I was very happy to see that post in Ask A Cop, and wanted to put in .02, but I do know the rules, so...
Just a thought for you folks:
When people come here with their bad cop experiences, some may indeed not be telling the whole story. Others may be plain wrong. Some may be bashers or trolls.
But I humbly submit there could be another reason.
Some may be coming to you, in this anonymous but very honest setting, in hopes that you will restore their faith in LE. They have had a genuine bummer of an experience, whether or not some of it may have been of their own making. They may well have run into a cop who was inexperienced, overtired, or even (gasp) a genuine butthead. C'mon, there are such.
When you respond with "Just behave yourself, jerk!" "I never second guess a brother, so I'm assuming you're wrong," "You're probably lying," or "Get lost, ya troll," you CONFIRM their bummer.
Matter of fact, you underline it in red magic marker. And the world gets that much more 'us v. them.' A teachable moment is lost.
I'm not saying everyone on here is like that. But it happens enough that the really huge question I came here carrying in my heart, I have never yet spoken of, and I've been a member a year now or so.
It concerns police misconduct and harrassment. There are two sides to it and I know both. I've read the transcripts, the warrants, the continuation report, bla bla bla. I've had great conversations with cops about it face to face, and we have understood each other.
But on here, I know pretty much what I would get. Because, hey, anybody who raises such an issue is a lying waste of skin, right? Authority's always right, right?
c'mon, I know y'all are brighter and better than that. I don't need your absolution or reassurance; I know the story I'm talking about, nobody here did it and I surely don't blame all cops.
But I did join the conversation here hoping, on some level, to get my faith restored. And I'm not talking about everyone, mind you, but the clannish and acerbic tone here makes the site less effective at doing that than it could be.
Okay, whew, thanks for hearing me out. Best to all.
annie
Just a thought for you folks:
When people come here with their bad cop experiences, some may indeed not be telling the whole story. Others may be plain wrong. Some may be bashers or trolls.
But I humbly submit there could be another reason.
Some may be coming to you, in this anonymous but very honest setting, in hopes that you will restore their faith in LE. They have had a genuine bummer of an experience, whether or not some of it may have been of their own making. They may well have run into a cop who was inexperienced, overtired, or even (gasp) a genuine butthead. C'mon, there are such.
When you respond with "Just behave yourself, jerk!" "I never second guess a brother, so I'm assuming you're wrong," "You're probably lying," or "Get lost, ya troll," you CONFIRM their bummer.
Matter of fact, you underline it in red magic marker. And the world gets that much more 'us v. them.' A teachable moment is lost.
I'm not saying everyone on here is like that. But it happens enough that the really huge question I came here carrying in my heart, I have never yet spoken of, and I've been a member a year now or so.
It concerns police misconduct and harrassment. There are two sides to it and I know both. I've read the transcripts, the warrants, the continuation report, bla bla bla. I've had great conversations with cops about it face to face, and we have understood each other.
But on here, I know pretty much what I would get. Because, hey, anybody who raises such an issue is a lying waste of skin, right? Authority's always right, right?
c'mon, I know y'all are brighter and better than that. I don't need your absolution or reassurance; I know the story I'm talking about, nobody here did it and I surely don't blame all cops.
But I did join the conversation here hoping, on some level, to get my faith restored. And I'm not talking about everyone, mind you, but the clannish and acerbic tone here makes the site less effective at doing that than it could be.
Okay, whew, thanks for hearing me out. Best to all.
annie

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