[Rumplemeyer]

“When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail”, my cousin is a retired NJ State Trooper, second generation and on the job for the right reasons.

I asked him one night over dinner, what is the hardest part of your job? His answer surprised me, he said “when you deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, it wears on you and you begin to see everyone in the same light, you must constantly remind yourself that they are not.

[cripplecreek]

when you deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, it wears on you and you begin to see everyone in the same light, you must constantly remind yourself that they are not.

Exactly my point about society. Even when my township had cops they were pretty good guys because they seldom had to deal with the worst society has to offer. Few people around here have a chip on their shoulders that they dare people to knock off.

[Rapscallion]

His answer surprised me, he said “when you deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, it wears on you and you begin to see everyone in the same light, you must constantly remind yourself that they are not.

Wow! That was an enlightening and moving statement.

[ken in texas]

"when you deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, it wears on you ..."

There's definitely an impact. My cousin, now a retired State Trooper, worked narcotics for a while. During an arrest one item found on a suspect was a photo of his wife dropping their young daughter off at kindergarten, suggesting they were potential targets of the drug ring. It's hard to just put that behind you and assume the best when dealing with a new situation.