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You write words that indicate that in your heart and gut, you believe the term "civil servants" is wrong, that it should be "civil masters." Because THAT is how you view cops -- as MY and OUR masters.

Lets try to think about this logically.

Most of us accept that there are going to be laws we have to comply with. Those laws are at all levels determined by people we have elected.

The federal government, the state legislature, the city council, these bodies develop the laws we are asked to comply with. These laws are set up with penalites if we don't comply with them. How does that work?

Most of us live our lives within the law. We avoid breaking the laws because most of them are reasoned, and on top of that, we don't want to be assessed the penalty for breaking them.

What is the process should we break the law?

The police are the people who enforce the laws. That's why their proper title is law enforcement. They are not servants. They are not masters. They are merely people who were hired by municipalities to act on behalf of the municipality and the judicial system to ensure law and order.

The courts interpret the laws of our nation. They determine what was meant by the legislation or municipal code, if people have in fact broken these laws, and what penalties should be assessed.

The police make observations. They issues citations. They take people into custody. They file reports for the court to review during the trial process. They offer testimony.

District attornies and their staff also bring charges against members of the public.

At the end of the day, it is the police that must enforce the law.

If people don't show up in court, a police officer has to find, arrest, and deliver an individual to court to face judgement.

If there is not an agencey such as a police force, nobody shows up in court. From that moment on, there is no such thing as law and order. People can kill, rape, steal, and do anything else they want without penalty.

On a day to day basis, officers respond to calls for help. A person with a gun, a spouse beating their spouse, a public fight, a traffic accident, a person setting fires, whatever the case may be, they have to respond.

Yes, when these officers show up, they take charge. When they do, some people get upset.

Who should be in charge when an officer arrives on scene? Should the person breaking the law be in charge? Should one of the neighbors be in charge? Who is the person on site who has to deal with municiple codes, state, and federal laws every day? Who is the expert on scene? It is the police officer. And the police officer takes charge.

One of the hardest things you have to teach kids, is that as an adult you are never the be all end all of your existence. You still have to answer to an employer, a landlord, a bill collector, and the judicial system.

You don't one day turn 18 or 21, and all of a sudden are in control of the world. Some folks never learn this. It's unfortunate, but true.

Even as adults, we answer to others. It's a fact of life. If it makes these people feel any better, even the President of the United States is required by law to answer to other people. It is a fact of life.

We will always run into situations where someone else is in charge. We can accept it, or we can make ourselves miserable figthing against reality.

YOU, guys like YOU, cops with mindsets like YOURS, are a big part of the problem.

Police officers show up on scene and take charge. That is their job. They are not there in a consulting capacity. They will ask people questions and try to get to the bottom of what is going on. They will make determinations and take action. They will not always get it right, but in short order people will get their day in court and be able to clear things up if need be. Six months down the road, even if things were done improperly, people will generally have taken care of it and moved on. They'll forget about it unless they obcess on it. Life isn't an endless series of perfect moments from birth to death. The good moments generally far outnumber the bad, but having some things happen we wish woudn't, is just a part of life.

Why do officers project large when on scene? The answer is, if they don't take charge the scene will get out of hand. It's best for everyone if officers take control of the scene. Neighbors must be kept at a distance. Combating parties must be separated. Family members must be moved away, so the primary individuals can be addressed. An officer going in acting timidly will almost immediately be overwhelmed by people refusing to comply with his directives. This will create a situation where rather than calming things down and returning things to normal, the disturbance will begin again with officers in the mix. That's not good for anyone on scene. The officers would be in jeopardy, the people on scene would be in jeopardy, and people and property could be harmed. Officers do take charge. Someone needs to. If the parties on scene could have gotten things under control without the officers, the officers wouldn't be there. The time for the home owner "Top Dog" has passed. When officers arrive, he's simply another person on site, equal with others, but subordinate to the officers.

You have a bully-"top dog" mindset and you should be kept far, far away from any job in law enforcement.

You have obviously said this for what you think was a very good reason. Please link me to a place where I wrote something here that backs up this opinion. What have I said that was abusive of individual rights?

GO JOIN THE MILITARY, which is where guys like you belong.

You seem to have a very interesting set of perceptions. Members of the military have to operate under rules of engagement. They can't indescriminantly kill people. You believe that police officers do, so it is your belief that those officers should join the military where (you are certain) that type of killing is approved of. Here you insult not only the police, but also the members of our military. Is it your take the members of our military just shoot people any old time they like, and that's okay? That's what you've just implied here.

Look, I'm sure you're a decent person, but I honestly have concern for you. You are carrying a lot of baggage related to the police. They are a necessary part of our society. You need to understand that. If you keep going like this, you're going to have a deal with officers at some point, and I'm afraid you're going to be your own worst enemy when you do.

The only folks suitable for work as cops or police, are those who are willing to put OTHERS' lives, pride, and ego before their own.

If they're not willing to do that, then they need to find another line of work. A cop that thinks his LIFE is more important than the life of a homeowner/citizen who mistakes the cop for a bad guy, or who just doesn't like the fact that a cop is there at all, and who will shoot that homeowner because he is afraid of the legally-held gun in the homeowner's hand, SHOULD FIND ANOTHER LINE OF WORK. Join the military because the role you seek is that of a soldier, NOT a servant.

It's like the guy who wants to become a commercial fisherman who doesn't want to risk his life at sea. That guy needs to find a different line of work. PERIOD. The same way a pedophile should be kept away from jobs in teaching and child care, bullies/power trippers should be kept away from jobs in law enforcement.

I know PLENTY of cops, retired and active. Some of them are like you, with bad attitudes and bullies at heart, always the "top dogs" because they have badges, dammit. Others are REAL lawmen, who have compassion and who remember at all times that their role is as servant/protector, and only shoot as a last damned resort. Sadly, THOSE cops are either retired or disgusted because they find themselves surrounded by power trippers such as yourself.

Look, I'm sure you're a decent person, but I honestly have concern for you. You are carrying a lot of baggage related to the police.

What about the at least FOUR times I can think of when police treated me/mine with compassion, kindness, and wisdom? What about THAT baggage? About which you know ZIP? I tell you what I do know: your words betray you as what I would call a "bully" cop compared to the many "good" cops I ALSO know.

As for " baggate" -- what about your own with regard to the people cops are supposed to serve and protect rather than shoot or harm? As for "baggate" -- when I was 21, one of them ripped his own uniform and LIED to the judge, saying I was the one who tore it. Fortunately for me, the judge was wise to the cop. Otherwise I would be a felon right now. Thanks to that lying cop.

I am sure you are a power-tripping bully who has no place in law enforcement. Whether or not you are a "decent" person is entirely beside the point. What you ARE is someone who thinks civil servants should be civil MASTERS.

Actually, make that SIX times I can think of when cops treated me/mine with compassion, understanding, and kindness.

What about THAT "baggage"?

It doesn't fit into your template so you will ignore it. I, in the meantime, will ALWAYS remember and will ALWAYS remind people of your own words: I wouldn’t be too quick to dump on the responding officers. This guy may have had a attitude thinking himself to be the top dog on scene. We’ll see how it plays out.

You're damned right I and many Americans have a BIG damned problem with a civil servant who thinks that a citizen who has an "attitude of thinking himself to be top dog on scene" merits being SHOT. On the contrary, the cop who thinks that should be REMOVED from any career in law enforcement.

YOU are part of the problem, DoughtyOne, your mindset and your bully power-trip mentality. If you aren't willing to be a SERVANT/protector, then stay the hell OUT of law enforcement.