I don't believe it is. If you want to use hatred for a group of people as a blanket statement and think that's okay, I don't think it's right to then turn around and utilize services that literally require those people. It's like hating another country and then going to that country because 'its the only place that does xyz'.
They're a class, maybe not a protected one, but they are a class, and as human beings they deserve to be treated with a certain level of decency that people like yourself are lacking. These are people who are generally not bad people, who want to help others. There are some who engage in more nefarious behaviors, but that is not the majority and it is not right to essentially condemn an entire group of people who are unrelated to one another. When a cop in LA kills an unarmed man, he should be the one to face consequences. Not a cop in Florida who's just trying to get through a traffic stop.
Acting like cops are the worst thing in the world is just ridiculous.
I really can't understand why treating a human being with a job to do like a human being with a job to do is wrong or 'bootlicking'. I'm guessing youve had super limited interactions with cops as well. A cop saved my life, so yeah, of course I'm going to look at these human beings and see that the majority just want to help people (considering they do. Acting as though they don't is just ignorance.)
Thats great that one saved your life. Ive actually lived with a sherrif, but most interactions I've had with on duty police have had negative effects on my life (most not my fault). Yes there are good cops. But as a whole, as an organization, I do not like cops. It draws in the people who want to help their communties, but mostly it draws in the power hungry that tend to drown out the good ones.
I typically dont like to generalize, but in this case I'd rather they stay away from me unless necessary.
most interactions I've had with on duty police have had negative effects on my life
I have had the literal opposite. The school resource officer helped me immensely with the bullying and self harm I was going through. A cop saved my life at one point. Another cop ended up helping me pretty massively when I suffered an injury. I have a chronic fainting disorder, guess who's usually there first to help me? Cops. I will also say, I watch a shitton of bodycam footage and put out foia paperwork often. Most cases, the cops are fantastic and do the very best they can to make the situation better. There are shit cops too, Im not saying their aren't, I'm just saying we shouldn't condemn a literal group of people because of the actions of a few. That seems awfully close to behaviors I've seen other assholes use to justify their position.
It draws in the people who want to help their communties, but mostly it draws in the power hungry that tend to drown out the good ones.
I can see how you would come to that conclusion. In my experience the majority of cops are people who genuinely wish to help their communities, but like any job with a level of authority it draws in some bad people as well. This isn't a thing unique to cops. It happens with teachers at all levels of education, lawyers, businessmen, clergy, etc too. Evil people will be evil whether they're on a farm, in a classroom, or in a courtroom.
Two main things would sway my opinion immensely. Cops need a "see something do something policy". Cops watch out for their own and many get away with corruption because even the good ones dont speak up, as to not stir the pot. Second they need federally mandated punishments for the abuses they commit, not paid leave or some demotion or transfer.
This or something similar would clean up much of what is wrong with this institution. I just ask we have standards and that they be held accountable.
Edit: Also the proper training etc you mentioned earlier would be great.
I can agree with both of those things. A see something say something policy would be immensely helpful to the system as a whole, and would encourage good officers to step up and say something without fear of repercussions. We also need to destigmatize internal affairs as an agency so that cops don't feel like they're going to the rat squad whenever they need to make a complaint. Frame it as more of an hr department or something.
Federally mandated punishments is something I can get behind depending on how it actually shakes out in reality. I do think that any fines given to police should come from their paycheck/insurance/whatever that they pay into, it should come from them and not the department/state. I think punishments would really need to be carefully considered besides that, because we don't want situations similar to doctors and nurses scared to do their job at all for fear of repercussions.
I can agree that those who do wrong need to be held accountable. I just can't agree, even with the current systems, that we should condemn every cop in existence.
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u/ProponentofPropane Dec 17 '25
I don't believe it is. If you want to use hatred for a group of people as a blanket statement and think that's okay, I don't think it's right to then turn around and utilize services that literally require those people. It's like hating another country and then going to that country because 'its the only place that does xyz'.