“In that post, you noted that cops are not our betters and deserve no additional respect than anyone else does.”
I still don’t think they do. Do cops have a tough job? Yes. Do they deserve respect? Yes. Are cops better than the average person? No. Where do you draw the line? If cos are better then do they get special rights? Are they free from prosecution? Can they take bribes without fear? The first two are already in place.
Cops get paid fairly well in most places. They can quit anytime they wish. Our military people get paid squat, can’t quit, and are away from home for months. Lots of jobs are dangerous. Many are more dangerous than being a cop. Should we rate peoples rights based on how dangerous their job is?
LOL. Would we be better served if there were no police?
I don't think Officer Cassidy expected to get shot in the head as he walked into the store. For all I know, he was going to get a bite to eat, and not suspicious of a thing. Yet he walks in and in short order he is shot in the head. The shooter runs off, but before doing so, stops to take Officer Cassidy's gun. Despite all of his training and experience, Officer Cassidy probably never saw it coming.
Now, as for my take on what happened with this stop- I think the cop could have handled the matter a whole heck of a lot better. Tasing the driver was extreme and, at the point it occured, unnecessary. Still, I don't hold much sympathy for the driver. While it is obvious that the mean streets of Utah are a lot different than Philly, given my limited experience and relationships with police officers, if I were the driver, I would expect the police officer to be more than a little cautious (you might call it disrespectful) in that type of situation. The cop doesn't know me from Adam or from a donut store robber for that matter.