Friday Links

I’m certainly not anti-police, but I have very little sympathy with the cop in this situation. it takes average IQ to figure out a homeowner will be assertive in getting a ne’er do well off his stoop if he notices one. To stand your ground (as the interloper) will either result in a) his cover being blown or b) a heated altercation. He should have got the hell off the stoop. He’s a dingbat, and I can’t see how he’s cut out for the very special demands of an undercover position when he lacks so much sense and street smarts.

“and bridges? Join me in looking at that kitchen? :-)”

With pleasure bxgrl, let’s mosey on over

bridges- I think we’re both a little overwrought on the subject but that behavior is from their training. And there are reasons for it- the real issue is better training. But I still stand by what I said. I met a lot of cops and heard both sides of the story. Most people don’t realize what its like for them. I just feel it’s a tough call for all of us and honestly, I have no clue how we can make it better.

Bxgrl, I’m sure there’s more to the story, all the way around probably.

“…the facts of the story show that it was a very complex situation not made less so by him kicking the cop in the back of the head and punching him in the face. You put people in dangerous situations and mistakes will always happen- that’s what happens when human beings do anything. Its the easiest thing in the world to blames cops for every mistake, but we ask a hell of a lot of NYPD, we are less than supportive, we demand perfection and have no intention of getting rid of them.”

Ok, a bit overwrought there, bxgrl. Without out doubt many, MOST, cops are ok, ordinary guys under sometimes extraordinary pressure. That said, some of the same qualities–hypervigilence, fast reflexes– that make a good cop can lead them to wrong actions.

An anecdote from last year: I was visiting my mother in California, Orange County, she was at the wheel and as we were coming off the freeway a trooper in his car instructed her to pull over. Now, she’s elderly, ok? For a moment she catch he meant her. So she hesitated but slowed down til she could stop. BUT in those moments I could see the trooper becoming agitated–he’d given an order and expected instant compliance. PARAMILITARY style bxgrl.

He leapt out of that car practically with his gun drawn–he was ready to rock and roll–red face, he was agitated. The first thing he asked was whether we spoke english (he was himself hispanic). Turns out he couldn’t see the shoulder strap of my seat belt and thought I wasn’t wearing one. A small story I know, but the point is that he was a hairs’ breadth away from dragging her from the car and cuffing her.

bridges- there’s a whole story out there about what happened. I agree Walker should never have been shot but the facts of the story show that it was a very complex situation not made less so by him kicking the cop in the back of the head and punching him in the face. You put people in dangerous situations and mistakes will always happen- that’s what happens when human beings do anything. Its the easiest thing in the world to blames cops for every mistake, but we ask a hell of a lot of NYPD, we are less than supportive, we demand perfection and have no intention of getting rid of them. Ever wonder why cops have such a high alcoholism and suicide rate? It isn’t because they are unfeeling, uncaring robots.