Some would call it a crime but I too remember a different time when young. Firearms were everywhere I went and I knew not to touch till an adult gave me permission. Times have changed and everyone is more on edge these days, regrettably. I confess ... sometimes I too am on edge these days. Sign of the Times, I suppose. Though I’ve never been a LEO, have been accused several times of being LE. Guess was because of family and I came to love those serving behind the badge. When accused of being LE I’d simply laugh and get the heck out of dodge if was out looking around but that’s legal to be looking around ... but today looking around, by many people, appears to be illegal in many people’s minds. Dangerous times with and without a badge and (imho) is more so in the present day. There are four generations in my family of those working either as or with LE. Am proud of that heritage.
The shift seemed to happen around 20 years ago. My late uncle was a Nebraska State Patrolman, and later a cop in Omaha. I knew most of those guys on his shift, and while there were some a holes, they were very good guys.
When the next generation of cops started (my cousins and others I grew up with), they changed focus. For starters, many have told me they would just follow orders, no matter what those orders would be. My uncle did not and would not do that. The other shift was the guys I knew all of my life began to seem themselves as above the ordinary people, or as equivalent to soldiers in Iraq (as in fighting a war). Never mind the Army and Marine cousins and friends of mine do not like that attitude. (In general, the regular guys HATED reserve forces made of from police officers. They got to many people killed).
My uncle viewed his job as serving the public. My cousins view it as controlling the public (their words, not mine). My uncle was a hard a$$, but he always treated people with respect. My cousins have been known to pull their side arms over traffic violations (and they are not alone in that).
When police start acting like occupation forces, and start seeing themselves as such, don’t be surprised with the regular people start treating them as such. I used to be VERY pro cop. I would give them the benefit of the doubt in general. Now, because of those I know, I am no longer that way. Times have changed, and not in a good way.