Is it just me or does the police force contain a disporportionately large amount of angry, rude people?

Question

Note: I didn't say all. I said disporportionately large.

Call me codependent, but i myself value politeness to and from all people, even to cops. I call them for a simple question about a license renewal and I get a sarcastic response. A Michigan judge agreed with me in a recent discussion. Why would someone continue in a profession that doesn't even pay that well if it makes him/her miserable?

Answer 1

it's true. i advocate more psych evaluations for them. stress of the job is not always handled well. police have a higher rate of abusive behavior towards their families and the public. it may help if citizen groups monitored them more. take away their attitude they are above the law. most cops break laws daily.

Answer 2

It is true a large amount of today's law enforcement seem angry and rude. But what you have to understand the situations we deal with in and out are unusual. Since being a law enforcement officer for over 4 years, I have had my share of domestic battery calls where the woman does not want to pursue charges and just wants to keep getting beat up by there boyfriends/husbands. No matter how many times we arrest him. I have seen suicides, child abuse and neglect cases that would make you cry. At least twice a day, I have someone always telling me that they are going to file a complaint because they had to be arrested or received a citation. It is not an easy job, but who else is going to do it. This field also has its rewards. Saving a child from abuse, 4 out of 5 saves using CPR before rescue arrived, rescuing 2 people drowning in a rip current. Catching the guy who robbed a lady. I enjoy my job very much. But like all stress, some people take it different ways. Bare with us we are just trying to do are best!!

Answer 3

You have to look at it from the officer's point of view. They deal with dirtbags and stupid people all day everyday. They serve and protect their community to the best of their ability and get very little respect or credit for it. When a person calls the department with a question such as yours when they should be calling the SOS or DMV, they are bound to be a little rude. You can't go around making generalities about all police officers just be cause you had one bad experience. These guys are human too and they deserve our respect for the job they do. Besides, everyone has a bad day and you don't know what that officer had to deal with just prior to you calling. Give them a break!

Answer 4

I got yelled at by a young woman cop. I got stopped for a traffic ticket and did not have the paper work for the car I had recently bought. She said "how do I know this isn't a stolen car"? I was going to say "thats why you have a computer, check it". Instead I just kept quiet and she wrote the ticket and I left. I'm always polite to officers when I get stopped, they don't have an easy job expecially here in los angeles. There's a lot of crazy people here.

Answer 5

Maybe it´s because the cops you come into contact with are extremely tired of dealing with people who should be charged with being ¨Stupid in Public.¨ Too bad there isn´t a way to really charge someone with that!

They have to deal with everything from being psychiatrists, to social workers, to making split second life and death decisions.

They get people calling 911 because they can´t find their dog...they get asked to respond to Wendy´s because a customer´s hamburger wasn´t made correctly and the customer wants the cook arrested... there´s a million stories of total public stupidity out there.

I was in law enforcement for about 10 years, and I saw and heard some unbelievable stuff. Cops are human and have a finite tolerance level so, it´s no wonder that some may appear angry and rude.

Answer 6

Let me guess, you are the same person who calls in to complain that an officer is speeding, but then bitches that it takes too long for an officer to get to you when you call for help? Probably the same person that calls 911 because YOU locked your keys in your car or god forbid there is a cat in a tree. Yes, that is sarcasm. I would bet dollars to donuts that everyone of you who complained about an officer isn't little Mary Sunshine every day at your work either. Grow up and stop whining.

Answer 7

Lets see, you call the PD for a question about license renewal. Hmmmm.... beats me why they would be sarcastic.

My favorite is people who want to pull up behind you in the middle of a traffic stop (possibly with a dangerous felon), blow the horn, and want to have you come back to their car...so they can ask you for directions! People just don't think when dealing with the police sometimes, and they get short because of it. Sorry. We're not hired for PR!

Answer 8

You should not call a police department or any law enforcement agency for non emergency questions, it ties up emergency lines.

I work in emergency dispach and alot of our calls are for "DL" questions. On nice quiet days when it is not insane i just give them the correct number to call. However when it is going completely insane, radios screaming, multiple phones ringing with emergency calls and you get one with a "DL" question, I can see where this increases the stress level. I have been there but I always try my best to be professional and courteous at all times.

Answer 9

I work in the same building with police officers. What they said about dealing with idiots all day holds true. But you get 7 or so years into it before you get completely fed up. At that point, you say "I've put in 7 years towards a REALLY nice pension" and you decide to stick it out even if you hate it.

Answer 10

Everyone has a bad day, even the police.
Don't count his behavior as "most cops are rude" because you've given only one example.
I've had encounters, good and bad, with policemen over the years.
Most of them are polite, & if you show them respect, they'll show it to you.
A couple years ago I got stopped for jay-walking - yes, jaywalking. It was late at night, 2 young cops had nothing better to do. While they weren't openly rude, they weren't polite either.
However, I don't denigrate all cops based on these 2 guys.

Answer 11

Some law enforcement agents feel pressured by their job and the risk it poses, but don't want to leave because they know they are needed. The pressure put on their shoulders can cause heavily sarcastic and inappropriate attitudes in some, I will agree.