May 23, 2012 - Riot Gear

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

True, but all it takes is that one knucklehead in the sea of peacefuls to throw a bottle and bloody an officer's head.

I'm not saying the shouldn't wear helmets but for christ's sake look at them. The boys in blue have become the storm troopers in black.

And in the case of a knucklehead, (or provocateur), the police have surveillance equipment that enables them to pick one person out of a crowd of thousands by his/her nose hair whorls.

The whole mentality of serve and protect, has morphed to what's written on the helmet in the original post... two examples of that attitude:

1 ~ Remember the retired Philly cop that protested in NY while wearing his uniform? Well the FOP in Philly is trying to kick him out and take away his FOP benefits.

2 ~ A Denver cop convicted of driving 143mph on a 2 lane, no shoulder, 55mph road, at night, with a passenger, while drunk, gets 5 days in jail... and his job back.

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I'm not saying the shouldn't wear helmets but for christ's sake look at them. The boys in blue have become the storm troopers in black.

And in the case of a knucklehead, (or provocateur), the police have surveillance equipment that enables them to pick one person out of a crowd of thousands by his/her nose hair whorls.

Well, the gear looks like that for protection's sake, not to look scary and intimidating. Its form follows their function. Their purpose isn't to look inviting or friendly or sexy. They just happen to look scary too, thanks to presentation in movies and TV. Besides, the only time we ever really see crown-to-sole protective gear on cops is when they're in a position to be easily portrayed (and often are) as The Bad Guys in a situation. The riot gear is rarely ever associated with the cops being heroes. They're billed as heroes when they're killed while on duty, but not when they're dressed to protect themselves from the potential of riot damage.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The whole mentality of serve and protect, has morphed to what's written on the helmet in the original post... two examples of that attitude:

1 ~ Remember the retired Philly cop that protested in NY while wearing his uniform? Well the FOP in Philly is trying to kick him out and take away his FOP benefits.

2 ~ A Denver cop convicted of driving 143mph on a 2 lane, no shoulder, 55mph road, at night, with a passenger, while drunk, gets 5 days in jail... and his job back.

Not disagreeing with this at all. At the same time, there are guys in the force who hate that this is how some people see the police force as a whole. They have their own knuckleheads, just like the peaceful march often has a few idiots who break windows or damage cars on the way. In their case, unfortunately, a lot of the knuckleheads are the ones in charge or in decision-making positions.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

Well, the gear looks like that for protection's sake, not to look scary and intimidating. Its form follows their function.

Right, I'm sure they aren't trying to look scary.
It's the the militarization of the American police.

They just happen to look scary too, thanks to presentation in movies and TV.

TV? Yes, the evening news, several times a week.

Besides, the only time we ever really see crown-to-sole protective gear on cops is when they're in a position to be easily portrayed (and often are) as The Bad Guys in a situation. The riot gear is rarely ever associated with the cops being heroes.

Because when they're dressed that way they're not being heroes, they are being instigators of violence, or tools of the stupid "War on Drugs".

...At the same time, there are guys in the force who hate that this is how some people see the police force as a whole.

I'm sure you're right, I'd even venture it's the majority, but that doesn't stop the Blue Code of Silence.

Not long ago I witnessed a rogue cop being a complete dick, breaking eleventeen laws, and abusing the shit out of a innocent couple. All the while eight other cops stood around shaking their heads, rolling their eyes, face palming, and not doing a god damn thing about it.

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Right, I'm sure they aren't trying to look scary.

About as terrifying as a guy in a welder's mask, but maybe I'm just not scared by the look. I suggest the elbow to elbow, show-of-force march formation is 'scarier' than the outfit itself.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

TV? Yes, the evening news, several times a week.

That's exactly what I'm saying. When's the last time a policeman (or line of policemen) in riot gear were really touted as the ones to run to and not run from anywhere? I suppose a shopkeeper might welcome the sight if his windows are being broken during a protest but who else?

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Because when they're dressed that way they're not being heroes, they are being instigators of violence, or tools of the stupid "War on Drugs".

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I'm sure you're right, I'd even venture it's the majority, but that doesn't stop the Blue Code of Silence.

Not long ago I witnessed a rogue cop being a complete dick, breaking eleventeen laws, and abusing the shit out of a innocent couple. All the while eight other cops stood around shaking their heads, rolling their eyes, face palming, and not doing a god damn thing about it.

No, it doesn't and it won't. And it's not just the police. Just about any fraternity-type group where the idea of watching each others' backs and trusting your brother is deeply ground in will have the same problems. The military, for example. The difference is, it's culturally acceptable and sometimes demanded that we cheer on all military members, even the ones who go AWOL, even the ones who go into civilian homes and murder the whole family with no justifiable threat as a pretext, even the ones who cut off souvenir fingers and piss on the bodies afterwards, even the ones who come home with PTSD issues and haul off and kill someone in cold blood... somehow that's okay, people want to give them a pass, they still aren't scary because they're service members and they voluntarily joined the Greatest Military This World Has Ever Known(tm). However, if people see a line of cops in reinforced welder's masks and body armor that looks like a slimmed down version of a football player's pads, they're terrifying. Perhaps it's because they're doing their scary things in your neighborhood, so to speak, instead of halfway around the world?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

About as terrifying as a guy in a welder's mask, but maybe I'm just not scared by the look. I suggest the elbow to elbow, show-of-force march formation is 'scarier' than the outfit itself.

I would tend to agree, but I've seen a phalanx of police in regular uniforms move a crowd with no trouble. I think the riot gear says I've come to kick ass.

That's exactly what I'm saying. When's the last time a policeman (or line of policemen) in riot gear were really touted as the ones to run to and not run from anywhere?

When they wore regular uniforms and targeted only troublemakers.

I suppose a shopkeeper might welcome the sight if his windows are being broken during a protest but who else??

Anyone near the G-8 "protesters", every time.

[quote]No, it doesn't and it won't. And it's not just the police. Just about any fraternity-type group where the idea of watching each others' backs and trusting your brother is deeply ground in will have the same problems. The military, for example. The difference is, it's culturally acceptable and sometimes demanded that we cheer on all military members, even the ones who go AWOL, even the ones who go into civilian homes and murder the whole family with no justifiable threat as a pretext, even the ones who cut off souvenir fingers and piss on the bodies afterwards, even the ones who come home with PTSD issues and haul off and kill someone in cold blood... somehow that's okay, people want to give them a pass, they still aren't scary because they're service members and they voluntarily joined the Greatest Military This World Has Ever Known(tm).[quote] I don't, if I know about it.

However, if people see a line of cops in reinforced welder's masks and body armor that looks like a slimmed down version of a football player's pads, they're terrifying. Perhaps it's because they're doing their scary things in your neighborhood, so to speak, instead of halfway around the world?

Good point, although they don't do it in my 'hood because we have state police coverage instead of local cops, so they're not bullies for the local politicians.

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

When they wore regular uniforms and targeted only troublemakers.

Then they aren't in riot gear, are they? Or you mean when they wear regular uniforms under the riot gear?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Exactly my point, riot gear causes riots.