Quote:
Originally Posted by Ibby
I've met a couple cops who were REAL shitbags.
I've met FAR MORE who are really good, decent folks.
that doesn't mean that law enforcement in this country isn't fucked up to the core, and especially fucked up when it comes do dealing with oppressed groups. I could definitely dredge up the dire, awful statistics about how law enforcement consistently and systematically disproportionately prosecutes trans* people, people of color, and women, and especially people at the intersections of those oppressions. So the default, especially for, for example, people like me, is to assume the cops aren't going to be "on our side".
the problem is less individual cops, and more the system itself.
Which is why I would NEVER flip off a cop. Or even be the littlest bit rude to them. That's a privilege I don't have.
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I pretty much agree with this.
Over the years I have had good and bad experiences of the police. I think it often depends on which part of the force (sorry, service) you're dealing with as to what kind of attitude you'll encounter.
I think like in any occupation there are good and bad, dedicated and dickhead.
One problem is that policing, like certain other professions (such as care for the elderly) has a tendency to attract people who enjoy exercising power over others. I don't think there's really anything that can be done about that, other than increased vigilance on the part of the employer and a greater willingness to act when incidents are reported.
We had an undercover report over here a few years ago in which a reporter posed as a police trainee and recorded their conversations. Turned out a sizeable chunk of the police recruits they talked to were active members of the British National Party and they were caught on camera talking about the things they'd do to a black suspect and how to avoid getting caught.
Another undercover report found similar attitudes prevalent amongst the wardens of an immigration holding centre for asylum seekers considered to be a risk of absconding.
My own personal experience of the police includes seeing them beat the everloving shit out of peaceful protesters on the one hand (the Met.) and escorting whilst bodily protecting protesters attempting to get clear of a growing and dangerous riot on the other(ordinary beat cop drafted in for numbers).
When I was younger and had one foot in the queer scene, I knew several people who were beaten by police having done nothing wrong, but who were picked up on a seeming whim because they were gay, or trans or different.
When I was arrested and questioned reagrding some minor fraud (I was 19 :p) their attitude towards me was relatively pleasant and respectful. During our conversation the officer I was talking with made some comment about how I wasn't 'some scrote off the estate'. So, had I been a teenager from one of the estates they'd have treated me differently, and had different expectations of me.
Most of my experience of the police, however, is relatively positive. My experience of individual police officers (and support workers) is generally that of highly motivated professionals. The work they did in the area I represented as a councillor was a massive part of the regeneration of that area and the attempts to build cohesion and trust within the community. There is no doubt in my mind that at least some of the youngsters in that area changed course and claimed happier lives because of the outreach work done by neighbourhood policing teams.