I agree with all of that but it doesn't change the fact that there is a purpose to their existence. Granted, over time theyve gone from being peace officers that little kids looked up to, to their current role as enforcers for the corpocracy that are more reviled than appreciated. There are still a minority, unfortunately, of cops that became cops to help, not establish an outlet for their fragile egos
As bad as American cops are they are saintly angels compared to the cops in most other countries. Anyone berating American cops should experience how law enforcement in other countries operates
While I agree that cops in other countries can be a lot worse (at least from what I've heard, not personal experience) it still doesn't excuse American cops to continue to trample on the average citizen and in turn lose our trust and respect more and more every day. You talk about serving a "purpose", and unfortunately that is a huge root to the overall problem.
Many times it isn't about "keeping the peace".....instead its about being a revenue generator (i.e. speed traps, DUI checkpoints) and ALWAYS protecting their own. No matter what. In any other profession, if you find an incapable or corrupt person with whatever title....the rest of the industry wants to root out those rogue fools because it does sully their profession. But cops always stick together under the rhetoric of "the brotherhood", and the fact is they DO get away with a lot more than any average citizen can.
I've already had the unfortunate experience to tangle with a cop that led to him acting like a complete jackass while he was off-duty....to have him stalk, harass, and even threaten me in front of my family on my property....only when he came back a day later all dressed up in his little cop costume while hiding behind his badge/title. If he had any other occupation that day one of us would have left in an ambulance, furthermore my lawyer said if he was anyone else we could have had him charged with stalking, harrasement and terroristic threats. But because he's a cop, you have to prove a "pattern of abuse"...so this little punk gets away scott free.
And I'm no thug, drug dealer, or rebellious teen. I was a respected businessman in the community, in the middle of lily-white surburbia....also trying to instill the "cops are your friends" mindset to my then grade-school son. What's funny, is before that day my son did Safety Town, D.A.R.E at school.....but at the lovely age of 6 I had to teach my son the difference between "pigs" and REAL "police officers"......all because of the bullying tactics of a scared little punk hiding behind his position.
Throwing my incident aside, more and more of the general populous IS losing respect and care for the average cop out there....because of their attitude and tactics in dealing with us. From soccer moms, to clergy, to veterans of wars....WE are tired of this "us vs. them" antagonistic attitude towards the rest of society...and ironically its only making a cops job that much harder because they have made the bed they are now sleeping in.
