I Stopped Caring Today

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

There is only one difference between Lt. Furseth and me. When I took off the uniform, I stopped caring for good. Let 'em kill each other, I don't care anymore. Try to hurt me or mine, that's a different story. We've let the barbarians in... or rather, our society has raised its own crop of barbarians. Let it burn, as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure that Sashaalexander and her ilk can turn it all to unicorns and rainbows with stern words and expressions of tolerance. Good luck with that, I'm done.

[IrishJoe3]

Oh Gawd, going for the troll bait....

I agree with what you say and see your point, however, on the other side you want to say that police never killed innocent people? Never took bribe? Never being unnecessary rude? never behaves like they are goods in uniforms? Never look down on regular good guys?

Did anyone claim that? How about all the gun owners that have murdered our coworkers or the drivers that have run over and killed officers? You won't hear us holding that against you.

I can tell you, as a law abiding citizen, in all my encounters with policemen, 80% left unpleasant trace only because of the way they talk.
And all encounters were like a little chat, asking for directions, watching them drive and such.

Funny...About 80% of the people that contact me leave an unpleasant taste in my mouth too. Because the way they talk, because they are incredibly condescending and rude, because they are attempting to real-life troll me, because they are trying to get that juicy sound byte that can be twisted to fit some agenda.

Easy question, why policemen while driving, never use turn signals?

You think you're a smart guy, how about you tell me when you are required to use turn signals?

but if i do not use turn signal, what is gonna be?

Uh. I give up. Whats it gonna be?

They always drive above speed limits, why?

I like to play a little game. Its called driving EXACTLY the speed limit. On the freeway. In the left lane. In a patrol car. It makes people like you upset too. If I can't win, I might as well have a little fun with it.

[stilly]

Well I am just glad OP did not mention people trying to get any sleep at night while they go code three...

: D

[stormvet]

Law abiding positive people tend to have positive interactions with LE. The negative, in your face law breaker not so much.
If your interactions are not positive take a look in the mirror at the problem.
LE are like anybody else, good days, not so good days. Learn to read people and circumstance, 99% of the time the last thing a LE wants is to make something out of nothing. But too many of our citizens are heavy on the drama and look to escalate every contact they have.
We have turned into a soft country that only wants to take and have it their way, LE are easy targets, when they don't get it their way.
Everyone wants to blame the Goverment, LE, schools, big business, mommy and daddy, Everyone but themselves.

[Clutch-n-Throttle]

Well I am just glad OP did not mention people trying to get any sleep at night while they go code three...

: D

That's funny right there.

[ElvenSoul]

Thank you for your service!

[sl0re10]

It does seem like a no win job..... re: even if your doing it right you catch flak.

[C.W.M.V.]

LE would probably be a lot more popular if there were no war on drugs. Its the justification for to many nasty things.
Hell every other cop I see here in fresno is wearing more tactical gear than a grunt in Baghdad circa 2004.
My local clovis PD had a field day at the school my wife works at. They showed up in some sort of armored 'rescue' vehicle (I believe it was a bearcat). In addition to this I know they have an MRAP. Good thing too with all the RPG fire in clovis.
Seeing this is unsettling. If you want to be loved by the people be cordial public servants, if you want to be hated like an occupation army keep wearing the tac vests and driving bearcats. Simple.

[CBR_rider]

Lol cmmv, either you actually have no idea what a grunt in Baghdad was wearing "circa 2004" or you are being a drama queen. Fresno must be a terrible place if every other cop is driving an armored vehicle with a roof mounted machine gun or grenade launcher, be armed with frag grenades, automatic weapons, ir lasers/nvg's, indirect fire support, and I guess the National Guard base provides them with air support... Must be weird driving a patrol car with a combat controller as a partner...

[Bobby Ricigliano]

The ugly mob scene in NY and various anti-LE gatherings lately, all in response to incidents which were justified, will have a negative effect on a lot of coppers who feel like the person who wrote letter in the OP. Who really wants to provide service and protection to folks who chant about wanting dead cops anyway? It is another kick in the face when elected officials join in these marches or endorse them for their own political gain as well.

Thankfully I still think those are agenda driven splinter groups and don't reflect the sentiment of most Americans.

[echoThreeOneSix]

why don't you guys just quit if it sucks that bad? it's not like you're enlisted in the military or something where you can't get out.

...i know nothing about being a police officer. is there a contract or something? if so please let me know.

[Gem1950]

Perhaps it is time for people of goodwill to stipulate that the LE community are flawed human beings and make mistakes just like everyone else with one caveat - they have an impossible job that amounts to being the bulwark for society against all the crazy and evil stuff that goes on in public and private every day. Their job is not to mitigate social, cultural and political B.S. on multiple levels but that is what is expected of them. If that is what is expected of them then we should make sure that they all have a double major in psychology and political science and then pay them 200K per year.

[CBR_rider]

why don't you guys just quit if it sucks that bad? it's not like you're enlisted in the military or something where you can't get out.

...i know nothing about being a police officer. is there a contract or something? if so please let me know.

Because the job is more important than all the whiny race baiters, criminal huggers, duplicitous politicians, bad LEOs, armchair cops, and sleezy lawyers that exist out there.

[echoThreeOneSix]

Because the job is more important than all the whiny race baiters, criminal huggers, duplicitous politicians, bad LEOs, armchair cops, and sleezy lawyers that exist out there.

yeah, i guess the bills don't stop because you don't like your job. that's tough man... i feel for you guys. this "**** the police" thing is just a trend, it'll be over in a few years and we'll look back on it like we did slavery and all that other crap.

just because we're American's doesn't mean that we won't be stupid, or make stupid mistakes as a society. we'll come out of it and shake our heads in embarrassment, but it'll stop eventually.

[C.W.M.V.]

Lol cmmv, either you actually have no idea what a grunt in Baghdad was wearing "circa 2004" or you are being a drama queen.

I was a grunt in Baghdad in 2004, and some of the gear local PD has is better than what I had.

Fresno must be a terrible place

Never said it wasnt. But Clovis is surprisingly nice.

if every other cop is driving an armored vehicle with a roof mounted machine gun or grenade launcher

The Bearcat that showed up to my wifes school did in fact have a mounted weapon station, as does the Clovis PD MRAP. I assume the MK19 was left in the arms room.

be armed with frag grenades,

Flashbangs, yes

automatic weapons, ir lasers/nvg's, indirect fire support, and I guess the National Guard base provides them with air support...

For what its worth I had neither Air support, Indirect fire support (ROE restrictions), or a fully automatic weapon when I got deployed the first time. Didn't even have an armored vehicle just the 998 and 1026 scout trucks. Far less armor to be had in my Infantry platoon from 2004 than local PD has. But the M4geries Ive seen FPD with did have a bunch of stuff tacked to them, not telling what it was.

Must be weird driving a patrol car with a combat air controller as a partner...

Also something I never had with the "Go to war with the army you got" army of 2004. There is a reason I said circa 2004 and not 2008.

All of that is beside the point though: You want to be a pillar of the community then you cant go around looking like a tactical team. .mil and PD people live in a rather insular world, and if you want to know why the public feels the way they do you have to get out of it.
If you want to have that mayberry/Andy Griffith relationship with the public you better be Andy Griffith, with the small sidearm and bus driver cap. The oakly wearing M4 touting dude clad in all black is never going to be that.