You're a cop. You find the horribly brutalized remains of eight cute kids, three nuns, four adorable puppies, and a local humanitarian in someone's apartment. Or you find horribly accurate and detailed videotapes of the person raping children (or committing murders, or any other ghastly offenses).
HOW do you manage to treat them like any other "routine" criminals under such circumstances? When you've seen pretty much "undeniable" proof of guilt in a horrible crime, how do you manage to keep your cool? And after conviction, how do police officers and prison officials manage to keep their emotions under control? (It can't be easy dealing with a notorious murderer, month after month.) Feedback, please.
2006-08-21 19:49:36 · 13 answers · asked by samiracat 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Some don't. One of the 1st things you learn from experience as a cop is to depersonalize, dissociate or whatever, the person arrested for whatever crime and their actions. That does not make you inhuman, but protects your humanity. That, and a good dose of self control keeps you out of trouble. Sure it's a struggle sometimes, but you learn to cope. If I let some subhuman piece of dirt and their actions provoke me into breaking my oath and compromising my integrity as a person and an officer, then I have risked my ability / opportunity to intervene with a clear conscience in future incidents where I am needed. If you spend emotion, it needs to be directed to compassionate intervention for the victim, and not wasted in anger for the perpetrator.
After the fact, I talk to the other officers, have participated in CISD's, and I have a wife who loves me and understands that the things I deal with affect me sometimes. She's great, and loves me through a lot of it. In all seriousness and most importantly it also is a tremendous help to have a relationship with a God who understands and listens to me.
2006-08-21 20:11:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have to so you don't get sued. In the back of your mind, everything's about liability-at least where I worked. Not to mention, if you do something stupid case or evidence may be thrown out. Corny as it sounds, I try to treat people I'm arresting with a little respect. I've found that people tend to be more cooperative with you-most of the time anyway. Then there's the time you get that drunk doctor that wants to be an a**hole no matter what, resist and fight, all bets are off then.
2006-08-21 20:02:15 · answer #2 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its just professionalism and self control. This is obviously an extreme example, although it does occasionally happen.
But look at your own job, no matter how much tamer in regards to your example, day to day we can deal with terrible people and attitudes, but because we are doing our job our professionalism takes over.
When you are a police officer or in the military you sacrifice some of yourself for the greater good, for the duty.
They swear oathes to uphold our system of laws, of due process, to apprehend the "evil doers" and to let the system judge and punish.
Talk to alot of long-time cops, ones in heavy urban areas that deal witha lot of crap, you can tell that this can all take a toll on them.
2006-08-21 19:58:48 · answer #3 · answered by daughters_a_wookie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Those types of situations I think affects them as well. All cops aren't able to keep their cool, some in up in therapy, some have nightmares from crime scene, and others end up quiting the force. Its not a job for everyone!!! Many, many apply and join but not all are able to truly handle the job! It takes more than some people can truly give. Like being a soldier....Its not for everyone!!!
2006-08-21 20:19:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
In Florida state prison the guards have kicked and beaten to death several men, that we know of.
Many of them do not keep themselves under control. In Florida they often beat suspects to death after they are cuffed and harmless. They do this much more with blacks than with whites or other races.
We have had riots more times than I can count because of police brutality. It is not their job to judge and convict a suspect and administer "punishment" on the spot. That makes them no better, and probably worse than the criminals.
What about the New York cops who raped the man with a plunger while he was in the squad room?
Cops like that belong in prison with the other criminals. You sound like a cop making excuses for your criminal behavior.
2006-08-21 20:00:05 · answer #5 · answered by lcmcpa 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
A good cop just needs to rely on his training. Also a cop knows that you cant bring your personal feelings into his work. However there are some cops who arent able to control thier personal feelings during work, its only human nature.
2006-08-21 19:56:02 · answer #6 · answered by spencerluck2 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Believe me, it's not always easy. I'm one of the lucky ones with nerves of steel. Nothing to make me lose my cool when I wear my uniform. I'll be honest with you, not all the cops are like that. Some lose their temper easily. Some suspects got their a*s kicked.
2006-08-22 08:28:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That sounds like an extreme case to me. But I would say that they have to maintain professionalism in order to get the job done. They are also human and their is human error.
2006-08-21 23:24:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anne M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are trained to keep their cool. Then when they get home they take out on their family. Thats why police have a high divorce rate
2006-08-21 19:55:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
cops are human, human responses to such things are anything but predictable. they are trained for such things, they have to remain professional and often do not do so (cases like police brutality)
2006-08-21 19:55:29 · answer #10 · answered by SivGiger78 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋