On April 27 in this blog, commenting on training at the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, I pointed out that some of the instructors saw āMumbai coming to the USAā and mentioned the roles of both first-responder cops and armed citizens at mass-murder sites. Since then, Osama bin Laden has been whacked, and the wire services have reported, āAl-Qaidaās plots are usually large-scale and involve planning over months or even years. But Western intelligence officials say they are seeing increased chatter about cheap, small-scale attacks ā perhaps by individuals or small extremist groups inspired to take revenge for the killing (of bin Laden).āĀ It turns out that those ILEETA instructors were prescient.
Unfortunately, for the last couple of weeks this corner of the Backwoods Home blogs somehow got turned into a cop-bashing fest. Iāve deleted no commentary, and have tried to avoid repeating good points made by many posters, and I havenāt individually answered every comment. In my last blog entry here, I answered some of the questions raised by critics. Some more have come up since on commentary, so Iāll address those now.
āIsnāt militarization of police reflected in their changed uniforms? BDUs?ā For cops, Battle Dress Uniform means mainlyā¦cargo pants. Cops need pockets.Ā The change was frankly overdue: dress uniforms arenāt practical for manhunts in the woods or searching the swamps for lost kids. The still-incomplete changeover from spiffy Sam Browne belts to fabric utility belts reduces weight constantly carried around the waist, which is one reason so many cops retire on disability with lower back problems. Blood-borne pathogens also wash out of nylon much more easily than they clean off of leather.
āWe donāt mind you having AR15s, we just donāt want you pointing them at little old ladies on traffic stops.ā Uhā¦we DONāT.Ā If you find a cop doing that, let me know. Let his boss know, too.
āWe resent cops being able to get fully automatic weapons more easily than us.ā Um, thatās been the case since the National Firearms Act of 1934, and itās just now constituting a āmilitarization of the policeā? Please.Ā Good Lord, wait ātil folks like that find out that soldiers and Marines have machine guns, tooā¦will they fear and distrust all of them, as well?
One commentator mentioned that some of the other Backwoods Home writers have published anti-authoritarian essays and asked if I considered them cop-haters, too. No, of course not: none of them to my knowledge has ever said that all cops are to be feared and are unworthy of trust, as so many commentators have said here.
My take on the several YouTube video clips sent along? Analyzing video is a separate topic in and of itself. By definition, each camera gets only one angle of view at any given momentā¦the two dimensional eye of the camera lacks the often-critical third dimension of depthā¦what went before and after is lost to the cameraā¦and if people donāt know what to look for, itās human nature that they wonāt see it. If anyone would care to debate that, Iād be happy to offer a tutorial with examples.
Thanks to Big Tex and the others who have injected an articulate, much needed dose of reality here. One blog reader implied that he lost faith in all cops when one of his friends, a policeman, told him he thought the world broke down into cops and everybody else. The reader thought, rightly, that was horrible.Ā It has appalled me for these two weeks to see how many people said that because one cop might be bad, they had to assume that all cops were bad. And dammit, thatās just as horrible.
Some folks need to wake up and smell the hypocrisy.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-swat-orange-sagebrush-20110512,0,7691986.story
this just happened yesterday – a swat standoff because a guy was threatening to harm HIMSELF (it seems there is a swat standoff now 3-4 times a week in the central florida area)
three sleeping teenager kids (never mentioned in harm and came out when they wanted to) nobody was ever in harms way or threatened it seems..
but wow, look at the swat response! are those soldiers or police officers? mini-tanks and all!
and after all this no charges were filed. i still just am not sure what it should take to justify such an armed (and expensive) response. apparently anything… (but as mentioned the government way – use it or lose it)
i can’t blame the officers in there response, but the power trip and government structure that is the enabler is just going too far…
Mas, just remember that you aren’t trying to persuade the people who will never change their mind. You are reaching the silent readers, whose minds aren’t made up yet, giving them good, factual reasoning in favor of your point of view.
I can tell you what the problems are. I can tell you how to fix the problems. But if you will not entertain the fact that there are problems which need to be fixed, there is nothing that I can do but watch everything go to hell.
I will leave you to your own counsel with this. A man was recently shot to death by a Seattle police officer for carving a piece of wood. In other years, this would never have happened. It happen because we train our personnel that they can be badly injured or killed by anyone holding a knife at 21 feet away and closer. It happened because the officer saw that the man was carving with a folding knife, entirely by himself except for the officer, who thought it was his duty to speed up and then slam his car into park, get out and run after the man. The man was also deaf in his right ear. The man didn’t drop the knife as ordered and was shot 4 times. The officer was fired and not prosecuted for ANY offense, except for charges that will now be brought by DOJ for violating the man’s civil rights.
I can give you chapter and verse on this shooting and why it resolved the way it did but it doesn’t matter because this is an isolated incident. Only it ain’t, and the public has noticed this and much more. You either have a constitution and bill of rights or you don’t. In Seattle, they do not. In the rest of America, the public begins to ask if they do not, as well. What do you think their assessment will be?
How will that assessment translate in years to come? Especially when you consider the number of enemies that both the country and law enforcement has.
This problem is a direct result of government’s failure to remember that they have a duty to protect the rights, of the people they are so fond of saying they serve. This then inculcates itself within the selection and training of their officers. It can be fixed in one of three ways and the best of those means are the officers themselves, by refusing to enforce unconstitutional laws as well as using good judgment. Especially when confronting a man who is simply carving a piece of wood and not bothering or threatening anyone at all, including the officer who shot him.
LEOs represent the law and protect constitutional rights. They are not supposed to do everything and anything that a DA or CA tells them to do especially when it contravenes the constitution and bill of rights. The Marxist college professors that taught them law don’t care for the constitution, or the country for that matter and the DA or CA is probably too dim to realize what has happened to their brain and perceptions. But you follow orders if you want to. Don’t use good judgment either, if it suits you. At some point you will come to the realization you need to and then you will have a choice to make as to who and what you serve.
The people have noticed the discrepancies and have access to massive amounts of information, which means that you won’t be able to bullshit them very long. Then it gets snug folks. But you don’t have to listen and I won’t be back to post. If y’all can’t figure it out the bricks will fall on you.
I do think even the “good cops” are hypocrites. Do you speed? Even 1mph? Signal every turn? Ever drive home after a beer or two? While I agree that many times itās the law that is in the wrong. We don’t have the time in our 45+ hours a week at work to fight to change all of the laws made for the exception. So when I get a Tint ticket at the tune of $150+ I pay it, because I do not want to take several days of my meager 2 weeks of vacation to go to court (pay for parking $10+) and sit around waiting to have my case heard. When I get a speeding ticket for 5 over in a 55 on a rural 2 lane road I pay it. While Iām not a cop hater; I do see that every time I have interactions with LEOās they are generally not great experiences. I just canāt stand the hypocrisy when the blue shield protects their own when we citizen would be ticketed or jailed. I also service a few pd’s computer systems so that gives me the friendly side as well.
Denis is an ass! Normally, I would say that if you say something like that, that you should have to elaborate on it and not just call someone names. In this case, Denis did all of the elaborating for me. Some people just feel they have to tell someone off whenever they’re pissed and this guy hasn’t learned the lesson that this approach just doesn’t get you anywhere.
Hi Mas,
I’ve been watching this discussion/hate fest since it started and resisted adding to the din until today. I finally got ticked enough to add my two cents worth. First I have to put my remarks in context: I’m a minister who has provided extensive “pro bono” hours as a police chaplain.
My experience of the men and women in law enforcement is much like yours. The vast majority are noble individuals who embrace a dangerous job for the sake building a better human society.
Is there a maturing curve between the brand new cop and the seasoned pro? Of course there is. Just like clergy (like myself), medical doctors, educators and any other professionals. This is why most agencies have mentoring programs of some type. Bashing people for being human is just plain childish.
Are there some corrupt cops in the system? Sure, just like any profession. But remember, any one would get angry when a fellow professional disgraces their profession. In my experience, no one despises the crooked or abusive cop more than their fellow officers. Law Enforcement Professionals are no different from any other professional in this regard and willingly “clean house.”
We all need to be realistic, report an abusive individual if we encounter one and THANK the rest for doing a dangerous and vital job for our communities.
the source of the increasing tension
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_ec169697-a19e-525f-a532-81b3df229697.html
unfortunately “the people” can’t vote them out fast enough to prevent this stuff it seems… as well as nearly 40% of the vote is bought via welfare payments and similar handouts.
Mas,
Did you see where Hoosiers cannot legally defend themselves against unlawful entry by govt officials?
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_ec169697-a19e-525f-a532-81b3df229697.html
We all know that’s wrong, don’t we? And this is the problem, that the higher ups are not willing to put themselves on the line defending American principles and upholding justice. We now settle on positive law instead of negative law ( http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/05/positive_and_negative_governme.html ) Brotherhoods are formed and reinforced and yes, negative actions reverberate farther across the plains now because of the internet.
So many now are acting with impunity outside what we know to be right and good. I am glad that you are a respectable cop. I truly wish there were many more of you. I wish deescalation was emphasized more than shooting drills. Sadly, many are aware that these wishes, are empty. Where they go to far, they should be rebuked. But having contempt for those that break the law and receive no penalty is healthy, no matter what they wear. God bless America that this spirit of justice has not died yet.
Someone referenced a photo of an overly aggressive traffic stop, photo at top of article: http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-reich-moves.html
And even after all this, some people can’t let go of the fallacious thinking. It’s not so much a matter of people having different opinions, it’s that those opinions are formed from incomplete (or non-existent) information and perceptions based on vapor.
Like this Neverhappenhere guy. He give the Seattle woodcutter example. At no point does he tell you that Modern LE Officers kill WAY fewer people nowadays than they did at ANY point in America’s past.
Now, why wouldn’t he? Could be lots of reasons, but the most probable one is that he doesn’t know this fact at all. Most people don’t, and don’t even look for the information.
You see, Anti-cop folks are just like any other anti- people, especialliy so-called “civil rights leaders” and such. THEY NEED things to be “getting out of hand” to justify their belief system, if things are actually getting better, they’d have to admit they were wrong about the issue.
It’s like the 1990s. Crime Declined through out the 90s, yet survey after survey said people were more concerned about crime. Their perceptions were skewed by the shear amount of sensationalist high profile crime cases on TV. Basically,people don’t even have enough of a grip on reality to understand that the onyl things that make the news are BAD things to begin with.
If people were able to keep things in context (this is a HUGE country, LE is a HUGE group of people , your experiences don’t translate to the whole ect ect), we wouldn’t have had the intelectual melt down that lead to this last blog postings in the 1st place.
There are problems with LE, always have been, always will be as long as you let human do it, just like EVERY single other aspect of mankind. No one is saying don’t address real issues as they arise, but we can’t get to the real issues because of all the made up tin-foil hattery that comes from folks (like some who have posted here) doesn’t help.
All this grousing about how cops should act, dress, and carry sounds more like a lovers quarrel than anything else. A case of ‘LEO envy’???
š By the way, Mas, I took your LFI I class and loved it. Thanks for all your work training us civilians. Or attempting to!
Mas, I had an encounter with a NH state trooper in Concord this morning that I think sheds some light.
I pulled up to a red light by the Steeplegate Mall, waited for the light to turn green and made a right turn into the mall. A few moments later, a state trooper pulled up alongside me, motioned me to roll down my window and scolded me for failing to make a right on red and drove off. I made a mental note of his plate number because I was pretty sure I hadn’t broken any law.
I went home, looked up the law online, which clearly says “may turn on red” not “must turn on red” and called his Lt. to complain.
The Lt. was nothing but professional. He gave me his direct phone number, spoke to the trooper (who misrepresented our encounter) and called me back promptly. I feel confident that the Lt. handled the situation and straightened out his Trooper.
So today I spoke to one polite professional and one “asshole on a power trip” who thinks that it is his job to enforce his opinions. Which is representative of the majority? I know what I’d like to think but I really have no way of knowing for sure.
You and Big Tex don’t deserve to be lumped in with the jerks but if a law abiding person’s only contact with LEO’s happens to be with jerks, that is not “prejudice” or “cop hating” it is just learning through observation.
Sure, some of the commentary has been way over the top and those folks need to get a grip on themselves but on the other hand LEO’s are entrusted by society with a great deal of power. It is up to you to exercise that power responsibly and with professionalism and to police your own.
By the way, I am not a “cop hater” but I am a clean cut, middle aged, minivan driving family man and small business owner who has never been in trouble with the law.
To Bill Meinhardt, Thanks for trying to use real-world experience to paint a picture for those of us who are fortunate to not have to. I do respect all police officers. And I’ve never had a bad encounter with one. So the bigger question I have for any LE out there is: “Do police officers size up who they come in contact as being either a known non-threat or possible threat; then respond in totally different ways depending on that answer?” I’ve read all these posts. The majority of the ones describing a bad LE encounter I think happened. So why is my experience so radically different? I don’t think it’s just luck. But in the few situations where I was in the wrong (speeding), I owned up to what I’d done. In the cases where I was not in the wrong, I respected what the officer had to say, and still explained my side. I never had a problem. And nothing I’ve read here makes me fear any LE folks. And being active IDPA, all the LE I’ve run into at matches have been top notch.
And Mas, My respect for you has actually gone up. I think it’s fair to say You aren’t one to run from a fight. It’d be easy to just start a new blog about the demise of Bin Laden. But I think you’ve found it’s much more important to get both sides talking. Your patience in the matter is admirable. I hope to see you and shake your hand when you come the Washington State IDPA match in August.
Ron, you’re making my point for me. What you call a “photo of an overly aggressive traffic stop” is actually, according to your own link, police officers searching for a cop-killer.
If you knew that and referred to it here as a “traffic stop,” you’re being deceptive. If you didn’t notice, you’re showing a lack of caution and absence of impartial research.
Either of which are fatal to the point you’re trying to establish.
Sincerely,
Mas
Kevin, to answer your question regarding “sizeing up the people I came in contact with, I always tried to follow Jesus’s teaching.
“Be Ye wise as a serpant and harmless as a Dove”!
Neverhappenhere Says:
“But you donāt have to listen and I wonāt be back to post.”
Thank God. It just got a little more sunny here.
Ben Says:
“Do you speed? Even 1mph?”
Yup, on occassion. And if I get caught for speeding, then I get the ticket. Though, truth be told, I never did get a ticket.
Ben Says:
“Signal every turn?”
Yup, all the time. It’s not that hard to do.
Ben Says:
“Ever drive home after a beer or two?”
Nope. Not even once. Strict policy of 12-hours from bottle to throttle. Made that promise when I first got my license all those years ago and kept doing it. However, there is a big difference in just having a beer and driving impaired. That’s why there is a threshold on your BAC that is greater than 0.001%.
By the way, having tint that is too dark to comply with the law isn’t too hard to fix. Just take it off and you won’t get a ticket. Pretty simple, really.
Richard Says:
“When I took your class, I had great respect for you. NOW, it is going away very quickly. After reading the many articles, I think that you are getting behind the blue wall and maybe sipping the kool aid. You carry a badge, I like a lot of freedom lovers do not, we are on our own. THe many who carry the badge are on the side of the government. WAKE up the US of A has become a police state.”
Wow, I just reread all of Mas’ comments and couldn’t find a thing that he said that was out of line. However, if you believe that this is a police state, then I think it is you who has been sipping the Kool Aid.
And finally, Denis. I doubt that your story is true. However, if it is, I have to say that you should be thanking that police officer for showing restraint because if you talked to him like you post here, the desire to cave in your head becomes overwhelming.
Hey Mas want hypocrisy check this out buy. Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan saying Castle Doctrine Kills Cops. Here link press confress he held on subject at. http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2011/05/tim_dolan_scorns_shoot_first_bill.php
Chicago Area Cop Steals Turn-In Program Guns. Ever wonder what happens to all the guns collected in those highly publicized gun buy-back and turn-in programs? Me to. The usual party line is that theyāre destroyed. You know, for the safety of the community. For the children. For something. Dunno about you, but Iāve always been skeptical that theyāre all tossed into the smelter. And in at least one Illinois community, a (now former) peace officer apparently couldnāt sit by and watch all those mohaskas to go to wasteā¦
Instead, officer Daniel Ryan, a now Clarendon Hills cop, helped himself to some of the booty collected through the cityās unwanted gun turn-in program. Five of them, to be exact. You canāt carry in Illinois, but officer Ryan sure carried a few home.
Among the loot were an Ithaca 1911, a Mossy 590 and a Smith Airweight. You can almost understand why Danny boy would hate to see perfectly nice heaters thrown on the scrap heap. Almost.Authorities were led to Ryan after the stateās attorneyās office received an anonymous tip in February and worked with the FBI to investigate the disappearance of guns from the Clarendon Hills Police Department evidence room.
Evidence room? Probably pending a trip to the shredder, right? A call to the department to find out how guns from the turn-in program are disposed of wasnāt returned.
According to the departmentās press release, ānone of the weapons stolen were involved in any crimes and were obtained through a weapons āturn inā program.ā No, Iām sure officer Ryan planned to hang on to these heaters for his own personal use.
Kind of makes you wonder what happens to all the other guns collected by other departments that arenāt accounted for in department evidence rooms. Do they track them all they way to their final resting place? Do cops get first dibs on the choice stuff? The world may never know. Here you go cop stealing guns from evidence room.
Big Tex:
Think you did a great job summing a lot of this up with:
“You see, Anti-cop folks are just like any other anti- people, especially so-called ācivil rights leadersā and such. THEY NEED things to be āgetting out of handā to justify their belief system, if things are actually getting better, theyād have to admit they were wrong about the issue.”
Some people can’t let issues die and admit they were wrong. When the facts are against them, they play on emotions or lies. Otherwise if the problem died so would their purpose…
Another thing I think applies to anti groups, is understanding. Either they don’t care to understand the other side or they just don’t want to.
Big Tex, if you ever write a book. Post a comment here and let us know about it.
As always, to any LEOs reading, thanks. Some of us appreciate what you do everyday and hope you make it back home safely.
My recent LEO experience: After 7 years in the US with no possibility to own any kind of firearm due to being classified as a non immigrant alien (legally working in the USA on an L1 visa) I finally was awarded LPR (permanent resident – green card) status in January 2011. Since permanent residents are permitted firearm ownership providing one can pass the FBI background check, I bought a rifle on gunbroker and had it shipped to a FFL in my neighborhood after I had called on him and explained what I was wanting to do and clarifying my status as a non US citizen.
In the month that followed, FBI agents in WV refused to call him back to give him a “proceed” response after they first instructed him to “hold” the transaction. This happened several times and finally he called customer service, who said I would have to appeal.
Filing an appeal with NICS, one is “strongly encouraged” to provide as much as possible personal information, including a set of prints, to help in reliable positive identification, compared to people on record (felons) who may have similar names or somehow been able to access some of your personal information (identity theft).
So I had to go downtown to the sheriffs office to get a set of prints on the federal form. The information/brochure from NICS does not specify a particular form number and so the staff at the sheriffs office were unsure which one to use. One thing lead to another, resulting in one of the more senior deputies being called to provide input.
First the gentleman was baffled regarding why a background check was needed for a rifle purchase. So I explained that I had been looking for a particular, long since discontinued combination rifle (savage 24) and the easiest way to find one was on Gunbroker and that I ended up buying it from a seller in Texas and transferring it to my FFL in Michigan, as the law required. That satisfied, he tried to work out why I was filing an appeal. When I explained that I was a new permanent resident and that the FBI had not provided a proceed response to the transfer despite my having no records in the local county court system (even moving violations) and despite that fact that I had to pass an even stricter background check to be awarded resident status, he immediately knew the answer. Yes dummy, of course: non US citizens are not allowed to own weapons ! Why even bother with an appeal, because you will just be denied anyway ?
I had to bite my lip and not tell him about the Michigan supreme court ruling Chan v City of Troy, 220 Mich App 376 in which it was ruled that the Michigan law which requires a gun owner to be a US citizen was struck down as unconstitutional. Non residents have no rights, but permanent residents have the same rights except for the right to vote and other civic rights like jury duty. All I needed was to get the set of prints on a federal form and be on my way.
The sad part was that this same guy reviewed CCW applications where the state law is very clear regarding the rights of legal permanent residents.
I did finally get cleared by the FBI and now have a UPIN number for future transfers. I still get delayed and my FFL has to typically work it out with customer service, since some agents would apparently rather not have non US citizens receive weapons, clear background check or not, VAF record or not, supreme court ruling or otherwise. I meanwhile have obtained my CCW permit, but when buying at a store, many have a policy of running the NICS check regardless of CCW status, so it is still a hassle.
It will not take much “government interference” to drastically reduce access to weapons for law abiding citizens through delays and forced appeal actions like what I was subjected to and can probably look forward to until 2014 when I will become eligible for naturalization. No new laws need to be passed, unlike what many people think, all that is required is a “lack of cooperation” with such procedures as the background check. In my case, 3 months passed before I could take possession of my long gun. It could have been worse.
Seems it’s easy to hate and bash LEOs. Until you need one.
“āWe resent cops being able to get fully automatic weapons more easily than us.ā Um, thatās been the case since the National Firearms Act of 1934, and itās just now constituting a āmilitarization of the policeā? Please. Good Lord, wait ātil folks like that find out that soldiers and Marines have machine guns, tooā¦will they fear and distrust all of them, as well?”
I love reading this blog and did not read or respond to any of the prior blog entry comments. The above blog quote however has me a little po’ed.
Since 1986 cops have access to newly manufactured automatic weapons that the rest of us do not.
To start… I am a currently working cop and LE firearms instructor. I also am a shooting enthusiast and a fan of full auto. The fact is cops can and do have access to “New” full auto toys that is unavailable to John Q. Public.
It is true that the 1934 National Firearms Act did put into place a bunch of restrictions that applied to both cops and citizens. The citizens were stuck with a prohibitive (at the time) tax that the LE agencies did not have to deal with though individual cops had to pay the tax for private purchase. The issue where it pisses me off as a citizen is that after the 1986 law to liberalize the 1968 Gun control law the full auto crowd got shafted with a complete ban on new manufacture of rock and roll toys for citizens.
I as a citizen cannot buy a brand new full auto weapon period. I must pay a prohibitive amount (plus the transfer tax) for an older gun that was placed on the registry prior to the 1986 ban. Cop agencies do not have that restriction. As such they can get all the “new” toys at bargain basement pricing. Relatively recent history shows the cops getting more and more of these toys for real or perceived reasons where the citizens are still restricted to the older, obsolete, limited numbers, super expensive stuff. I believe the vast majority of these full auto police aquisitions to be unnecessary and a serious liability exposure. When it comes to “needs vs. wants” spending public funds should be restricted to needs. These military style full auto weapons at most have VERY restricted if any legitimate uses in LE. Even so they are purchased in relatively large numbers by many agencies. I have access to several myself for training. The perception of the public has not been positive when the rare police misuse or abuse is trumpeted across the multimedia universe.
I can see why many people, especially those of like minded beliefs that Backwoods Home Magazine appeals to, have fears of a militarized police force. A simple look at the New Orleans/Katrina aftermath involving heavily armed police from agencies all over the country confiscating privately held and owned weapons gives us pause. That whole debacle was initiated by a simple order from the city higher-ups and was immediatly enforced by the various boots on the ground without regard to the legality of the enforcement.
I believe that anything a cop has access to to “keep the peace” should be available to the citizenry as well. This includes access to “new” FA weapons. I am willing to stipulate that the requirements of the NFA act will remain in place but the cops, to include me, should operate under the same rules as the citizenry. These include magazine restrictions and gun type restrictions in those several states with burdensome laws.
I also appreciate what the LEOSA gives me as far as rights to carry concealed throuout the several states but I believe it is wrong to not have such reciprocity for the citizenry. Another case of special “legal” privilege that can be used as a club to beat legitimate LE about the head as “above the law”.
As mentioned in another post in the thread, “professional courtesy” is another can of worms that can really get a good fight going. I will say no more.
I believe most cops are in fact the good guys. I work with many and feel comfortable trusting them with most anything. Even so bad apples are out there and can cause poor reception of LE.
When I changed careers some years ago for a stint as a firefighter I was amazed at how the public perception of my career changed. I was equated with “hero” in the firefighter uniform while the same uniform with a police badge and gunbelt got me stares of hostility, then and now, 25+ years later.
I believe it is a perception that will never cease simply due to the fact that cops have the authority to force people to do the cop’s bidding in some circumstances. None of us like the idea that we can be forced to submit, even when it is a mistake, by law enforcement. The potential to have a LE stop abused without recourse is also scary. We still have horror stories about LE action involving suspected drug running here in FL and how local LE has abused the system to confiscate cash, cars and more.
I thank the gods that there are men and women on duty willing to run to the sound of the guns. I also fear the occasional miscreant with a badge and how well they can screw up other peoples lives.
For anyone wondering why Police respond to suicidal individuals.
By definition, a suicidal person is a homicidal person. Someone willing to harm or kill themselves can very easily turn and harm others.
If someone has little or no regard to their own wellbeing, there’s a decent chance that outlook applies to others as well…neighbors…bystanders…rescuers…
Hello Mas,
I read your posts and mostly just keep quiet except for now.
I work for a major Communications company and was sent to New Orleans right after Katrina and before Wilma & Rita. I was also in Houston for Hurricane Ike. In both places the power grid was down and the police had their hands full trying to stave off looters. During Katrina there were representatives from different law enforcement agencies of other cities and other states Highway Patrol troops not to mention the Louisiana National Guard.
If it weren’t for these high caliber officers the place would have been the wild west. We could get the communication infrastructure back up and running(landlines, cell towers, etc.) without having to constantly look over our shoulder.
As for the BDU attire…well, we wear that too. Because of the cargo pockets, the breathable material and the durability. It’s the perfect work attire for linemen and such. I don’t understand the apparel problem.
Thanks, I’ll just go back to my corner and keep quiet. š
A cop-bashing fest? So any criticism of the police is dismissed as cop-bashing by you. And using that term you hope to squash further criticism. The PC thing would be to state āOh you are right, how blind I have been! My fears are so unfoundedā¦ What was I thinking!ā Iām sure this approach has worked very well in the past especially with the then growing trend of political correctness was all the rage. There comes a point where no matter how Un-PC it is, where people will voice their objections because it is just impossible to go along with the fairy-tale any longer.
You managed to side step every questionās true intentā¦ A politician could not have done a better job!
The question: āWhen did the police start becoming paramilitary?ā
Answer: āPolice have been paramilitary in STUCTURE for as long as anyone posting here has been alive.ā
The question was answered but not in the context it was askedā¦ When did the police start becoming paramilitary? As in when did they start using APCs, Full auto assault weapons, BDU uniforms that SOLDIERS wear, Military body armor, military tactics and most important military mind set (us against them, Civilians instead of Citizens). The police are now more then ever, looking and acting like an invading army. They have for all practical definitions been converted from police to military.
Here are the concerns with thatā¦ The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law passed on June 18, 1878 with the intention (in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807) of substantially limiting the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement. The Act prohibits members of the Army and Air Force from exercising nominally state law enforcement, police, or peace officer powers that maintain “law and order” on non-federal property (states and their counties and municipal divisions) within the United States.
The statute prohibits Army and Air Force personnel and units of the National Guard under federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States, except where expressly authorized by the Constitution or Congress. The intention of that law is now moot because the police are now an army with the same mindset and equipment. Posse Comitatus was put in place to prevent tanks and other military force to be used on citizens, specifically to prevent atrocities we see so often in other countries where the government is the supreme power (thatās also why the second amendment is so vital).
Like it or not the police are now an army and just because the police has in general not been used in large scale disarming of the public (besides in Hurricane Katrina, yeah explain that away), does not mean that it wonāt or canāt happen. So forgive me for not taking your word that a standing army will not be used against me.
āWe resent cops being able to get fully automatic weapons more easily than us.ā Um, thatās been the case since the National Firearms Act of 1934, and itās just now constituting a āmilitarization of the policeā? Please. Good Lord, wait ātil folks like that find out that soldiers and Marines have machine guns, tooā¦will they fear and distrust all of them, as well?ā
It did not address the true concerns of the question. The main apprehension is the use of fully automatic assault rifles being used against citizens. Because a fully automatic assault rifle is designed to fire as many rounds as possible at a target. It is used to subdue large crowds of people. Not like the much more accurate and more discriminate semiāauto versions available. Tell me of practical uses (not a single special use scenario but every day use) of a full auto assault rifles in everyday police work. What would happen if an officer would actually use one on a crowded street in Manhattan, Chicago or Los Angeles? How many innocent bystanders would be hit by stray bullets? Is it really the right tool for the job? Oh and if you didnāt noticeā¦ You are police officers not soldiers or Marines. Still claim the police are not being militarized?
āMy take on the several YouTube video clips sent along? Analyzing video is a separate topic in and of itself. By definition, each camera gets only one angle of view at any given momentā¦the two dimensional eye of the camera lacks the often-critical third dimension of depthā¦what went before and after is lost to the cameraā¦and if people donāt know what to look for, itās human nature that they wonāt see it. If anyone would care to debate that, Iād be happy to offer a tutorial with examples.ā
Not Buying it. Yes the statement is trueā¦ to a point. The answer was one-sided and you failed to explain away those many videos that donāt fall under your criteria. I was a broadcast engineer working in New York for well over 20 years and I happen to know a bit about editing and media manipulation. Out of the many hundreds of videos on Youtube or the internet in general, a minority can be used to substantiate your statement. However that is not true about the many cell phone or other video shot with out any edits, cuts or breaks in the video.
If the shot is continuous with out sudden changes in angles, breaks in the scene or is shot with out obstruction at close range the video is unedited and what you see is what happened. If you want to cling to your statement then the dash cams in patrol cars and security cameras are all useless. They use the same technology and shoot the same images and have the same flaws and limitations as the cameras citizens own yet have credibility because they are tools of the police. How can that be? All those videos simply canāt be dismissed with that one-sided blanket answer.
This is becoming very long so Iāll leave it here. I could debate you on each answer you gave and give the true intent of those questions. I can also give you many valid reasons why I donāt trust the police or anyone that holds tremendous power over me. History is full of those who take exception to those who criticize the use of power over those who whom they āserveā only to be exposed as abusers of that power. There are just too many examples today and in history books of where excessive power leads to. Iām not a cop hater. I donāt trust themā¦ BIG difference. I donāt have a criminal record and want it to remain that wayā¦
AUGH! We’re still fighting here- rediculous. Cops are good and bad, civilians are good and bad.
I’m going to finish my thinking on this with a couple thoughts.
First; one bad apple does not spoil the whole bunch, but sure as hell makes a mess in the basket. If the ‘good’ cops want to remain ‘good’ cops, then clean up your own damn locker room. Don’t be letting bullshit ‘brotherhood’ get in the way of truth and justice. If you can do that, you’ve earned some of the respect you want.
Second, you ‘good’ cops have to decide now where you really stand on the Constitution and enforcing laws contrary that document and its Amendments, before it’s necessary to stand up for what you believe.
Third, in light of the recent Indiana Supreme Court decision that the ‘Fourth Amendment is irrelevant today’, you ‘good’ cops had better decide before any kind of situaton arises, where you stand on the Fourth- which, for some odd reason, is part of the original Ten- and what you’re going to do when you’re directed to cross another man’s threshold without his permission. Are you going to ‘just follow orders’ or are you going to be an American first and tell your superiors you will not act contrary the Constitution/law of the land? (Are you acting thus already, anyway?)
My bet is a vast majority of you’ll follow orders. A vast majority. And the few who protest will go along for the ride.
Indiana has opened a can of worms that will not be resealed and a lot of good blood is going to be shed because of it.
The time is now for all Americans to stand for what we believe- cops included.
I pray to God my son is smart enough to choose the proper course ‘cuz I’d hate to have him be the one in my sights.
Shy III
I find it rare and awesome that we live in a country where you can read Massad Ayoob and Claire Wolfe on the same website/magazine/blog. Add to the fact Backwoods Home Magazine often sponsored ‘outlaw’ folks such as the late William Cooper. Now that’s true diversity.
If you don’t like what Mas has to say – then don’t read the blog, don’t comment on it. There are plenty of forums to discuss the development of the perceived ‘police state’. To me all this talk just smacks of people who feel dis-empowered for some reason and who are not spending enough time training on the range.
However, what is rarely said is that we also live in the Golden Age of civilian tactical training. Wow – you don’t have to be a police officer or a military person to go to Gunsite, to go to an Ayoob class, sit in with Cunningham on a revolver course or go shotty with Awerbuck. Go train! I’m of the opinion, if this stuff goes South like Mas is saying, then there will only be two sides to pick from anyway. You might do better to get started learning about tactics and quit b*tching. You may need it some day.
There’s a place for everyone who has an interest in firearms, not just LEOs; I’m a ballistics junky and can recite bc/mv/dc formulas in my sleep. I like building ammunition that makes the law enforcement members in my family go wow. That’s my personal firearms passion. I myself have never been a law enforcement officer, but I was a Combat Infantryman and later a Combat Engineer – I know what it means to serve. So am I partial? Heck yeah, but I also believe in the Fourth Amendment too … I definitely don’t agree with the current Indiana ruling in any sense.
That said, lay off the Mas – he’s only trying to give you fair warning of something that’s just around the bend. Yeah, sure, there is disinfo out there, but the man is speaking from his heart and he’s only trying to do what he does best – keeping people safe. That’s alot better than the major news sources are doing …
About ‘cops’ and ‘federales’; if you are so inclined to be concerned:
Around here, we have a saying, “You should be much more concerned about the pissed off 68 year old woman with a .22 rifle that she’s used everyday on the farm for years than a 23 year old ‘squad sniper’ that just got his training at Quantico.”
We all use the same roll of TP & put on our pants the same way in the end. However, God saw fit that our passions, interests and minds make us individuals – so I’m assuming (yeah) that if you are here, you are wanting to deepen your understanding of the Art of the Gun …
So come on folks, lets get back to talking firearms, preps and tactics.
How about an honest OVERALL view – that the overwhelming majority of “cops” are fine, but that *individual* “bad apples” abound, especially among very-inexperienced officers, officers with no-prestige agencies that hardly are any applicant’s first choice of a longterm job, and (especially) among “cops who aren’t cops” (security guards, TSA, etc.)?
OP:āWe donāt mind you having AR15s, we just donāt want you pointing them at little old ladies on traffic stops.ā Uhā¦we DONāT. If you find a cop doing that, let me know. Let his boss know, too.
reply:I’m simply showing you the photo that people may or may not be referencing in this exchange. True, this photo does not give the context of the situation. It is, however, disturbing. One must provide a very dark context in attempting to justify this behavior. I’m not sure the public is aware of the various contexts where this is considered justified.
With all respect Mas, you have a unique opportunity to be the cooler head here that’s respected by both sides. I suggest you ask more questions and drill down to the past the hyperbole on this issue, to see the root of the misunderstanding.
Thanks for the opportunity to clarify, sir.
Mas, as I am so over this topic, I am going to ask you about something else.
Today I just heard about the 2011 World Police and Fire Games in NY. Apparently this is a huge deal. Second in size to the Summer Olympics. I never heard of this before. The shooting sports are well represented from Biathlon, SC, Trap, Skeet, Pistol and Rifle. Have you competed in this before or know of it?
woops forgot the link to their website:
http://2011wpfg.org/
“As in when did they start using APCs, Full auto assault weapons, BDU uniforms that SOLDIERS wear, Military body armor, military tactics and most important military mind set”
I’m no expert but I think I can make a few educated guesses here.
APCs- Well they’re armored, can carry quite a few people, and can handle a lot of terrain…seems practical to me. I bet some departments can get surplus ones pretty cheap as well.
Full auto rifles- Having been to SHOT shows I’m going to agree with Tom in Orlando. I saw a lot of cool selective fire rifles for under 1000 USD. My guess is it doesn’t cost more to get a selective fire rifle than a semi-auto only. I’ll agree with Tom in Orlando again and say full-auto isn’t that useful for Law Enforcement but hey, you’ll have it if you ever need it. Heck if I could get a select fire AR-15 for the same price as a semi-auto, I’d buy it too!
BDUs- Hmmm I wear them too…guess I’m a Paramilitary Civilian? They’re quite comfortable, functional, and durable for everyday wear.
Considering Officers may have to chase down suspects, BDUs seem to make more sense than dress slacks. But I suppose the high capacity pockets may be unnerving for some, maybe we should maybe some CA legal BDUs with only 2 pockets, because no sane law abiding person would need more than 2 pockets.
Body Armor- I assume by military body armor you mean plate armor? Plate armor helps protect from rifle fire…both soldiers and officers tend to be shot at with rifles.
Tactics and Mindset- Soldiers and Officers face similar situations so it’s reasonable to assume they’ll have similar solutions. Considering how often Officers are assaulted, it’s understandable they’ll be cautious when approaching someone. Rather than become agitated when an Officer approaches you with his hand close to his sidearm, why not ease the tension?
Try making small talk or something. Having dealt with a handful of Officers on various occasions, most have been pretty friendly and all of them professional. Maybe being polite and courteous helps…
Well said John J. We definitely are in the Golden Age of Firearms instruction. Although now we take the modern stances for granted, can’t imagine seeing people use the Combat Crouch? Not just training either, look at all the new stuff we have now.
You know it’s a real shame that the only opinion people seem to have is shaped and molded by what they see on TV. Some how TV never shows the good and heroic actions by the police on a daily basis. All that seems to be news worthy is the abuse. How about some good coverage once in a while.
Look people, I think we understand the situation. Without a doubt, the author of this blog is a man beyond reproach, and regularly works the defense of those who have had to protect themselves with deadly force. His name is known worldwide as an expert on defensive shooting and he has trained people worldwide to save their own hides. That is a legacy few can claim.
Having said that, Mas is “embedded” in law enforcement in this country. He could not say 1 word out of line before a judge has ruled on the subject, since it would endanger a career that he clearly loves and relationships that he treasures. A stroke of the pen from a ranking person in government and he would be cut off from the “blue line” in a flash. He knows that and so do we.
Mas, our frustration is not directed at you, but at the misdirected and mismanaged application of force against frequently unarmed citizens. I feel strongly that it is really a management problem first, as well as a public relations disaster. Unless of course certain agencies intend to intimidate the law abiding public as their policy ?
I learned a long while ago that those with a gripe speak louder and more often about their issues. Those who are satisfied may tell one or two others. Also, many people feel somewhat anonymous online and will engage in speech they would never say on the record. Overall, this may give people a voice who feared speaking out in public.
When I deployed as a soldier, some liked the stability we provided and others saw us as the destruction of their societies. It is really difficult to satisfy everyone and those who saw us unfavorably were not likely to change their minds. It can get complex when there are multiple waring parties. Somebody will always be pissed, no matter what happens. I guess it is the same with the cop-haters.
People feel less reserved in this sort of forum. It is not very wise to define something by the exception. Often, the conscientious and honest people are overlooked as we focus on the extraordinary.
I have known a few dishonest cops over the years. In most cases, the system dealt with them. Though I realize they did not define the police in general, they are the ones I remember the best. I guess it is human nature. Maybe it is because I am on the outside looking in. As a soldier, I have know many other soldiers of all sorts, but I remember the best ones most of all. We all factor our personal perspectives into our perception of the facts.
It sounds like most negative encounters people have had are during traffic violations. To be fair, if I had to deal with the people they are pulling over all day, I would probably be a dick also. That dose not make them bad people/cops. As for the militarization of the police: isnt there a lot of ex-military that ARE police now. And I find that to be a good thing…
Mas,
You said “Iād be happy to offer a tutorial with examples.” While I do agree with you, I would love to watch you do that!
Long Island Mike: WPFG seems interesting, I had a buddy who competed in one of the handgun events a while back. I like the large number of martial events and inclusion of action pistol type events as well as high power rifle. I really hate the .22 and air rifle focus of the olympics. I thought decent marksmanship cometitions were dead outside of a few countries that did IPSC.
The thin blue line protecting those who kill negligently is what pisses me off.
When the actions of the LEO would land a private citizen behind bars, but the LEO doesn’t even get fired, I don’t think it’s being anti-cop to say that’s messed up.
80+ comments on this thread alone? Why not add one more … š
Mas, I respect you.
Yes, there are corrupt cops out there. It’s the human condition, anywhere there is “power” there is “corruption”. That’s true historically. If you find an example where you think that’s not the case, just give it time, it will prove true.
Are we in a “police state”? Not yet. Are we headed towards one? Absolutely, with the TSA and the other DHS non peace officer goons that have no sense of what the Constitution is all about. Or look at what happened during Katrina. How close are we? That’s anybody’s guess. Is there time to turn it around? Sure. Are there LEOs that can be allies? Absolutely, and I believe Mas is one of them.
Are certain pockets of the country more widely affected with corrupt cops? Sure, and sadly it follows the freedom of firearms. Look to the coasts (esp. NYC, DC, and CA) and Chicago. Rural and lower population parts of the country may largely feel “unaffected” or oppose even the idea of the U.S. being considered a “police state” because they see less of it locally.
Will we have less crime if we have less restrictions on civilian firearm ownership, including Title 2 (Short barrels, full auto, etc.)? Absolutely.
Mas, we can’t discount the idea completely that there is corruption with police, but the problem is: how can we measure if the corruption is roughly the same (and the good cops are weeding out the bad cops) or if it is increasing? Anything less is just biased perspectives.
In short: to say all cops are bad is stupid as is to say all cops are good. If most cops were bad, we’d have rioting in the streets, though momentum may be headed that direction, we have some distance ahead of us. How much? Only time will tell.
Long Island Mike, I’ve heard great things about the Police and Fire Games, but have never attended myself.
best,
Mas
I am a big fan of BHM and massad ayoob, but am a little disappointed with the mindless cop worship going on in these comments.
I am a big fan of BHM and massad ayoob, but am a little disappointed with the mindless cop hating going on in these comments.
Dear Mr. Ayoob,
I have only recently discovered your column, and after reading the last few entries and the resulting comments, I feel compelled to say a few things.
The public is slowly beginning to hate and fear law enforcement officers. Things like this do not happen in a vacuum. I could go on about this incident, or that one, but the core can be summed up quite simply.
When we the public hire a person to be an officer of the law, we have given them authority, and trust. We praise you in media, we gave you special and preferential treatment both in Hollywood, and in real life. We even told our children that it was always ok to trust you.
When the authority we give you is abused, and that trust is violated, we the public get a little bit afraid, and a little bit angry. We -trusted- you. We gave you power over us, and praise for being good, and honest, and trustworthy, and just. How could you bite the hand that feeds you?
When the violators of that trust not only go unpunished, but are actively protected from the consequences of their actions, we the public get more angry, and more fearful. We no longer see you as our protectors, but another threat to be avoided.
What if that policeman decides he likes something I own? He could just beat me and take it, and the law would allow it( asset forfiture). He might even get a commendation for hurting me and taking my property. If he kills me in the process of taking it, he will not be punished. I do not dare to disagree with him on or off duty, because no matter how wrong his actions are, his fellows will protect him, and punish me.
So I’ve learned that police can hurt me, rob me, kill me, and imprison me, but they’re not terribly interested in helping me, or protecting me.
So yes, I fear policemen. wouldn’t you?
Folks, in the more than three years I’ve been doing this blog, I can count on my fingers the number of times I’ve had to delete someone’s comment here. Usually it involved some sort of foaming at the mouth racism, or an unsupported attack on another comment contributor.
Just had to delete one of the latter. The poster who sent it will, I’m sure, know who he is.
Disagreement is always welcome here. Mere attacks on the character of others who comment is not.
Thanks,
Mas
In my limited experience, less than 10 years total, working for two P.D.s, it seems that bad cops are mainly the result of their agencies’ administrators and bureaucrats. Police candidates who become bad cops should never be hired in the first place or weeded out during the academy/FTO program when their questionable personalities, especially under stress, surfaces. However due to the current politically correct hiring practices to fill racial quotas and certain candidates who are well connected to higher ranking adminstrators, these bad apples are allowed to be hired or retained in the department. Many of those officers who have connections know they are protected and will do things the average cop cannot do, or want to do.
Police department policies exist to protect well connected personnel while used to punish those targeted by the administration. Internal Affairs is the arm assigned to investigate violations and contrary to what many may think, does not answer only to the police chief. Any higher ranking supervisor from lieutenant up can influence an Internal affairs investigator. As an I.A. investigator, would you say to a captain who wants things to come out a certain way, “Go to Hell. I only answer to the chief”? Of course not, as that adminstrator could greatly damage your career. Besides, very few, if any, officers get into I.A. unless they’re well connected in the first place, so the administration knows they have someone they can count on to do their bidding. Therefore, the cops who are bad or become bad knows they are protected from above for most transgressions, and can do so with impunity.
On the subject of the police becoming more militarized, that seems to be the trend in many departments who are arming their tactical teams with the latest in select fire weapons and .50 BMG rifles. I once accidentally overheard two command staff members discussing obtaining a UH-1 Huey helicopter and arming it with door mounted Browning M2 machineguns or 7.62mm miniguns. This was a serious discussion and neither of the captains knew I was outside in the hall listening through their partially open office door. How safe would the residents of this medium sized, relatively low crime, southern city feel about cops flying overhead with guns which can turn their homes into Swiss cheese in seconds from above with 650 grain bullets if they miss a target? The TAC team was populated with the most arrogant cops in the department who constantly talked military jargon and their favorite word was “tactical”. This military mindset spread to the street cops, many who called all non-police folks “civilians” and were quite upset when I reminded them that everyone not in the U.S. military, including them and even the FBI, were lowly “civilians”. Just because our agency had a major, captains, lieutenants, and sergeants does not make us soldiers, and the chief wearing four shiny gold stars does not make him equal to a full U.S. Army general. Many police officers are wannabe soldiers. They don’t want to join the actual military because they may have to go overseas and fight a real armed enemy, so they sign on with a police/sheriff department and get to wear a uniform while pretending to be a soldier. Men and women who want to be LEOs like myself put up with these types as they are usually well connected with higher ups who think along the same lines and provide cover for them. Until police bureaucrats get away from this military wannabe mindset, those below them will continue to think and act that way.
WHEN these cop haters NEED a cop, I hope there is nothing to slow down their response. I sincerely hope that when Denis has an intruder breaking in the back door, the cops are only a few blocks away, BUT if Denis gets a few knots on the head from an attacker while waiting for the police he hates so much, he deserves it. The more the merrier.
Yes, some cops are a-holes. There are also a-holes in every other profession. The difference is, cops are considered by many as “public employees”, and they believe the cops work for them, so they feel free to criticize and demean them. The police work for the entire public, to keep everyone safe from harm. If your actions endanger the health, safety and well-being of others, you can expect to be corrected by a LEO. If you feel you need to protest, you may be issued a ticket to court where you can plead your case to the judge. When you look at it this way, the LEO is doing you a favor by providing a venue to express your feelings. I guess the next complaint will be judges that are a-holes!
Of all those here who blindly defend the police and spout off that the bad ones are such a small percentage I will say that apparently they are not familiar with the quality of law enforcement here in Collectivistafornia. Cops in Kalifornia are badge heavy thugs and those cops who do stand up for what is right are summarily punished as this recent article from California News and Views so aptly demonstrates:
http://capoliticalnews.com/blog_post/show/8609
Perhaps I watched too much Adam 12 growing up in the 60’s and 70’s and as a result I expect all police to act like “Peace Officers” but all of my dealings with police during the 70’s through the 80’s bore out that perception of them being “Peace Officers”…on the other hand today is a totally different experience. Cops here are NOTHING like they were when I was growing up and unfortunately far too many of them fit the jack-booted thug stereotype.
To compare and contrast several veteran friends of mines’ experiences who live in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho and all of who routinely carry (both concealed & open) have stated the deputies are respectful and still embody the ideal of a “Peace Officer” as opposed to the Kalifornia Law ENFORCEMENT Officer mind-set. Since back-up is frequently 30 minutes away in those states it is frequently a peaceable citizen who renders assistance and as a result citizens are treated much better than they are here in the People’s Demokratik Republik of Kalifornia.
Before any of you blindly dismiss those with complaints about police because your area or state happens to be OK, perhaps you should do a bit of research on Kalifornia…then you will see that there is definitely merit to many of these complaints.
P.S. As a two decade Army Combat Arms Veteran, fifteen years ago I would have willingly risked my life to assist, rescue, or render aid to the police here if they were in trouble…today after the arrogance and bad treatment of the citizenry that I have witnessed here in Kalifornia I wouldn’t even waste my time, let alone my life for a one of them. They have lost all of my former respect and good will.
And for those of you who would so readily dismiss me as just another “cop hater” and who think that those of us who no longer trust the police are in the minority I can assure you that you are seriously deluding yourself. I know more peaceable and upstanding citizens and pillars of the community that have lost trust and all respect for cops than those who still actually support them. And those numbers grow daily after every speed trap and ticket issued by haughty and arrogant bullies who are full of themselves and their perceived power.
If you even care, you have the power to change this perception, or not. If you want to regain our trust and respect stop acting like revenue agents and start acting like “Peace Officers” again. Start using discretion and common sense and learn to have a little compassion once more. Stop treating every situation like a nail that needs to be hammered. Because if not, one of these days things will go from no longer having our support to…you can figure it out.
P.P.S. More of California’s Law Enforcemnent woes:
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/in-the-lapd-the-cream-rarely-rises-to-the-top/
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/author/jackdunphy/
or you cna just scan the California newspapers and see these types of things on a routine basis if you are fortunate enough not to see them first hand.
Of course many of you will say that it is all skewed and unfair reporting (even when the one doing the reporting is an LAPD Officer) or that these are just a minority of incidents because to face the facts would require some of you to take an honest good hard look in the mirror…which is why I hold out no hope of things ever changing here. Well I contend that only a mere fraction of incidents ever get reported because the blue wall of silence and the media are more firmly on your side than the side of the citizenry.
The only solution that I can see here is to move out of this state while it continues down its totalitarian path. For any of you who have resided here for over 40 years, you know exactly what I am talking about. One of the best states in the union has become one of the worst both economically and socially and the good wheather no longer outweighs the infringements on our daily lives. The more of us productive citizens who leave the less money the state will have to hire those who oppress us.
Mr. Ayoob.
It has been a couple of weeks and you never did address my comment on ‘police officers’ routinely menacing honest citizens by approaching with their hand on their weapon. So be it. I really didn’t expect an honest answer.
I will make only one further comment. If the ‘police officer’ assumes it’s OK to menace me in this manner, I must assume he is the son of a whore and not to be trusted, cooperated with or supported.
Good day to you, Mr. Ayoob.