Posted by:
elderolddog
(
)
Date: June 11, 2020 07:23PM
To less-than-White-skinned people, in reading of this event, there is not much in the way of a Surprise! factor, such as you Whities may now be experiencing, getting up to speed on what we were already aware of, one way or another.
In the case of cops, the real trouble starts with the combination of an existing prejudice and the doting of Absolute (at least perceived) Power. Put the two together and of course there's going to be trouble! Hire a Bubba and you're going to get Bubba behavior.
Ordinary employees can't cause their employer much in the way of trouble. Termination awaits them if they do. If there's no record/video of an overt act of prejudice, an employee might keep his job in a he-said/the-other-guy-said situation, but after a couple more such accusations, the pattern might result in the employee's dismissal.
But when you're a cop, a White cop especially, your word is always accepted and minority accusers are always lying. Ah, the stories I could tell!
Power corrupts...
What's it like to always have your contested word accepted? It's corrupting!
So if you're prejudiced, and you feel that people who are the focus of your prejudice are bad, when you lie about them, it's okay because you're just making sure that ALL the things they do wrong when they're not being watched are getting punished. You are convinced that you're not lying, rather you're balancing the scales.
Sworn officers are given power over other humans and we know what power can do. Even the good cops know about The Power, and sometimes it can be tempting.
Do you know how many police officers break speed limits when driving their personal vehicles? I want to say 100%... Because for them, the chances of actually getting a ticket are very, very, very slim.
For LAPD officers, they didn't even have to say anything. They pull out the drivers license and the cop who pulled them over would see 150 N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 as the home address (It's changed now.) and knows that that driver is an LAPD officer, and then they'd jaw a little, or a lot, and then the LAPD officer would go on his merry way. (I have zero experience when it comes to female officers.)
Power corrupts even the best of human beings. Why allow yourself to look weak or indecisive when whatever decision you make is likely to be upheld? The belief, "I can do no wrong" really does exist among sworn officers. And even when they know they're in the wrong, Hey! they put their lives on the line EVERY DAY! So where's the harm in a little lie about some minority person, balanced against the officer standing between polite society and open rebellion?
And then there's the "us v. them" syndrome. Non-cops are seen as less than 'the best' for the simple reason that they're not cops! Cops know that a significant segment of the White population does not adulate them and that an overwhelming segment of minority populations expect the worst from them. So cops learn to expect push-back, and usually, they are ready to swing (shoot) first before things can get too frisky.
Find yourself a friendly minority and ask him or her about first-hand and second-hand experiences with cops. Hopefully, you're sitting down so that you're legs don't get tired as the stories continue to flow... Some of you won't be able to do this, so feel free to email me!
I have formed the opinion that cops who move up in the ranks become more reliable, more responsible, and thus better at interacting with their 'clientele'. But they remember what it was like to be a street cop, and sometimes they even like to tell stories!
Back in the day when talking about an arrest, a favorite phrase was, "...and he kept falling down!" And the other cops would all laugh and you could see the pride: Captor, judge and jury. Hey, it's dirty job, but someone's got to do it or we'll have anarchy!
And for all of that, I get along with cops, which is just an aspect of my ability to pretty much get along with everyone. I know not to push their buttons, I know to smile and keep eye contact and my hands where they can see them, until they chill out.
I was going to say that it's like learning how to handle someone's hyperactive pitbull; maybe it's an art form? I don't really know. Saucie thinks it's because I'm too lazy to hold onto random grudges.