Reasons to despise cops

[arg]

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of these videos around. My ex had a case dropped when dash cam showed a completely different story than the cop wrote up. I don't necessarily believe in "defunding" cops but I do believe in reform.

 

 

 

[brabus]

Maybe reform is needed for cops, but reforming society is the only real fix. I don’t envy these guys’ operating environment one bit - between a rock and a hard place is a major understatement. That said, I know power tripping asshole cops are out there, who give little fucks about treating people like shit and misrepresent situations to justify their actions. I also don’t believe those guys are the majority.

Edited January 4 by brabus

[BFM this]

For some reason the YT algorithm likes to throw a lot of these my way.  My worthless opinion:

The line grunt cops, for the most part, are the patsys in many of these situations.  What's the tired refrain after an event that makes any sane person recoil?: said officer acted IAW their training and departmental policies.  ...and therein lies the rub.  Training and policy is oriented toward confront, escalate, and hook another chump up to the machine to be fleeced (arrest).  No, of course we don't have any quotas...but your numbers seem to be a little off in this reporting period, I'm simply not inclined to approve your promotion.  (Anyone else following the TN .00 DUI arrest story?)

Legislators, executive branch, and LE stakeholders (department leadership AND the unions), have all followed the eroding terrain over decades (centuries in some subjects) toward a policing for profit business model.  But this is key: each incremental step along the downward spiral has been tolerated or even sometimes enabled by the last line of defense, the Judiciary.  At the end of the day I lay the blame at the feet of the courts.

Terry, Mimms, Graham...somehow if the Court's error doesn't reach the egregious level of Dred Scott it must be okay.  Qualified immunity and Civil Asset Forfeiture are two that are simply unconscionable by any rational person, and yet, here we are.

At the end of the day, all of these serve to erode public trust in LE and keep the bond severed between cops and the public.

My $.02

Edited January 4 by BFM this

[ClearedHot]

31 minutes ago, brabus said:

Maybe reform is needed for cops, but reforming society is the only real fix. I don’t envy these guys’ operating environment one bit - between a rock and a hard place is a major understatement. That said, I know power tripping asshole cops are out there, who give little fucks about treating people like shit and misrepresent situations to justify their actions. I also don’t believe those guys are the majority.

I wanted to believe the numbers were small but man there are a LOT of videos out there.  The First Amendment Auditing Community shined a big spotlight on how many cops don't understand our basic rights.  As a dude who swore an oath to the Constitution I'm appalled at some of the stuff that is out there.  For the record, my brother in law is a chief of police for a large department and we talk about it a lot.  He graduated from the FBI academy and as a side gig has been doing all sorts of contract training at departments around the country.   He has watched many of the videos with me and is just as appalled.  His comments always fall back to two things: 1.  A lack of training and 2. Contempt of Cop.  It is even worse when you mix the two together.

For those that want to know more I highly recommend a youtube channel run by Jeff Gray.  He is one of the OG auditors and does not have the caustic insulting approach many of the others have.  He rarely insults the officers...on occasion when they clearly push him over the line.  Jeff's standard procedure is to stand on public property, usually the steps of city hall, with a sign that says God Bless the Homeless Vets.  I've lost track of how many times he has been arrested for holding that sign.  He works with a couple of non-profits and tries to hold these department/cities accountable.  He donates most of the settlements to charities including homeless shelters.

His channel is below.

https://www.youtube.com/@HONORYOUROATH/videos

[uhhello]

47 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

I wanted to believe the numbers were small but man there are a LOT of videos out there.  The First Amendment Auditing Community shined a big spotlight on how many cops don't understand our basic rights.  As a dude who swore an oath to the Constitution I'm appalled at some of the stuff that is out there.  For the record, my brother in law is a chief of police for a large department and we talk about it a lot.  He graduated from the FBI academy and as a side gig has been doing all sorts of contract training at departments around the country.   He has watched many of the videos with me and is just as appalled.  His comments always fall back to two things: 1.  A lack of training and 2. Contempt of Cop.  It is even worse when you mix the two together.

For those that want to know more I highly recommend a youtube channel run by Jeff Gray.  He is one of the OG auditors and does not have the caustic insulting approach many of the others have.  He rarely insults the officers...on occasion when they clearly push him over the line.  Jeff's standard procedure is to stand on public property, usually the steps of city hall, with a sign that says God Bless the Homeless Vets.  I've lost track of how many times he has been arrested for holding that sign.  He works with a couple of non-profits and tries to hold these department/cities accountable.  He donates most of the settlements to charities including homeless shelters.

His channel is below.

https://www.youtube.com/@HONORYOUROATH/videos

Lackluster is also great.  Everything is backed up by law/case law in all his videos.  

https://www.youtube.com/@LackLusterMedia

Same with this guy.  Great content

https://www.youtube.com/@thecivilrightslawyer

[ClearedHot]

Just now, uhhello said:

Lackluster is also great.  Everything is backed up by law/case law in all his videos.  

https://www.youtube.com/@LackLusterMedia

Same with this guy.  Great content

https://www.youtube.com/@thecivilrightslawyer

Civil Rights Lawyer is good as well.

I should have included Audit the Audit - https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit They include all the relevant case law.

[FUSEPLUG]

I hope you boys haven't accidentally summoned PYB back into the chat.

ETA:

Oh shit!  He's still actively posting on his site and clearly still lurks...

 

Edited January 4 by FUSEPLUG

[disgruntledemployee]

11 minutes ago, FUSEPLUG said:

I hope you boys haven't accidentally summoned PYB back into the chat.

ETA:

Oh shit!  He's still actively posting on his site and clearly still lurks...

 

Based on log traffic info, an internet sleuth might find the login used.  Or maybe shit post on his forum.

[Day Man]

17 minutes ago, disgruntledemployee said:

Based on log traffic info, an internet sleuth might find the login used.  Or maybe shit post on his forum.

you don't need to be logged in to view posts

[disgruntledemployee]

On topic, a family member got pulled over in GA and was confronted by an angry cop.  Situation was described as very unprofessional. Fam said he was accused of cutting the cop off and nearly causing an accident, but said it wasn't him.  Fam filed a complaint, requested cam footage, and fought the ticket, which was eventually dropped.

I can see a cop getting pissed for what happened to them and then pull over the wrong person because there's plenty of white pickups out there.  Not an excuse for the behavior, but the job can wear a good person down.  I have a cuz that lived thru BLM riots, and have other F&F in policing.  I hope they don't let the bad affect em too much.

Good policy is paramount.  I see the problem is somewhat like the AF.  The good ones get tired of the system and leave for better places.  The bad ones thrive and rise in rank.

These YT channels are good sunlight.

[SocialD]

The good ones all leave because they're scared they won't be backed up by their leadership.  We have lots of LE on our Guard base and many have left their gigs for full time Guard for these reasons.  They all say the same thing, I'm one well edited video away from being fired, or worse.  These are great people who I imagine we're great cops, trying to be good public servants to their community.  Just like active duty experiences, most of the good ones bail and your left with what's left.  The good ones who do stay, have an uphill battle.    

 

Side note, I could never be LE... I'd be fired, or in jail for excessive force when dealing with some of the assholes/bad guys they deal with daily.  I'm very thankful we have those who can keep their tempers in check. 

[brabus]

@ClearedHot I haven’t spent a lot of time watching cop interaction videos, but I believe you there’s a ton out there. I guess I’ve generally always had good, or at least neutral, interactions with LE, so that certainly has driven my viewpoint. I also can empathize a little bit with their experiences with everything’s on video and everyone's a Monday morning spear chucker…I’m sure many on here have had to deal with a shoe clerk lawyer questioning combat actions when they have never once had to make millisecond decisions under intense circumstances.

Does your BIL think doing the training you mentioned will make an impactful difference?

[uhhello]

I also would never do the job.  You're dealing with the absolute worst part of society every day, often the same people over and over.  I give them a lot of leeway with the interactions I see.  BUT.  When they fuck up willfully, they need to be held accountable.  When they don't know basic laws (ignorance doesn't work for us) or how to apply them, they need to be held accountable.  In most cases, without this type of publicity, they aren't ever held accountable.  

[hindsight2020]

Not the totality of the dynamic, but the main issue is an accessions/compensation chasm, like everything else in life. No buck no buck rogers. As an employment demographic? No, I don't think you're working with the best psychologically suited for the job; giving some of these types lethal force legal arbitrage is a poor bet all around.

Frankly, the compensation situation in some jurisdictions is so bad you attract the exact wrong temperance for the job, as a Hobson's choice. Everybody loses in that deal. Just like educators, you can't afford the people you presume to want. The thin blue line stuff is also caustic and tribal.

I argue if jurisdictions paid and thus had the ability to accessions-discriminate to the standard needed, the qualified immunity issue would be moot. #hottake

 

[ClearedHot]

3 hours ago, brabus said:

Does your BIL think doing the training you mentioned will make an impactful difference?

He does and has been saying same since long before the woke stuff.  He was SWAT for years and works in a location that has a LOT of protests.  For years he taught how to deal with and control protests.  He told me stories about protesters chaining themselves, pouring cement, interlock devices that would almost require the police to amputate someone's arm to defeat.  For the past ten years he training focus has shifted to community policing and incident response.  Much like aviators he believes training and repetition are the key.

 

5 hours ago, FUSEPLUG said:

I hope you boys haven't accidentally summoned PYB back into the chat.

ETA:

Oh shit!  He's still actively posting on his site and clearly still lurks...

 

It's a free country and we don't have to agree.  Dude swore an oath to the Constitution like the rest of us and he has his beliefs.  We may disagree and get angry but that is when speech is the most free.  Why he has latched on to me after all these years is beyond me.  I never had dealings with him on active duty and was not involved with his case.  Anytime he reached out I was nothing but nice and actually understood some of his motivations...oh well.

[arg]

Ran across this video, stupid title, no SEALs involved. Second part of it peaked my interest because Santa Rosa County FL. I lived there just shy of thirty years. When I first moved there about four older Deputies patrolled the south end of the county, which is where this happened. Very low crime rate. The population exploded in the 90s. The Sheriff at the time hired a bunch of young Deputies. The crime rate/arrests sky rocketed, DUI arrests went up over 100%. Wonder why that happened.

Deputies involved were disciplined

https://weartv.com/news/local/breaking-down-the-viral-santa-rosa-county-traffic-stop-video

Good cop/bad cop sidebar here. When you watch these videos and see several cops standing around doing nothing what are they?

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/shocking-footage-shows-handcuffed-inmate-died-after-prison/story?id=117150189

Couple of what I consider good ones.

 

 

[arg]

It's moved overseas

 

[Majestik Møøse]

Body cams have been a godsend. I remember there being a lot of debate over them back in the day.

[uhhello]

On 1/5/2025 at 1:24 AM, arg said:

It's moved overseas

 

Ego drives all these interactions

[fire4effect]

On 1/8/2025 at 9:40 PM, Majestik Møøse said:

Body cams have been a godsend. I remember there being a lot of debate over them back in the day.

You know I'm surprised these haven't been mandated by someone in the FAA for airline pilots at some point.

Imagine the fecal fullisade that would ensue if it ever came to pass.

[ClearedHot]

On 1/8/2025 at 9:40 PM, Majestik Møøse said:

Body cams have been a godsend. I remember there being a lot of debate over them back in the day.

When they use them. 

Crazy story below - BLUF - Someone steals a judge's weed eater.  Search Warrant issues and cops assault a house in the middle of the night...one slight issue, they assault the WRONG house and kill the home owner.  Cops delay calling it in and build their cover story.  Agency had body cams but the police chief ordered the program ended so there is no video.  Community is outraged but nothing has happened as the cops are still "investigating themselves."  Someone on the inside knows it was dirty and has leaked calls with the judge.  I don't want to think this stuff still happens in 2025, but it does.

 

[uhhello]

28 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

When they use them. 

Crazy story below - BLUF - Someone steals a judge's weed eater.  Search Warrant issues and cops assault a house in the middle of the night...one slight issue, they assault the WRONG house and kill the home owner.  Cops delay calling it in and build their cover story.  Agency had body cams but the police chief ordered the program ended so there is no video.  Community is outraged but nothing has happened as the cops are still "investigating themselves."  Someone on the inside knows it was dirty and has leaked calls with the judge.  I don't want to think this stuff still happens in 2025, but it does.

 

You can imagine how often it happens but is never caught/proven.  I know if I was a cop, I wouldn't want to do the job without it.  It exonerates many more officers than it hurts.

[Lawman]

Body cams have been a godsend. I remember there being a lot of debate over them back in the day.

Point of order… body cams like dash cams have been more of an assist to police in action than they ever have to finding the bad apples and line cops have wanted them for years.

Dash cams were a godsend as well. A whole lot of videos stopped or corrected legal action in complaints by people because they closed the your word vs mine problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GrndPndr]

39 minutes ago, Lawman said:

Point of order… body cams like dash cams have been more of an assist to police in action than they ever have to finding the bad apples and line cops have wanted them for years.

Dash cams were a godsend as well. A whole lot of videos stopped or corrected legal action in complaints by people because they closed the your word vs mine problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, more than you know.  Once upon a time, I worked for a leading manufacturer of these things.  One of the statistics that came out of their use, was that when officers were accused, they were exonerated at a rate of 97% after review of the video.  Many agencies also have a nifty policy for officer complaints, when the video is reviewed if additional crimes are exposed new charges will be placed on either the officer or the complainant.  Apparently many folks just walk out the door when asked to sign a complaint.

So they are a benefit, IMHO, and when used in an established process with a proper chain of custody, the evidence is usually quite damning.