the wheel would agree. And females who have actually been pulled out of years of being controlled and assaulted in violent domestic relationship stemming from an encounter with the Police would also agree. Because you wont see them calling 9-1-1 when theyve been brutally beaten, thats for sure. Its domestic violence 101. And whether you like it or not, its there job if you're one of those women or not. They concluded both of their investigations, and you were released.

 

I see nothing wrong with that happened here. Nothing. I do however thank the Police for being proactive and keeping my communty safe. Thank you!

[cutegirl]

To be honest I would be pretty angry if this happened to me. I personally don't drink at all , so I never would have had alcohol in my car to begin with, but I would have gotten angry over the excessive questioning.

 

If I were to be excessively questioned like that it would make me wonder why I was being treated like that... Is it because I'm a female? Or perhaps the cop is jealous because I drive a luxury car and appear young? I'm actually not that young (29) but I look rather young and perhaps the cop would just automatically assume that I'm from a wealthy family or have a rich boyfriend, while NEITHER is true, I bought the car myself in cash... but anyways...

 

I have a friend who had a similar experience... She has a habit of always covering her chin in public because she thinks she has some kind of scar/pimple whatever on there and she's REALLY into her skin, even though I can't see anything at all, it's mainly all in her head. So one morning she went into a juice bar (like a Jamba Juice place where they serve fruit smoothies, not alcohol) and the cop asked the cashier why she was covering face and proclaimed to say "she looked messed up."

 

My friend was also extremely offended because she didn't even speak to the officer, the cashier told her the next day what the officer said. She thought that maybe he thought she had a boyfriend who hit her or something because she covered her face, but he doesn't know that she ALWAYS covers her face because it's a habit. Also her "imagined imperfection" is not even viewable with the naked eye, she just thinks it is and is extremely vain.

 

She also got insulted because he was commenting on her looks saying she "looked messed up" and she took that to criticize her appearance, saying that she looks messy or not perfectly groomed. She's vain about her skin, but her hair is messy a lot, cause she's lazy so she always has that "Pam Anderson Just Got Out Of Bed Messy Yet Still Sexy Hair"...

 

Anyways, I can understand your situation perfectly. A lot of cops I think also like to harass people. I fight with my boyfriend ALL THE TIME, and I always go for drives and listen to music. Sometimes I might sit at the beach for hours late at night, or park my car somewhere and just chill listening to music. God forbid someone would think that was "suspicious behavior".

 

I also think a lot of cops like to harass women. I wonder if they would talk to a man in the same tone they would use on a woman.

[Mary3]

FYI Domestic Violence ( the officer thought he might have a situation like that while questioning you in your car ) is the most dangerous of all calls for the Police Officer to make.

 

Here, we had a young officer respond to a DV case and as he approached the house ,the irate husband reached through the front door and shot the officer DEAD right in front of the Garage.

 

The officer left behind a wife and 2 young 2/3 year old kids.

 

The real rule is to try to be polite as much as possible. Try to give him what he needs usually your license and registration. He might ask a few simple questions....Your answers might make all the difference.

 

You might get a jerk cop though who decides to slam you on the hood that night because he's pumped up and doesn't think you are co~operating but I think the percentage of bad cops is low.

 

I'm sure some will disagree ...

[ilmw]

Google "Police misconduct" ... 529,000 hits

 

Google "Police harassment" ... 287,000 hits

 

Google "prosecutorial misconduct" ... 397,000 hits

 

And just for the record I'm one of those fine upstanding citizens that the cops never bother because I don't fit "the profile" but I have seen police harassment, police misconduct, racism by police and prosecutorial misconduct with my own eyes in multiple situations.

 

Craig... where do you live?

 

and where are those states from... what source? Not debating the stats.. just curious where they are from??

 

I police up in Canada.. and we are pretty good... and the training is second to none... across the province... as all officers.. are trained centrally. Provincial Standards .. are mandated.. and there are Adequacy Standards that have to be met...

 

I personally work under a "always on camera" philosophy... If I won't do it in front of a camera... I just won't do it... and that is how police officers in Ontario ... are trained from the get go... Now I'm sure... some... "slip".. but I personally have never seen anything "go on".. that was not legal... ethical... or justified.. I've worked in one of the biggest cities in North America... and also in small towns... In general... the people I have worked with... are some of the kindest.. "give a damn" guys and gals... I have ever known... AND... these people knowingly go out each day and night.. with the fact that we might not come home.. by end of shift.

 

I'm also sure.. I have seen enough "bad people" and how they get treated .. to feel confident... in what I am saying...

 

I can't and will not speak for other jurisdictions... but I have met officers from the states... and they have always acted professional.

 

Also... my own 2 run ins with the law when I had a little drive to Cali.. last October.. were both... positive.. interactions... Both officers.. State Trooper.. (Arizona) ... and a Sheriffs Deputy.. (some place north of.. Santa Barbara?? ) They treated me with respect... and were very professional...

 

On a final note.. I have not always been a cop.. and I seem to remember.. the only people I ever knew.. who complained about the "Cops" were those who had been arrested... for something that was of course not their... fault. Drinking and Driving... Drug Possession... B&E... oh my personal fav... resisting arrest....assaulting and officer... and attempting to run from the officers who were arriving to back the assaulted officer up... he complained that it took 3-4 of them to take him down... "they ganged up on me".... No.. that is how we train... and when you fall down... and bang something... because you are being "grounded"... so officers can gain control.. of your out of control ass... Don't complain. Asphalt and gravel does leave a rash...

 

Now I'm starting to ramble.. time for bed.. busy night.,, last night.. arresting people... who don't understand JUDGES orders... and release conditions...

[cutegirl]

I feel like cops tend to treat women more poorly. Also, especially if the woman is driving a nice car or look young etc They tend to be more chauvinistic and think that women "don't know anything" or "don't know what's good for them." Not all cops of course, but just some, like in this case of RecordProducer.

 

I don't know if it's just me but when I get pulled over I always get asked "Is this your car?" And yes, it IS my car and I paid for it MYSELF, in cash, all paid for, I have not taken ONE PENNY from my family since I was 18. Should I volunteer all of this detailed information as well? Or perhaps if I volunteer this info they will treat me even more poorly because of my financial success as a woman?

 

Do they think because I'm a woman I can't afford a luxury car? Is it because I look young?!

 

I don't really know but I don't seem to have good experiences with cops either.

[Craig]

A few years ago I was hired to research police and prosecutorial misconduct. I invested over 2,000 hours of my time conducting surveys, reviewing literature, newspaper reports, industry journals, interviewing police, prosecutors, attorneys, psychologists and other therapists, the falsely or wrongly accused, conducting surveillance and etc. The geographical focus was the U.S. and Canada but there were no limits put on me to exclude data or facts from other countries. I didn't like what I witnessed when conducting surveillance or what other witnesses told me. I don't like the fact that police and prosecutorial misconduct is common enough to be called common.

 

Where I live is not material to the discussion because my information (including surveillance of wrong doing by cops) comes from both the U.S. and Canada.

 

I never quoted stats but if I did they would be from a respected peer reviewed journal and not pulled from the air. What I did post is the number of web pages that have the phrases in quotes in them that Google can find.

 

Police standards (in any given jurisdiction) may be high but are not a guarantee that misconduct can be avoided. The police might say that their training is good and I believe them but that doesn't stop one of them from crossing the line. The power to arrest, as every peace officer is taught, is an awesome and significant power but it can be abused at the will of the peace officer. Every peace officer knows that should they decide to arrest someone who has not committed any crime that in certain circumstances they can create a situation where the arrest of that person would be considered reasonable. Unwarranted and unjustified to the fly on the wall but to the powers that count for the officer in question--reasonable. After all…who investigates the police?

 

People complain about the "Cops" for different reasons and not always in public. A person that is arrested for a criminal offense is likely to contact a criminal lawyer fairly quickly. If the person arrested is innocent of the accusations made against them they are probably likely to contact a defense attorney even faster. What is the first thing the attorney tells their client? Not to discuss the case with any person. So the wrongly or falsely accused are not likely to be bad mouthing the police as they await their trial.

 

The next step is that the D.A. or the Crown reviews the evidence (and political considerations in the U.S.) then decides whether to proceed towards a trial. There is a lot more that goes on but this is the simplified

version. Usually the charges laid will be significantly greater than the evidence will support and the prosecutor does this to scare the accused into accepting a plea bargain. Various tactics are used to scare the accused into accepting the plea bargain so the prosecutor can get another "conviction" under their belt without the time and expense of a trial. Unfortunately some innocent people accept plea bargains because they are scared of going to trial and risking substantial prison time. The problem is that after the initial challenge of facing a trial disappears they are saddled with a criminal record (in most cases) for the rest of their lives.

 

I'm in favor of the police maintaining control of situations they encounter in the course of their work. I realize that the techniques employed can disturb some people but given the unknowns it is better to piss off some innocent civilian than get caught off guard.

 

I have seen too many bad cops with my own eyes and ears in the U.S. and Canada and that is the reason why after a lifetime of looking up to and trusting the police I, sadly, no longer do either.

[Mary3]

I think our perception of * good cops * and * bad cops * is started in early childhood. If you and your family are law abiding citizens , you will rarely ever come across the police.

 

If you live in a drug infested neighborhood and your mom is selling crack out the kitchen window ( as an example ) and she gets arrested , screaming bloody murder innocence , then the children grow up thinking of the cop as the * bad guy * who took their mom away.

 

In my lifetime , having seen the police and their treatment of citizens . I believe that 85-90 % of police officers are good people doing their job. Then you have the poor cops who have an agenda and the dirty cops who should never have been cops in the first place.

 

Of what poster previous OP reports : Of the type of information he received , he is going by witness reports , newspapers , court statements . ect. Likely submitted by victims who cry foul. Newspapers are not that reliable . The best reliable source is the cop who is not high and is professionally trained and can tell you how the criminal cussed and fought off his arrest which escalated into violence. The offender will tell you cops hate him and were on a mission to hurt him. Your offender is likely high or has committed an act against the law.

 

I believe that most persons wearing handcuffs are likely wearing them because they have committed a crime. I also think its rare to see people being arrested for doing * nothing * wrong. Police officers are trained , highly trained and most are doing their job. Protecting society and keeping drunks , burgalars , thieves , prostitutes , domestic abusers off the street and in the Jails.

 

Of the truly innocent victims of police brutality I think is very rare. ( Except in Los Angeles ) We do witness in high crime areas violent sitations where 10 cops are holding down a man high on meth and a neighbor videotapes the cops trying to restrain the drug user. The video never shows a somewhat peaceful beginning that gets out of hand but rather the violent part where the camera is whipped out and we see we think is police brutality when in fact they are using methods of force to get the criminal subdued.

 

I know there are cops who get out of control and hit the offender and take their anger out on the offender . That cop needs to be taken off patrol , get desk duty and be retrained to be civil and professional to the offender .

[Fun2BMe]

I believe that 85-90 % of police officers are good people doing their job. Then you have the poor cops who have an agenda and the dirty cops who should never have been cops in the first place.

 

Those who should never have been cops in the first place, would be just as corruptive in another field. All fields have their bad apples. There's the stockbroker who trades in their client's account only to make a commission and not for the client's best financial interest, the real estate agent who might conceal some problems with a house to secure the sale, a housecleaner who might steal from their employer's home or not clean so thoroughly as they are supposed to, and the list goes on.

 

When a cop acts out of line, it makes headlines, but when others do, either they are not caught or their profession isn't a media favorite to bash on. Also, those who have a chip against cops tend to be 'victim' types - poor me, everyone is out to get me types, vs. a wealthy investor who doesn't make himself out to be a victim, but instead will find a better stock trader instead of running to the media to complain that the financial institutions are out to get him. Whenever a housecleaner steals from me, I fire them but the same cleaner if I were to withold their paycheck would probably go screaming to authorities before trying to resolve it with me, and start stereotyping. I think educational levels have a lot to do with bashers and the professions that are targeted.

[ilmw]

A few years ago I was hired to research police and prosecutorial misconduct. I invested over 2,000 hours of my time conducting surveys, reviewing literature, newspaper reports, industry journals, interviewing police, prosecutors, attorneys, psychologists and other therapists, the falsely or wrongly accused, conducting surveillance and etc. The geographical focus was the U.S. and Canada but there were no limits put on me to exclude data or facts from other countries. I didn't like what I witnessed when conducting surveillance or what other witnesses told me. I don't like the fact that police and prosecutorial misconduct is common enough to be called common.

 

Where I live is not material to the discussion because my information (including surveillance of wrong doing by cops) comes from both the U.S. and Canada.

 

I never quoted stats but if I did they would be from a respected peer reviewed journal and not pulled from the air. What I did post is the number of web pages that have the phrases in quotes in them that Google can find.

 

Police standards (in any given jurisdiction) may be high but are not a guarantee that misconduct can be avoided. The police might say that their training is good and I believe them but that doesn't stop one of them from crossing the line. The power to arrest, as every peace officer is taught, is an awesome and significant power but it can be abused at the will of the peace officer. Every peace officer knows that should they decide to arrest someone who has not committed any crime that in certain circumstances they can create a situation where the arrest of that person would be considered reasonable. Unwarranted and unjustified to the fly on the wall but to the powers that count for the officer in question--reasonable. After all…who investigates the police?

 

People complain about the "Cops" for different reasons and not always in public. A person that is arrested for a criminal offense is likely to contact a criminal lawyer fairly quickly. If the person arrested is innocent of the accusations made against them they are probably likely to contact a defense attorney even faster. What is the first thing the attorney tells their client? Not to discuss the case with any person. So the wrongly or falsely accused are not likely to be bad mouthing the police as they await their trial.

 

The next step is that the D.A. or the Crown reviews the evidence (and political considerations in the U.S.) then decides whether to proceed towards a trial. There is a lot more that goes on but this is the simplified

version. Usually the charges laid will be significantly greater than the evidence will support and the prosecutor does this to scare the accused into accepting a plea bargain. Various tactics are used to scare the accused into accepting the plea bargain so the prosecutor can get another "conviction" under their belt without the time and expense of a trial. Unfortunately some innocent people accept plea bargains because they are scared of going to trial and risking substantial prison time. The problem is that after the initial challenge of facing a trial disappears they are saddled with a criminal record (in most cases) for the rest of their lives.

 

I'm in favor of the police maintaining control of situations they encounter in the course of their work. I realize that the techniques employed can disturb some people but given the unknowns it is better to piss off some innocent civilian than get caught off guard.

 

I have seen too many bad cops with my own eyes and ears in the U.S. and Canada and that is the reason why after a lifetime of looking up to and trusting the police I, sadly, no longer do either.

 

Although I will not disagree with the fact that there are dirty police officers... I do know... the view you have is way off side...

 

Was your 'research' published? and if so... where?? Who hires people to look into this stuff? I would love to see how you source your information.

 

Also... how long is a few years ago? Was in the time of Serpico's NYPD?