re: "cops"

[Mark Alan Selleck <glassimpressions@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

................snip...............
If you don't want to deal with cops, don't break the law!
...............snip................
Listen, if a cop gives you an attitude for asking directions, write down
his/her badge number and write the chief of police a letter, with dates,
times, and details.   Trust me, that cop will hear about it.
.................snip............

People react to cops based on previous experiences and/or with apprehension,
if they are "breaking the law".  I'm in the "over 50" generation, and I was
raised to respect cops, and look upon them as friends.  But I have had
negative experiences that, unfairly, perhaps, create negative expectations
when dealing with those who wear a uniform.  I've watched an off-duty cop
working security at a night spot beat up a friend for no good reason(yes, he
was fired, but he already had over a dozen complaints against him that had
been "unsubstanciated").  I've had to walk a female employee to her car each
evening after work to keep her ex-boyfriend, a cop, from accosting
her(complaints to the police dept. got no response).  I recently had a
twenty-something "cowboy" cop, off duty, get upset because I passed
him-legally-after he pulled out onto a country road in front of me.
Subsequently, he wanted to pass me-though I was doing the speed limit-but he
was unable to do so because of oncoming traffic.  He kept running up on my
bumper, backing off, running up again.  I made a complaint, and a couple of
months later he was, in fact, booted off of the force.  However, it was a
difficult decision to file the complaint, because I am in a rural area where
everyone knows everyone, and the possibility of reprisals is there when
dealing with someone willing to act the way he was in the first place.  It
is stupid, in any case, to react with attitude when dealing with an officer.
The reality is that the cop has the upper hand, and the best one can do is
be respective and wait to be agressive, if one feels in the right, when
fighting in court.  I made the mistake of responding with "you've got to be
kidding" after a young policeman informed me he was charging me with an
accident with a cute young female driver.  Before I knew what was happening
there were 5 squad cars with blue lights blinking surrounding us, and I was
being threatened with being hauled off to the pokey if I didn't shut up.
The young officer(3 mo. on the force) had felt "threatened" by my response,
and put out a silent "officer needs assistance" call.  Needless to say, it
was a disconcerting situation, and I shut my mouth.  And destroyed the
prosecution in court, the judge dismissing the charges.  

If you don't like cops in general, you're not being intelligent, but
emotional. It would be smart to act respectful, even if you feel otherwise.
If you don't like the way you are treated complain, or attack in court.  If
you've not antagonized the officer before-hand, you might be surprised at
his actions in court.  I actually had one admit to information I presented,
contesting a speeding ticket, that resulted in his losing the case.
Imagine, an honest cop.

Mark Selleck

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