police officers and ex officers please respond?

Question

police corruption is a widely used term. too wide i think. However over the last 3 years i have heard (from reputable sources) of alot of police officers breaking the laws, especially with restraint/detention/arrests. some playing vigillanties, others being hypocritical (stealing from dealers to supply the force with the pot they all seem to smoke - im sure like 90% of cops dont, but that does not mean some forces dont have a 20% stoner rate) my question is: do you do your job because of this, inspite of this, or a combination of two or more reasons? I all but rejected this career because of the effort required, the risks you all take and the lack of off duty freedom that goes with the badge. now I think I need to do this because someone has to protect us, and while you may not agree with my beliefs, in that uniform I strongly believe I could lead others through action? thanks for your answers, and good luck. when done right that is one of the most admirable careers out there..

I hear you. ive witnessed first hand police abuse. it was minor, but abuse none the less. i realize that it requies extraordinary patients/actions, from already (for the most part) extraordinary people. but how often do you just warn coworkers you did not like what u saw, but failed to report them (because on a whole u feel they are an asset to the force)

Answer 1

I did my job because it was what I chose to do, and because it was the right thing to do.
I have participated in the arrest of officers who were actually criminals wearing a badge; and as far as I was concerned, they were worse than criminals because they made me and every other Police Officer look dirty.
If you choose to overcome your prejudice and become a Police Officer I wish you luck.
You can expect to be held to a higher standard of behavior in every thing you do, from your marriage to the way you get through the supermarket checkout line.

Answer 2

I'm in contract without having for weapons, however whilst you listen approximately the knife crimes it makes me surprise. At the equal time i am not specific approximately tazar weapons both in case men and women with middle ailment would be affected. When you listen and spot the Cops sequence on Sky TV with the way in which weapons are repeatedly utilized in America it relatively could make you surprise what's proper or improper to make use of. Start giving weapons to the police and also you could simply begin getting too many gun fights at the streets, extra so with children who do not realise the risks and the obligations the police officers have got to move via with to look after the general public. Gun fights might no longer remedy crime it should expand it when you consider that children could begin to get the foolish suggestion its a 'gang factor' to be prime up at the time table and brag how well they're, that might best make matters worse.

Answer 3

I've never seen any other profession where the actions of so few impact the entire profession.

A police officer doing his job rarely makes the news, but an officer doing something questionable makes national headlines. That gives most people an unfair idea of how few bad cops there really are.

Add to this all the stories from people who choose to blame the police instead of accepting responsibility, and you have no shortage people who could give an example of police misconduct.

I doubt there is any other profession out there with a lower number of bad people associated with it.

I won't deny there are some bad cops out there, but most the good cops don't like them either.

Answer 4

corruption is very small and barely exists.due to the inability to hire good officers bad one are hired.at that time they were no known to be bad. they were known to not be able to pass basic requirements.they would not have been hired under the old standards.you see lots of officers doing very stupid things.they will all get caught in a matter of time.older officers all over the world are seeing the poor quality of officers being hired.it boils down to no one wanting to do this job any more.is their someone to blame?yes there is and it is the citizens.you are whining about so much that good officers have left and now you are stuck with the poor quality.you have no one to blame but yourself.
------retired texas deputy sheriff------

Answer 5

You made me see my wrong. I have had a bad experience as has my daughter. Well it is easy to place an entire group responsible. But then again it isn't like I see one running to help us or even believe us n e how. I guess I will have my opinion, and what is , well, is. The police are like women if you ask me, Can't live with em - can't live without em.
But when your the one being done unjustly it is ever so easy to distrust em all. I guess we need to have faith that the ones that are working for the best, will.

Answer 6

thank you.
VERY APTLY PUT. TO SAY THE LEAST, YES WE DO HAVE OUR SHARE OF LAW VIOLATORS WITHIN THE FORCE.
20% MAY BE HIGH BUT NOT UNREASONABLE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN SOMEONE GETS BUSTED, USULLY IT APPEARS IN THE NEWS ON THE BACK PAGES. BUT; WITH AN OFFICERS ARREST, FRONT PAGE NATIONAL NEWS, NOW BREAKING NEWS.
I HAVE ALWAYS WALKED THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW LINE. I HAVE SEEN TOO MANY (32) IN 42 YEARS BITE THE BULLET FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
MAINLY IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE OVER EXTENDED. WHEN ONE CAN GET THE MONEY BY BRINGING IN A CELL PHONE TO A PRISONER ($600.00). OR POT AT ($500.00). IT IS TEMPTING. HOW MUCH OVERTIME DOES ONE HAVE TO WORK TO MAKE THAT KIND OF MONEY? INMATES ASKED ME AS ALL OFFICERS TO DO THIS FOR THEM, I TELL INMATES AIN'T NO WAY.
YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR MORALES AND VALUES. TO MANY OF US ARE GOOD OFFICERS 90%+ AND IT IS HARD TO TRACK DOWN ANOTHER OFFICER, SEE HIM RUIN HIS LIFE, HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS THAT THIN BLUE LINE AND GO ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Answer 7

Every department has their does of bad cops and they surely don't represent the entire law enforcement community. Law Enforcement is a stressful job but you do it because you believe in it and you want to make a difference, its not easy, try leaving your family ever night not knowing if you will come home, every year attending a funeral of you fellow officer and/or partner.

Stressors: The results of the DOJ/FBI/NIJ study and the various analyses indicate that the most significant work-related stressors for police officers were as follows: workplace (perceived) discrimination and perception of inequity, organizational rigidity and perceived “unfairness,” repeated exposure to critical incidents, being wounded, having a partner killed in the line of duty, inadequate training, low morale, poor supervision, lack of recognition and insensitivity to family or personal needs. Stress was significantly related to alcohol use, physical abuse of any sort (e,.g, to co-workers, child, etc.) and importantly to domestic violence. Officers who reported high rates of work stress were three times more likely to report perpetuations physical spousal abuse. Altogether, 9% of all respondents (76/857) who had a spouse/partner, reported that they had committed physical spouse/partner abuse. Of interest was the finding that women officers were nearly twice as likely as male officers to report such behavior. Eighteen percent of women officers in the sample [20/109] reported such behavior compared to 7% of male officers [56/748]. The number of law enforcement employees at potential risk of psychosocial work stress in the U.S. is large; in 1990, there was a total of 812,000 law enforcement personnel, including 591,000 sworn and 221,000 civilians. It is believed that as much as 25% of U.S. police officers have significant alcohol dependence. Police officers have also been shown to have high suicide rates; in 1980, they were noted to have the third highest suicide rate. Police work stress is also believed to adversely affect police families; some studies have noted high rates of marital discord in police families. It is believed that police work will probably become even more stressful in the future

Answer 8

You already sound like a cop in your last few sentences.