Why do parents tell their kids to stop doing this or that or I'm going to have that policeman arrest you?

Question

Im a police officer, and when I'm in uniform I hear this all the time. Parents should encourage their kids to speak with us and trust us, not be afraid of us.

I know what some of you are going to respond with (Police can't be trusted) and if thats your opnion of all law enforcement, then my guess is your parents told you the same thing when you were a chid.

We are there to help, serve, and protect. So why would you want to buid a distrust in police officers from that early of an age? If your child was lost or hurt would you not want them to feel safe with letting an officer help?

Great answers from all. After reading some of them I have discovered another problem with this kind of behavior from parents other than the kids learning to fear the police.

If the parent threatens the child with the police arresting them and they do not stop their behavior, then what? The bluff has been called. When they do not go to jail they lose all respect for the officers doing their job and may lead to them thinking they can get away with more serious crimes on down the line.

Answer 1

It's typical of people that won't take responsibilty for disciplining their children..rather than be seen as the bad guy,they teach their child to be afraid of and dislike the police(because the police were what they were threatened by-not the nice parent).

Answer 2

Some parents make even worse statements than that, and start children being afraid of and disrespecting Police very early. Here's an example.

I met a friend for lunch awhile back. He was on-duty at the time and in uniform. While we were eating, a little girl (about 5 or 6 years old) was walking through the restaurant with her father. She stopped at the table and said, "Are you a real Police Officer?" My friend smiled at her and said, "That's right!" Her father grabbed her and pulled her away. He said to her, "Don't talk to him, he'll shoot you!" She began to cry and I wanted to punch him in the face. I bet that little girl will be afraid of Police for a long time. I can only imagine what people like that say to their children about the Police in private, if that's what they say in public.
I guess I was lucky that my father was a military man, and a strict one at that. His discipline was plenty. He never threatened us with getting arrested, only taught us to respect and listen to the Police.

Answer 3

I never have. But since I wanted to become an officer from the time I was 15, I knew it was a problem. I've always taught my children to go to the police if they are lost or need help.

Matter of fact, 2 of my 4 boys want to be police when they grown up (or military after my husband - or firemen..hahahah.)

My parents never did this either. And would have kicked my butt for getting into trouble.

Answer 4

My sister-in-law used to do that with my nephew when I became a police officer. It was, "If you don't behave, Uncle RJ will take you to jail." I never liked it, but chose to ignore it most of the time, as I have always had a good relationship with my nephew and never thought it was having much effect.

But there came a day when I was riding patrol in their neighborhood and my partner and I dropped by their house. My nephew would only come near me if I was away from the patrol car. He wouldn't go anywhere near the car, and wouldn't even look at my partner (a small, thin woman who has a generally friendly personality).

After that, I had a talk with my sister-in-law about the effect she was having by using that line on my nephew. She stopped doing it, and never used that on my niece after she was born. My niece and nephew are now not afraid of the police, but look at them as people who protect them, just like their Uncle RJ. They also think it's great that I'm a "kid detective" now and work with juveniles. And my nephew even says he wants to be a police officer when he grows up.

Answer 5

I've seen it up here too while on duty. All it does is create more problems for them in the long run, such as all these kids out there disrespecting law enforcement officials.

It's a thankless job: when someone needs your help, they come to you and expect you to perform magic to resolve the situation; but the rest of the time, they go on and on about how we go on "power-trips" and throw debris over an apartment balcony when we arrive on a call. Honestly, I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

Answer 6

I am not really sure I've never understood that. I don't understand why parent's threaten their children at all I think it's crazy. But like you said I guess they learned from their examples as well. Kids should be taught that people in Law Enforcement, and other things like that, are good people and they are there to help you.

Answer 7

As a preschool instructor, I hear this each and every of the time too whilst out in public, and that i prefer to tell the determine an identical element! you prefer them to be waiting to circulate to a police officer for help! mothers and fathers who've lost administration of their toddlers and prefer to scare them by potential of threatening them with the terror of police, are actually not doing absolutely everyone any solid. If I have been you, i might sense like telling the determine who's asserting that interior of your earshot, "I oftentimes do not take toddlers who do not behave, yet I do take mothers and fathers who lie!" Ha, ha. you in simple terms would desire to have humor of the region, and understand that there are mothers and fathers and instructors accessible who're coaching their toddlers (and the toddlers of their care) that policepeople are accessible to help them. i understand in decrease earnings factors, it rather is oftentimes that the toddlers stay with the terror of police because of the fact their kin have been taken away for one infraction or yet another, and that worry is situational and an element of their on a daily basis lives. i understand the media may additionally portray policemen in a nasty gentle (whilst it suits their objective), however the some distance better majority of police are doing the activity they have been sworn to do. So, thank you for serving and retaining, and that i will proceed to bypass on my message of have confidence interior the regulation enforcement to the toddlers I instruct, besides as my own.

Answer 8

I have two girls and found myself doing the same thing becauls
that was what I was tought.
My oldest was getting scared at first then learned that they won't.
My biggest fear. I don't agree with this either.
It's not sending the right message to the kids.
I learned the hard way.

Answer 9

I agree with you. I think some parents lack parenting skills and instead of teaching children they confuse them , example: Parent wants child to take medicine and tells them it's candy. Or, Parent is eating candy and doesn't want to give any to child and tells them it's medicine. Go figure !!!!!
I teach my children the good and the bad.



Peace.

Answer 10

I never told my kids that. I agree with you. I have done my best to teach them to respect police officers.