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VIOLENCE COULD SPREAD TO OIL-PRODUCING REGIONS SUCH AS OKLAHOMA OR EVEN DISRUPT THE FLOW OF AMERICAN BEER SUPPLIES

"I'm a cop. If you don't want to get hurt, don't challenge me," the Washington Post headline blares. The piece was written by Sunil Dutta, a 17-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.

"Even though it might sound harsh and impolitic, here is the bottom line: if you don't want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you,"

When a cop has to shoot someone, it means they've failed at their job. No exceptions.

The job of the cop is to serve and protect. His #1 priority in every situation should be for everyone to be calm and reasonable by the end of it with no extra holes put into them. Sometimes that will be impossible, and if someone is showing very clear signs that they are about to cause massive harm to another person (pointing a gun at them or rushing them with a drawn knife) then they will have to suck it up and fail by shooting them. So be it. But unless there is immediate danger to someone's life and limb then any use of lethal force should be a firing offense.

Last I checked shoplifting wasn't an offense worthy of the death penalty.

Last I checked shoplifting wasn't an offense worthy of the death penalty.

GORDON wrote:Here's a veteran LA cop defending the Fergeson cops:

http://www.cnn.com/2014....t=hp_t1

"I'm a cop. If you don't want to get hurt, don't challenge me," the Washington Post headline blares. The piece was written by Sunil Dutta, a 17-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.

"Even though it might sound harsh and impolitic, here is the bottom line: if you don't want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you,"

Strangely, the public isn't receiving it well.

Leisher wrote:You, of all people, should understand his point. (Granted, he's not very eloquent about it.) When Marines are securing an area do they shoot everyone in sight or do they try to keep the innocents safe? (Keep in mind that some people will swear they kill everyone. This is important as you consider the cops' side in this case.) And how do they do that? Do they do that by treating everyone like they're innocents until they prove otherwise or do they treat everyone like a potential enemy until the area is secure?

However, I absolutely agree that it's the very last option that should be exercised.

No cop should ever shoot first and ask questions later. They should NEVER pull the trigger unless their life is in immediate danger or the life of an innocent. Even then, if a safe shot can be taken, it should.

If nothing else, I hope this Ferguson situation finally gets the country wondering why cops are gearing up with military hardware.

TPRJones wrote:Because of the War on Drugs. That's the only reason. It's the motivation and also the source of funds.

Kill the War on Drugs and all the money to pay for their military gear goes away overnight. Then maybe we can start to get back to some sanity in our police forces.

But this is the entire crux of the argument.... cops aint soldiers.

I partially disagree that means emptying the magazine into a civilian, center mass.

I am not taking a hard, absolute stance on this.... I am just saying there are WAY more stories about cops who seem to get a sexual thrill when they finally get to shoot the family dog, or something.

For once, I agree almost 100% with GORDON on something.

If nothing else, I hope this Ferguson situation finally gets the country wondering why cops are gearing up with military hardware.

Then you're not going to like this... (jk, you will.)

That's an absolutely legit question, but it's not the one people should be asking right now.

Cops should NOT be armed like they're raiding Castle Wolfenstein. However, at this point in time, who gives a fuck? Seriously, what the fuck does it matter? Why are you so concerned that cops have weapons the military uses?

Because you are concerned that there are bad cops out there. Cops without the proper mental capabilities to handle the emotions and stress of their job. Cops that are poorly trained. Cops that shouldn't be fucking cops. And guess what? You're right. And that's the issue that needs to be addressed first.

I've been on here for YEARS telling you guys what is really going on in police departments, but you've ignored me. Political correctness, budget cuts, corruption, misdirection from the politicians in charge, horseshit laws that they're forced to enforce, etc.

If you have a bigotry towards cops it might prevent you from listening to me or accepting that behind the badge lies normal people. A lot of whom are doing a good job and are fair with people. Who don't shoot first. Who think these shitty cops suck and need to be removed. Who will rush into danger to save another cop's life, but won't let them off if they pull them over for a DUI. Who want to make changes, but don't have the power. That's a tough nugget to swallow though because it humanizes them. It's just easier to talk about how they all suck, they're always wrong, or how you'd like to just kill them because saying that about blacks, whites, Asians, Muslims, women, etc. isn't the EXACT SAME THING and something you'd claim to never do because you're not a bigot...

The questions that truly need to be asked are much tougher than just asking why a town of 8400 has a tank. Why are you passing over hiring more qualified cops just to hire a lesser candidate because of their skin color or genitalia? What training do our police receive and why isn't there a program for them to be certified annually? What programs are in place to help them deal with the high emotions and stress of the job so they don't begin to look at the public as enemies or crack and beat someone to death? Who is the police chief and why is he/she qualified for their job? Who is watching over the local police department to ensure there's no corruption or "clics" being built to hold down good cops, and help others keep cushy jobs? Why do we have cops riding alone? Why doesn't every cop car have a working camera that is always recording video and audio?

We're more worried about our favorite team's head coach then the guy in charge of the armed people who patrol our neighborhood. We care more about the QB's ACL than we do the mental state of Officer Barbrady. We elect people into office who cut police budgets or force them to make more diversity hires even if qualified candidates can't be found.

Then we bitch and moan and blame the cops on the street when anything goes wrong. When do we accept some of the responsibility?

When your bank fucks you do you blame the teller or the executives who own/run the bank? The logic behind this whole "hate the police" thing just doesn't add up.

Side note: I am not implying that people of color or women aren't good cops or don't deserve jobs over male whiteys. Diversity is not only a good thing, it's necessary, but hire qualified candidates. Don't just fill a job in the name of diversity. If you want to diversify, but can't find a local candidate good enough, search statewide or nationwide.

Bad cops deserve their reps and then some. However, to lump all cops together is small minded horseshit and everyone on this board should know better.

Because of the War on Drugs. That's the only reason. It's the motivation and also the source of funds.

Kill the War on Drugs and all the money to pay for their military gear goes away overnight. Then maybe we can start to get back to some sanity in our police forces.

I think we agree more than we disagree, I'm just coming at it from a more anarchic stance.

I hate hesitating when I teaching my son life lessons and I have to force myself to tell him, "You can trust the police, if someone does X to you get away and try to find a cop immediately" type of lessons. I hate that I have to hesitate when I tell him that,

but I hate that I am giving him a mindset that he should always trust police. I don't think he should. It's just at this time in his life his safety is more important to me than my own hypocrisy. At this age he CAN trust the police.

I wish we could go back to the time when Officer Friendly was always your friend.... if that time ever really existed. I guess it has existed for white people for about the last 150 years... but as I said before, as they militarize more and more, we're all the enemy. We certainly are the enemy at something as mundane as a traffic stop when he is keeping back from your window with his hand near his gun because you were going 42 in a 35 and decides your hair is a little long and you wouldn't object to me searching your car, would you? Yes you do mind? Fine. Sit over there in the grass while I call in the drug dog to sniff around your car and try to get probably cause. Shouldn't be more than a couple hours.... which brings us back to the War on Drugs, doesn't it.

I wish we could go back to the time where people didn't shoot cops in the face when they respond to a domestic abuse call. If that time ever really existed.

Or do you really want to argue that cops should enter dangerous situations without gaining control of the area?

Next you'll tell me that they report crime like we live in a very crime ridden society despite the fact that crime is at its lowest level in decades.

Why are you so concerned that cops have weapons the military uses?
Because you are concerned that there are bad cops out there. Cops without the proper mental capabilities to handle the emotions and stress of their job. Cops that are poorly trained. Cops that shouldn't be fucking cops. And guess what? You're right. And that's the issue that needs to be addressed first.

If you have a bigotry towards cops it might prevent you from listening to me or accepting that behind the badge lies normal people. A lot of whom are doing a good job and are fair with people. Who don't shoot first. Who think these shitty cops suck and need to be removed. Who will rush into danger to save another cop's life, but won't let them off if they pull them over for a DUI. Who want to make changes, but don't have the power.

Then we bitch and moan and blame the cops on the street when anything goes wrong. When do we accept some of the responsibility?

Leisher wrote:Why are you so concerned that cops have weapons the military uses?

Because you are concerned that there are bad cops out there. Cops without the proper mental capabilities to handle the emotions and stress of their job. Cops that are poorly trained. Cops that shouldn't be fucking cops. And guess what? You're right. And that's the issue that needs to be addressed first.