I think personally that Police Officers are very un-appreciated here in the United States. I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but I think that the men and women that serve us are to be Honored. I think that we need to have a World-Wide Law Enforcement Day. We need to take at least one day our of the other 364 we have to give thanks to the people who protect us.

I would appreciate it if you would watch this video as it really shows what these brave men and women do on a daily basis for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0uMTAxf6Mc&feature=related

Thank you for everything you do for me,

Austin

Meh...they're appreciated. The only people who don't appreciate them are criminals. Trust me, the people that hate the police....when someone's got a gun to their mother's face and the police save her...he'll respect them. Thanks for the video though!

Everyday people who get stopped by a LEO are just like poop not another cop, then they get all pissy with a ticket and stuff. Lots of people i know at school and stuff are all "Fuck the Police" and stuff. I mean normally you are true, but how often does something like that happen to the normal person everyday? Not many times im taking a wild guess. I'm talking more everyday respect rather than just after they save your life.

Sure seems like the police don't get enough respect around here, especially after seeing all the roger pion supporters on facebook and all. So, thank you for recognizing what it means to be a police officer and respecting that.

Everyday people who get stopped by a LEO are just like poop not another cop, then they get all pissy with a ticket and stuff. Lots of people i know at school and stuff are all "Fuck the Police" and stuff. I mean normally you are true, but how often does something like that happen to the normal person everyday? Not many times im taking a wild guess. I'm talking more everyday respect rather than just after they save your life.

Well, 'normal' people don't act like that....it's mostly gangsters that do it and/or people who are committing crimes that are eventually going to get caught.

Meh...they're appreciated. The only people who don't appreciate them are criminals. Trust me, the people that hate the police....when someone's got a gun to their mother's face and the police save her...he'll respect them. Thanks for the video though!

I hate to get away from the topic at hand, but statements like that really annoy me. I'm going to get a lot of crap for this, but it is completely reasonable for law abiding citizens to not appreciate cops. Before I go deep into this post on reasons why people that aren't criminals don't like police, I will say that I know good cops and am friends with them. However, there are plenty of Americans who's worst crimes are traffic offenses that cannot stand police for legitimate reasons. These include police brutality, overreaction to simple instances, and militarization of police.

There are too many occasions when cops kick down the wrong door, killing pet dogs and sometimes even family members (http://www.wesh.com/...tg/-/index.html, http://www.naturalne...og_victims.html) Sometimes there are even raids on the wrong houses with no warrant whatsoever (pay special attention to the part that says no record of a warrant could be found). Another thing is stop and frisk searches on people who have committed no crime, which is a direct violation of the 4th amendment and would be considered sexual assault if done by one of us citizens.

Moving on from illegal raids and searches that sometimes get innocents killed, a really big issue that has happened more often lately is overreaction that harms people. I would like to see someone explain what is threatening with this, Then there are heavy handed tactics to protests like in this video, where a dog is unleashed and rubber bullets are fired into a crowd with children in it because ONE person threw a water bottle (I know this isn't a perfect neighborhood, but there is NO excuse to unleash a dog into a crowd with children in it: ["]http://www.youtube.c...?v=Q2br0C72KTo] (not directly linked to keep a video from appearing, remove brackets).

Finally, my biggest issue with police that is hitting my area hard is militarization. It's one thing to have a SWAT team for emergency situations (hostage situations and the like), but in my area, every cop has been given an AR-15(civilian version of the military's M4)(Also not my area, but this news article demonstrates my point). Not only is it sheriffs deputies and city officers, but even the community college up the street from me and my county's park police have given every officer an AR. In one of the incredibly rare instances that a cop would need these in an urban environment (especially in my county, one of the safest in my state), a miss with one could send a bullet traveling over a mile until either gravity or an object (or even a person) stops it. It is not only M4 clones that are given to cops, one of PDs in my city also has a .50 caliber rifle (Really what purpose would this have? They claim it is to stop a vehicle, but they have stop sticks in the back of every car). One of the scarier things due to a lack of privacy shown earlier is that police departments are starting to buy unmanned drones. A police department in the city next to mine has already started toying with these.

I'm spent enough time on this and I'm not going to get into cops being given slaps on the wrists for major crimes or cover ups of their brutality, but just remember that you shouldn't trust someone just because of the uniform they have on or the label in front of their name and that the supreme court has ruled that cops don't have a legal obligation to protect you.

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by c13

Finally, my biggest issue with police that is hitting my area hard is militarization. It's one thing to have a SWAT team for emergency situations (hostage situations and the like), but in my area, every cop has been given an AR-15(civilian version of the military's M4)

Quite frankly I agree with you. Cops are becoming corrupt around here. Although since criminals are gaining more firepower the police need to match it, to protect themselves equally. Spike strips don't necessarily stop a car all the time. They may throw it and knock out the tires. This isn't guaranteeing that they are forced to stop. Sure they might loose control and stuff but if there is an easier way to do it (Shoot the Cars Engine out) and be done with it without endangering a bunch of lives in the mean time i'm all for it. Taking out someones tires just makes it that much harder to get away with what your doing.

Other than that i agree with you! :turned:

Quite frankly I agree with you. Cops are becoming corrupt around here. Although since criminals are gaining more firepower the police need to match it, to protect themselves equally. Spike strips don't necessarily stop a car all the time. They may throw it and knock out the tires. This isn't guaranteeing that they are forced to stop. Sure they might loose control and stuff but if there is an easier way to do it (Shoot the Cars Engine out) and be done with it without endangering a bunch of lives in the mean time i'm all for it. Taking out someones tires just makes it that much harder to get away with what your doing.

Other than that i agree with you!

But to understand my issue with this, you would have to live in my area. This is the wealthiest county in my state and has several hundred thousand people, with less than 10 homicides a year here, and almost never are any cops shot at in my county (I can only remember one instance from several years ago, and no one was hit). To somehow justify near military grade weapons for each cop when the biggest problem is small time drug dealers is completely unnecessary.

Out of curiosity, how much does your county spend on schools? That seems like it'd be a better investment.

Police officers are largely unsung heroes. They are the street soldiers of my country, always in the front line every day. Most people do not appreciate them, until they need their help. That's the sad truth of things. I'm sure the same is true of our military budget. If we cut back and get invaded or attacked by another country one day, people will complain (if there's still a freedom of speech or free press after an invasion/occupation or attack) and say we didn't spend enough on keeping a large army with cutting edge technology and good training.

People are hypocrites.

In my town we do the national night out thing where the law enforcement offices and local businesses host a gathering on main street with the intention of letting the citizens get better aquatinted with law enforcement.

Out of curiosity, how much does your county spend on schools? That seems like it'd be a better investment.

You gotta remember that the better equipped they are, the safe you'll be :P

Just a neat fact: The NYPD has a yearly budget that's more than some of the world's armies. No wonder the US is in debt so much!

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Hunter

You gotta remember that the better equipped they are, the safe you'll be :P

And equally unsafe as well.

Just a neat fact: The NYPD has a yearly budget that's more than some of the world's armies. No wonder the US is in debt so much!

Agreed.

Before anyone gets pissed off or anything; I've worked for a large metro Police Service in Canada and still do.

I think personally that Police Officers are very un-appreciated here in the United States.

I believe the Police are appreciated enough or are over-appreciated; two professions that often gets over looked in the appreciation department are Paramedics and Nurses.

Think about the LARGE salary differences between cops and paramedics or better yet cops and nurses. A cop can earn up to 100K+ here in my City but a Paramedic usually caps off at about 75-80. Half the "sun-shine" list in my Province are cops whilst only the top Paramedic or top nurses make 100+.

Understand that in both the law enforcement profession and military you NEVER do the job for "Thank You", You do it for people who can't protect themselves, you do it to protect the innocent and so that others can enjoy whatever they do without the fear of being assaulted, shot, killed, molested or blown up. Unfortunately I see and worked with far too many police officers who wear the uniform for all the wrong reasons and expect in return everything.

I hate to get away from the topic at hand, but statements like that really annoy me. I'm going to get a lot of crap for this, but it is completely reasonable for law abiding citizens to not appreciate cops. Before I go deep into this post on reasons why people that aren't criminals don't like police, I will say that I know good cops and am friends with them. However, there are plenty of Americans who's worst crimes are traffic offenses that cannot stand police for legitimate reasons. These include police brutality, overreaction to simple instances, and militarization of police.

Your entitled to your opinion just as everyone else; and yes a lot of people do not appreciate law enforcement for a variety of reasons and I understand that. The reasons you have listed are all valid responses to what I hear on the street or in the papers here in Canada everyday, and I'll be blunt some of it I agree on and is true.

But I do believe that your opinion should be created in a different post; as I would love to comment on some of the things that I have seen. I agree with a lot of your points and would like to chime in on them, however I feel as if this might be a diversion of the orginial topic.

One final point is, Never Forget the Law Enforcement Officers, Paramedics, Fire Fighters, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Nurses who have given up their lives to make the world a little better for everyone else.

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Comm

I think part of the problem is the media. In some movies or TV shows, even video games like Grand Theft Auto, police are depicted to be corrupt, power hungry, and evil, which is not necessarily true in real life. Sure, there's a few bad cops, but most became a cop becuase they want to serve and protect. Some cops only become cops just so they can have power, but that's not really common. There are many good cops. Some can be grumpy, becuase the job can be exhausting, people talking back to you, people not respecting what you do, dealing with the same garbage over and over... My dad knew a great cop. He had toys in the back of his cruiser, and would comfort kids who were in car accidents. He would give people breaks, etc... From what I heard, he was a great man.

All cops should be honored and respected, becuase they protect us and make the world better. From what I've seen, there's only a few bad cops, but the majority are nice, friendly, and are willing to serve you.

Imagine a world with no rules, and no people with authority. It would be dangerous, so people sometimes should step back, and look at things that way.

I think part of the problem is the media. In some movies or TV shows, even video games like Grand Theft Auto, police are depicted to be corrupt, power hungry, and evil, which is not necessarily true in real life. Sure, there's a few bad cops, but most became a cop becuase they want to serve and protect. Some cops only become cops just so they can have power, but that's not really common. There are many good cops. Some can be grumpy, becuase the job can be exhausting, people talking back to you, people not respecting what you do, dealing with the same garbage over and over... My dad knew a great cop. He had toys in the back of his cruiser, and would comfort kids who were in car accidents. He would give people breaks, etc... From what I heard, he was a great man.

All cops should be honored and respected, becuase they protect us and make the world better. From what I've seen, there's only a few bad cops, but the majority are nice, friendly, and are willing to serve you.

Imagine a world with no rules, and no people with authority. It would be dangerous, so people sometimes should step back, and look at things that way.

I can only speak from where I live; A senior officer once told me that 75% of cops (in my city) only do the job because of the money, power, a gun and a badge; 15% because they have nothing else better to do or it's a second career; 10% because they actually want to help people and are passionate about what they do.

Yes part of the problem is the media but a huge part of the problem is the type of personalities that are given such power and authority.

All cops should be honored and respected, becuase they protect us and make the world better. From what I've seen, there's only a few bad cops, but the majority are nice, friendly, and are willing to serve you.

That's something I would have to disagree on; Like I said I can only speak from where I live, maybe it's different in your part of the world. Unfortunately too many people are power hungry; the only reason why I still do what I do is because I've always believed in helping others.

Your father's friend is an example of what a cop SHOULD BE; one who does the job to help people and one who uses his/her power of disrection.

I agree with you on most points, but in my town, all the cops are friendly (that I know of) but as you said, it can be different in different parts of the world. My statement was only based on what I've seen around here.

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Original Light

But to understand my issue with this, you would have to live in my area. This is the wealthiest county in my state and has several hundred thousand people, with less than 10 homicides a year here, and almost never are any cops shot at in my county (I can only remember one instance from several years ago, and no one was hit). To somehow justify near military grade weapons for each cop when the biggest problem is small time drug dealers is completely unnecessary.

Policing tactics have been updated since Columbine, 9/11, and the Aurora CO shooting. It USED to be that when there was an active shooter, patrol units would back off and call for SWAT/TRU/ERU. That resulted in too many casualties. Now, officers are taught to find and remove the threat as they arrive to save more lives.. That is why they carry AR-15s. With the technology today in anybody's hands, they have to be able to match the weapons and armor of the shooter.

And sure your town doesn't have crime. However, the crime rates cannot predict where and when a disgruntled person will turn into an active shooter. Aurora didn't expect a gunman - I HIGHLY doubt they have movie theater shootings often. The only thing to do is prevent and react.

And by the way, most departments won't be adding military grade equipment. The Department of Defense has paused their program(in which they give surplus military equipment to LE agencies) until a full count of who has what for each state is completed.

p.s my SO has ARs, and they never use them. If there was a situation in which they were needed, I'm glad they have them to use. Plus, it's legal to own your own ar-15. If a regular citizen can, why can't a law-abiding, clean record police officer? That would be a double standard.

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Timlinson

Think about the LARGE salary differences between cops and paramedics or better yet cops and nurses. A cop can earn up to 100K+ here in my City but a Paramedic usually caps off at about 75-80. Half the "sun-shine" list in my Province are cops whilst only the top Paramedic or top nurses make 100+.

You must live in a miracle city, general patrol police officers in many parts of the country here are just slightly above the poverty line ($26,000 per year) as a full timer. You'd be pulling in between $30,000 to $40,000 per year. If you're a higher rank and did a bunch of overtime and extra work details you might make $50,000 or $60,000. The only way to get anywhere above that would mean you'd have to be a police chief or work as a higher level police officer, like a judicial policeman in D.C. These stats of course will vary by department, but it's well understood in the U.S. that the police do not make good money, and you apply for the job because you want to do the work, not because you want to get paid a good sum. As far as I'm concerned the only thing you're "all set for life" with is health and dental insurance. You're getting covered by Uncle Sam, so you and your family have that as a highlight benefit.

Edited August 13, 201213 yr by unr3al

You must live in a miracle city, general patrol police officers in many parts of the country here are just slightly above the poverty line ($26,000 per year) as a full timer. You'd be pulling in between $30,000 to $40,000 per year. If you're a higher rank and did a bunch of overtime and extra work details you might make $50,000 or $60,000. The only way to get anywhere above that would mean you'd have to be a police chief or work as a higher level police officer, like a judicial policeman in D.C. These stats of course will vary by department, but it's well understood in the U.S. that the police do not make good money, and you apply for the job because you want to do the work, not because you want to get paid a good sum. As far as I'm concerned the only thing you're "all set for life" with is health and dental insurance. You're getting covered by Uncle Sam, so you and your family have that as a highlight benefit.

Policing in Ontario is a VERY high paying and lucrative career and job. Guarntee you ask half the cops here what the real reason is for becoming a Police Officer, they'll answer one of three reasons 1.) Job Security, 2.) Pay, 3.) Benefits. Very few officers will answer because it's something that they've always wanted to do or because it's something of a noble job or calling, it's funny because at the recruiting stands and booths the first question out of most people's mouths are "Whats the starting salary of a cop?". I've used the US system as a baseline and sometimes I'll ask, "so if we only paid 45-50K a year would you still be a cop?" the answer that I get is "No, because I can make more money doing something else".

Starting Constable makes 55K base, but within 4 years that base jumps to about 65-75K easy. Add in over time, Paid Duties, Call Backs and your banking close to about 90-100K; As I mentioned if you take a look at the list the province discloses every year of public service employees who make 100K+ more than half the list are patrol officers, traffic officers and seasoned Detectives.

Edited August 13, 201213 yr by Comm