The other day at the Publix Supermarket in Plant City, Florida I engaged an older man in conversation while waiting in line. I learned that he was retired from the police force in Plant City. What stood out in the entire conversation was something he said. He said that he could not understand the attitude of the younger guys. That most of his career he had worked in the projects and never had any trouble. That he treated everyone he came in contact with as a human being and how he would like to be treated. And if an arrest was called for, he made it. All the people there, including the criminal element respected him and he is welcome there today.
“...He said that he could not understand the attitude of the younger guys. ...”
That’s probably back in his day, he was a Peace Officer. His job was to “keep the peace”.
Now, they’re Law Enforcement (!!!!!!!! Comply, damnit!) Officers.
Words mean things. And words foster attitudes. And then attitudes generate new words to justify the actions taken due to those attitudes.
I have a relative who has been a cop for nearly 35 yrs. and friends of this relative have told me they would have citizens and many time minority citizens specifically ask for him when they called the police. Why? Because he would listen to their story, act fairly and treat them with respect as long as they showed the same respect toward him. And they remembered that and in many cases he had arrested them or their friends or relatives, yet they would continue to ask for him.
On the other hand his policy is once the situation get to the point where he says you are under arrest the discussion ends, on go the cuffs and into the car you go, if you resist he will thump you.
My son is interested in law enforcement and I have encouraged him to be more like Andy Griffith than Barney Fife on a steroid binge. The cop in the video is nothing more than punk with a badge on a power trip.