Reasons to despise cops

[HeloDude]

On 1/10/2025 at 2:54 PM, fire4effect said:

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.

Isn’t that more/less what a CVR is?

[Vice]

Solid discussion on here about this topic.

I try to avoid watching these kinds of videos. In my experience, they've made me more agitated overall, suspicious around ALL people (cops and citizens) in public to an unhealthy degree, taint my daily interactions, and the videos up my YouTube algorithm so that I get that and related content pumped in. It took me over a year to unwind from it. Now, all I do is never talk to cops unless necessary, and when I can't avoid it I make it as short, polite, and professional as possible while hamming up the military card.

[fire4effect]

10 hours ago, HeloDude said:

Isn’t that more/less what a CVR is?

Certainly, when utilized in the context of a mishap but given the sheer number of cameras in use monitoring everything we do I wouldn't be surprised that video evidence wouldn't be used to routinely check performance of individuals in any safety sensitive position. I mean the New York shooter showed just how much that city at least is being watched. I was honestly surprised at the nearly seamless level of surveillance. I don't doubt cameras monitor every step we take in most airports now outside the restrooms. Not saying I agree but it's the reality of the world we live in. 

[HeloDude]

4 hours ago, fire4effect said:

Certainly, when utilized in the context of a mishap but given the sheer number of cameras in use monitoring everything we do I wouldn't be surprised that video evidence wouldn't be used to routinely check performance of individuals in any safety sensitive position. I mean the New York shooter showed just how much that city at least is being watched. I was honestly surprised at the nearly seamless level of surveillance. I don't doubt cameras monitor every step we take in most airports now outside the restrooms. Not saying I agree but it's the reality of the world we live in. 

The FAA cares about safety/compliance…if there’s an issue where the government wants/needs the CVR, my guess is they have every right to get it (ie after a mishap).  Also, what we’re saying to ATC is also being recorded, and what we’re doing wrt flight parameters is also being recorded/transmitted.  To have cameras/recording devices in the flight deck just for someone to see whenever they want, that would be seen as a barrier to effective CRM.  Just my $.02

[fire4effect]

28 minutes ago, HeloDude said:

The FAA cares about safety/compliance…if there’s an issue where the government wants/needs the CVR, my guess is they have every right to get it (ie after a mishap).  Also, what we’re saying to ATC is also being recorded, and what we’re doing wrt flight parameters is also being recorded/transmitted.  To have cameras/recording devices in the flight deck just for someone to see whenever they want, that would be seen as a barrier to effective CRM.  Just my $.02

Very valid point. To that same point I knew a former police officer who left his department some time ago to go to the 135 world and he said one downside was if he came across a minor infraction like underage possession of alcohol or possession of a small amount of MJ he felt he almost had to write a citation versus say just confiscate or pour it out since everything was now on video.

[BFM this]

15 hours ago, Vice said:

I try to avoid watching these kinds of videos. In my experience, they've made me more agitated overall, suspicious around ALL people (cops and citizens) in public to an unhealthy degree, taint my daily interactions, and the videos up my YouTube algorithm so that I get that and related content pumped in. It took me over a year to unwind from it. Now, all I do is never talk to cops unless necessary, and when I can't avoid it I make it as short, polite, and professional as possible while hamming up the military card.

Solid "twoop" on the algorithm; rage = clicks, and that's what it homes in on.  I've deliberately chosen to consume less of that space, for reasons that you've articulated.

That said, I've consumed just enough to build awareness, which I think is a good thing.  While I have no appetite to be confrontational with LE, (auditors, imo, are insufferable, but I will begrudgingly admit, necessary) I have enough awareness to not participate in what is clearly the LE cabal's game (cabal = stakeholders, department leadership, unions, legal profit farm).  First line of defense: say less, if nothing at all.  Record every interaction.  Be polite, professional even.  At the very least, understand Terry, Mimms.  Never consent to anything, especially a search, and positively state that consent is not given.

My biggest phobia is DUI stop/checkpoint.  It's become clear that you could be sober as a mountain stream, but if that guy needs his nut, you're along for the ride.  Trick is to keep quiet and maintain comportment, let them build the case against themselves.  Drug Recognition Experts is nothing but a fleecing scheme cooked up by federal bureaucrats.  

====BREAK, BREAK====

I deliberately left out LEOs in what I call the "cabal" above; like I said, I think they are patsy's in the bigger picture.  Mostly wanting to serve, like many in this group.  What's painful to see though, is that they are routinely exposed to traumatic experiences on a level that has decimated our veteran ranks to suicide.  And like our Vietnam era forefathers, they are feeling ostracized and hated. 

But most importantly, and I really think that this is by design, the system is oriented to drive a wedge between the public and the line cop, fomenting the idea that the community and it's LEOs are somehow enemies.  Unless you have a vision of Statism, it's an unsustainable path, imo.

[gearhog]

My childhood friend and next door neighbor to this day is out on medical retirement at 41 from the city PD after getting shot during a domestic call last year. He's 90% recovered. My son in law is a bit of a fast burner in another department. We often get together for beers and BBQ and in conversation, it becomes apparent the job changes them. They both started out with high ideals about our community, the nobility of the job, their duty to protect everyone, etc. The stories they tell make my job as an airline capt seem like the most dull job in the world. They see things I would consider horrific more days than not.

As a result, it seems that over time they lose trust in broader society and become more intensely protective over the people they care about. I would trust both of these dudes with my life. The percentage of people I encounter on a daily basis that have just stabbed their girlfriend is pretty low, while the percentage of people they encounter who have just sexually abused a family member or broke into a house high on meth is pretty high. We make generalizations about the rest of society given the data we have.

A local cop was shot a week or so ago. Every law enforcement officer within an 80 mile radius was on a personal mission to find the perp. They found him a couple days later, had a standoff in the backyard, and several officers mag-dumped on him. I was at a party last weekend with some cops and they were enthusiastically sharing pictures of the scene and the bad guy. It was unspoken, but obvious that everyone knew there was only one type of justice this guy was going to get. I was kind of unsettled by the idea that maybe none of the local law enforcement had any intent to take the guy alive while I was simultaneously glad that he wasn't.

I had often thought I'd be a good cop when watching these bad cop vids. After hearing the stories, I don't know that I could keep myself from treating a large swath of the society with suspicion, disdain, and contempt. We could always strive for improvement, but I'll never be convinced that you can expect human beings to do this job and not have any of them develop sociopathic tendencies towards parts of our population.

 

[uhhello]

3 hours ago, gearhog said:

My childhood friend and next door neighbor to this day is out on medical retirement at 41 from the city PD after getting shot during a domestic call last year. He's 90% recovered. My son in law is a bit of a fast burner in another department. We often get together for beers and BBQ and in conversation, it becomes apparent the job changes them. They both started out with high ideals about our community, the nobility of the job, their duty to protect everyone, etc. The stories they tell make my job as an airline capt seem like the most dull job in the world. They see things I would consider horrific more days than not.

As a result, it seems that over time they lose trust in broader society and become more intensely protective over the people they care about. I would trust both of these dudes with my life. The percentage of people I encounter on a daily basis that have just stabbed their girlfriend is pretty low, while the percentage of people they encounter who have just sexually abused a family member or broke into a house high on meth is pretty high. We make generalizations about the rest of society given the data we have.

A local cop was shot a week or so ago. Every law enforcement officer within an 80 mile radius was on a personal mission to find the perp. They found him a couple days later, had a standoff in the backyard, and several officers mag-dumped on him. I was at a party last weekend with some cops and they were enthusiastically sharing pictures of the scene and the bad guy. It was unspoken, but obvious that everyone knew there was only one type of justice this guy was going to get. I was kind of unsettled by the idea that maybe none of the local law enforcement had any intent to take the guy alive while I was simultaneously glad that he wasn't.

I had often thought I'd be a good cop when watching these bad cop vids. After hearing the stories, I don't know that I could keep myself from treating a large swath of the society with suspicion, disdain, and contempt. We could always strive for improvement, but I'll never be convinced that you can expect human beings to do this job and not have any of them develop sociopathic tendencies towards parts of our population.

 

Agreed.  While the audit videos show a lot of stupid cops who either don't know the law they are supposed to be enforcing or just choose to ignore it when their status is challenged, you very RARELY see the hours upon hours of 'we didn't get the response we were looking for so we didn't throw it on youtube'.  

[brabus]

6 hours ago, gearhog said:

I'll never be convinced that you can expect human beings to do this job and not have any of them develop sociopathic tendencies towards parts of our population

It’s no different than being in direct combat - after a bit you don’t trust any of “them”, you’re senses are numbed to atrocious things, and you use dark humor as a means to cope. Doesn’t mean you’re a sociopath, I think it’s a fairly normal human response, and to expect cops to be different is just like the jackasses who expect “warrior monks” in the military. 

[Biff_T]

22 minutes ago, brabus said:

It’s no different than being in direct combat - after a bit you don’t trust any of “them”, you’re senses are numbed to atrocious things, and you use dark humor as a means to cope. Doesn’t mean you’re a sociopath, I think it’s a fairly normal human response, and to expect cops to be different is just like the jackasses who expect “warrior monks” in the military. 

This

[fire4effect]

3 hours ago, brabus said:

It’s no different than being in direct combat - after a bit you don’t trust any of “them”, you’re senses are numbed to atrocious things, and you use dark humor as a means to cope. Doesn’t mean you’re a sociopath, I think it’s a fairly normal human response, and to expect cops to be different is just like the jackasses who expect “warrior monks” in the military. 

Another thing that struck me was how the local nationals trusted us in what was effectively a LE role more than they did their own government. We were often transparent to security details for foreign government officials in country because they saw no threat from us as a foreign occupying force but plenty of their own citizens as the real threat.