What is this cop hating crap I see on FR lately? I’ve been here a long time, and it never used to be like this. What in the friggin world hapened?
I did 22 years of Law Enforcement, and I know a lot of good guys who are still serving. I do agree that there are some recent additions to law enforcement that should have never got past the hiring process, but thats a small few of them. Unfortunately, they do seem to do a lot of mischief, and make a few headlines.
In this case, two Alaska Troopers were shot IN THE BACK while they tried to serve a lawful warrant for the arrest of a suspect, and had to use force to get him into custody.
I would be the first to point out the problems if this was an unlawful arrest, or an excessive use of force, but it isnt here...sorry, but these cops did what they were supposed to do, and they were murdered.
Dont blame the cops for the bullshit laws that they are forced to enforce these days. Blame the legislators who pass this crap.
What happened was the militarization of the police in general and widespread police refusal to submit to being observed and/or filmed while doing their work. Some of the post 911 theatrics made it worse. Start using a cell phone as a camera to record an interaction (yours or of a third party) and expect a beat down. Question their authority in some way and it is an instant arrest for contempt of cop. That is how many folks regards cops today, especially those in urban areas.
When I grew up their were neighborhood cops who knew the area and the people. There was a mutual trust. Not true today.
“I’ve been here a long time, and it never used to be like this. What in the friggin world hapened?”
What happened? The militarization of law enforcement and the rampant abuses without consequences. Oh and a few thousand dead dogs. I grew up with some close friends who were cops. The steroid enhanced cops we have today are far different.
That said, these two cops were murdered and this guy deserves to fry.
I think there was a tipping point a few years ago after people read too many stories of home invasions by SWAT teams at the wrong address and innocent people and pets killed for no good reason. Maybe these stories are not accurately representative of all law enforcement but it does seem that there are trends in the following directions:
1. Increasing militarization of the police, even in small towns.
2. A trend toward a very broad interpretation of what might constitute a threat to the police, which has to be dealt with by deadly force.
These events give the police bad PR. Normally you would think that conservatives would tend to favor law and order. But people in favor of small government are in some cases starting to view the police as just another branch of big government.