As I am reading an newspaper article today, I can't help but to think about how some of the cops in this city treat citizens. They may think that they are not getting paid enough to deal with the issues that cops have to deal with on a regular basis. In reality, they are donning a target every time they put on the uniform. I have wondered why a lot of people really hate cops. Is it because they HAVE assaulted people, falsely arrested some people, falsely accused people? Maybe it is because when some of them put on those uniforms, take possession of that badge and gun, they think they are 'super heros' or above the law. Cops are just regular people and they shouldn't let that privilege of enforcing the law let their heads swell. Yes, it is a privilege because there are a lot of people who want to be cops, who will never get the chance to become cops, who will no doubt do a good job. These are the people who have had to deal with a lot of crap in the past and it is because they have a 'past' that they cannot become cops, although they know a lot about the justice system.
A constable pleaded guilty to assaulting a drunk woman. There was a video that showed the constable standing behind the handcuffed woman, he looks around (for witnesses?), he grabs her by the hair and he pushed forward. He was shown on video tape to have 'thrust her head twice towards the trunk (of the cruiser)' which caused 'two audible thumps.' She may have been drunk, she may have been retaliating against their "use of force". She may have been 'abusive and belligerent' as well as spitting (something common with people who have been subjected to pepper spray), but none of these circumstances (at least in my mind) gives an officer la carte blanche to assault a citizen whom they are sworn to serve and to protect. Rookie or no rookie.
The Constable then pleads guilty to assault, yet still denies hitting the woman's head on the trunk of the cruiser. From another angle, they may have had better video evidence. This case has been ongoing since the year 2000. I for one, would like to see the outcome of this case.
Anyway, I'm not saying all cops are bad, but there are some cops who let their egos get in the way of doing their jobs.
I have had my fair share of incidents with the police and I still find it very hard to trust them. Although, I do have more respect for the profession than I had before graduating from college (where I studied policing for two years). I know that nothing I do or say holds any water with them because I am always going to be on the other side of the fence or what I like to call 'the blue wall'.
One of the most important things that I learned in college had nothing to do with the course itself, it was the importance of respecting authority. Many people never learn this. Another thing that I have learned is that respect doesn't necessarily have to mean trust. How can you trust people who don't remain objective in the course of their work? Like the "Sparky" incident... He let his ego and ignorance take over. He let his head swell, thinking he was helping someone when that person didn't need help. He thought there was something I was hiding because I refused the help. Nobody believed me when I was telling the truth, I got frustrated like anyone who is trying to deal with a messed up situation rationally.
I just wish people who are supposed to do an important job would think about their words, their actions. People expect more from cops because they are supposed to be professionals, they are supposed to be highly regarded. Most importantly, they have to do their jobs professionally and objectively. They cannot let their emotions and personal opinions of the people they work with and deal with affect their jobs. Why do so many of them do that?
I realize that the world will never see actual justice. Justice is just a concept for the optimistic, the dreamers. Life will never be 'fair' and nor should we expect it to be that way. Nothing is perfect, nobody is perfect. We are only human and we make mistakes. However, maybe we would make less mistakes if we thought about how our actions and our words affected other people. Maybe instead of letting our heads swell, we can bring our egos down a few notches (for some, several notches) and bring ourselves down to another person's social level. Not social class, because that has nothing to do with it. Just put yourself in their shoes and treat them with the same dignity you would expect them to treat you with. Just because we don't agree with that person, or we don't like that person for whatever reason, doesn't mean we should strip them of the respect and dignity that we all deserve.
A constable pleaded guilty to assaulting a drunk woman. There was a video that showed the constable standing behind the handcuffed woman, he looks around (for witnesses?), he grabs her by the hair and he pushed forward. He was shown on video tape to have 'thrust her head twice towards the trunk (of the cruiser)' which caused 'two audible thumps.' She may have been drunk, she may have been retaliating against their "use of force". She may have been 'abusive and belligerent' as well as spitting (something common with people who have been subjected to pepper spray), but none of these circumstances (at least in my mind) gives an officer la carte blanche to assault a citizen whom they are sworn to serve and to protect. Rookie or no rookie.
The Constable then pleads guilty to assault, yet still denies hitting the woman's head on the trunk of the cruiser. From another angle, they may have had better video evidence. This case has been ongoing since the year 2000. I for one, would like to see the outcome of this case.
Anyway, I'm not saying all cops are bad, but there are some cops who let their egos get in the way of doing their jobs.
I have had my fair share of incidents with the police and I still find it very hard to trust them. Although, I do have more respect for the profession than I had before graduating from college (where I studied policing for two years). I know that nothing I do or say holds any water with them because I am always going to be on the other side of the fence or what I like to call 'the blue wall'.
One of the most important things that I learned in college had nothing to do with the course itself, it was the importance of respecting authority. Many people never learn this. Another thing that I have learned is that respect doesn't necessarily have to mean trust. How can you trust people who don't remain objective in the course of their work? Like the "Sparky" incident... He let his ego and ignorance take over. He let his head swell, thinking he was helping someone when that person didn't need help. He thought there was something I was hiding because I refused the help. Nobody believed me when I was telling the truth, I got frustrated like anyone who is trying to deal with a messed up situation rationally.
I just wish people who are supposed to do an important job would think about their words, their actions. People expect more from cops because they are supposed to be professionals, they are supposed to be highly regarded. Most importantly, they have to do their jobs professionally and objectively. They cannot let their emotions and personal opinions of the people they work with and deal with affect their jobs. Why do so many of them do that?
I realize that the world will never see actual justice. Justice is just a concept for the optimistic, the dreamers. Life will never be 'fair' and nor should we expect it to be that way. Nothing is perfect, nobody is perfect. We are only human and we make mistakes. However, maybe we would make less mistakes if we thought about how our actions and our words affected other people. Maybe instead of letting our heads swell, we can bring our egos down a few notches (for some, several notches) and bring ourselves down to another person's social level. Not social class, because that has nothing to do with it. Just put yourself in their shoes and treat them with the same dignity you would expect them to treat you with. Just because we don't agree with that person, or we don't like that person for whatever reason, doesn't mean we should strip them of the respect and dignity that we all deserve.
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