Firefighters have a job with danger and adrenalin no doubt.

The difference with the fire career is that while tasked with danger and risk, you are not tasked with bending other's will. You are not tasked with exerting lethal force on other humans.

As with most folks and careers, if you don't enjoy your work you move on.

If you enjoy your work, you stay on.

What types of individuals enjoy bending will and using force? Do you enjoy putting your knee in someone's neck? I don't.

School yard bullies?

The cop career attracts a specific segment of personalities. Just like the shoe salesman attracts a specific segment.

This is human nature. It's not good, or bad...it just is.

Recognizing that, and recognizing the lack of internal controls, serious reform is in order.

 

Pre-judging every person who is a police officer by the actions of a few, is pretty illogical.

 

As is ignoring data realities.

Most USA pennies are copper in color.

However, there is a year where pennies were issued steel in color.

Are ALL pennies copper in color? No.

But it is NOT illogical to assume that when you encounter the average penny, it will be copper in color. It does not guarantee it to be copper in color, it does not mean that ALL pennies are copper in color, but it indicates that a penny you encounter is much more likely to be copper in color, rather than steel.

It would be illogical to assume that you are just as likely to encounter a steel penny as a copper one.

It is illogical to assume that the cop you encounter will be a good cop. There are good cops, but they are limited to those new on the force that were inspired for reasons other than the general recruit. They are the steel pennies of the force. They exist, but few and far between. Once in, they do not last long. This is due to the engine and mechanics in the background, ...you either ignore the corruption you see around you (making you a bad cop), you join in on the antics (making you a bad cop), or you leave.

 

Do you honestly believe that the vast majority of police officers are corrupt?

 

Absolutely, positively, and with no doubt whatsoever.

To clarify, by corrupt, I don't mean simply pushing broomsticks where they don't belong, or taking money from the local numbers house or strip joint.

By corrupt I mean, ignoring the rules and laws set forth by your direct actions, or by ignoring those in violation around you. This can manifest itself as an extreme sadistic action or in something as simple as a 'professional courtesy' one cop extends to another for speeding violations, or as simple as one cop witnessing another cop do any of the above and ignoring it. Wrong is wrong.

Who cares if cops let each other have free rides on speeding tickets? Well, it is the root of the problem. It is that exact culture that breeds more serious problems downstream. It's Ok to bend the rules here, but not there. Here and there are not defined and subject to interpretation by the participants. Wrong is in the eye of the beholder and the beholder is in charge. This leads to absolute power and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Zero tolerance is the only way to fix this problem.

 

I think you should be a cop. I'd like to see how you react when all you hear every day all day is lip from people that think they're above the law.

I can't watch the video at work, but I've heard the audio. The officer is very firm in expressing his opinion to these kids. Obviously they didn't have a right to be on the property skateboarding. They also should not have ignored the police officer the first time he told them to scram. It's obvious the kids weren't taught how to respect adults. You do not call an officer "dude." It's "sir" or "ma'am".

In my opinion, if you mess with the law then the law can mess with you. The kids deserved what they got. I hope he broke their skateboards and sent them home crying.

 

I agree. The environment WILL induce stress. It WILL induce emotive reactions. In me, in you, in humans. Basic psychology here.

This is one of the reasons the job needs more controls.

Respecting adults is indeed a good virtue. So it's Ok for a cop to throttle folks for poor virtues now?

How about picking your nose, or not making your bed?

 

Would you not be satisfied until the system were completely free of corruption and rule-bending? I think it is clear that this is an impossible standard to satisfy. You might argue that even though it is impossible to achieve, that is not reason enough not to continually strive towards that goal. But is this what you truly believe, or is there a tolerable level of "corruption"? If police brutality, bribing, etc. (all the "major" violations) were completely eliminated, yet cops still gave other cops free rides on speeding, would you still argue that the system is broken? At some point, it becomes infeasible to clean up the system any more, and any extra efforts are not worth their costs in terms of money and time spent. Of course, we are far from reaching that point as the system currently stands, but hypothetically speaking, how far would you push it?

I'm not trying to argue with you, by the way - I'm just trying to understand your beliefs.

 

I suppose if I didn't make my bed or picked my nose on private property that I didn't have a right to be on to begin with, then they would have some say in how I perform those acts.

Everyone is so quick to complain about what he did wrong, but what was he supposed to do? They are teenage skater punks. We know they don't listen to conformists anyway, so if a rent-a-cop rolls up in a wanna-be mini cooper then they're just going to ignore him like they do everyone else. He had to put his foot down. He had to deliver a shock and awe message to them that would make it clear they're not supposed to be there.

I really don't see the harm in this. He taught the kids a lesson, and they should learn from it. If an officer did that to my kid, I'd shake his hand and be appreciative. It let's kids know they're not smarter than us, and that they don't own everything.

Look at it this way, when you're on the streets or out in public, pollice officers are essentially our "bosses." You do what they say, or get what's coming to you.

I blame the kids in this case. Had they of just gone home the first time he told them (off camera I believe) then officer Rivieri wouldn't have put them in their place.

I'm not trying to troll here on this, mods, just in case you think I'm trying to start trouble.

 

Yes, the perps would be trespassing. The violation would have nothing to do with nose picking, saying 'yes sir', or saying 'dude'. Trespassing would be the statute in play.

This is good discussion, even when folks may not see things the same way. I would hope that sharing your opinion and thoughts is not a troublesome thing.