Smokey

As a staunch supporter of our Police Force, Fire Department and the Military, (I'm an Air Force Vet, Hon. Discharge), I can tell you that the majority of us out here in the civilian population, DO support, and respect the laws, and the officers of the law.

However, just like prison folk whose population is made up of robbers, murderers, embezzlers and all sorts of other illegitimate professions, who CANNOT STAND OR ABIDE a Pedophile, I am sure you will agree that the majority of police officers would not like to be lumped in with the "police officers" of New Rome.

Yes they are "enforcing" the laws. But such a stringent, no gray area enforcement is actually closer to a Police State similar to what the Russians and Nazi Germany lived than what people in the U.S. have come to expect.

As you know, if you really chose to, you could stop just about EVERY car you see, and find something to write a ticket about. From "dirty" tail lights, turn signals, inproperly displayed license plates, obstructed vision, safety violations, etc. you can find SOMETHING. The problem isn't that these things aren't illegal, or wrong, they ARE. The problem is when the enforcement of the laws applied to the infraction results in an unequivocal finding of GUILTY, with no recourse, then in fact they are punishments. When in addition to that, the police assign the punishment without that infraction having been committed, then they become tyrannical punishments.

Reading some of the "Tales of Woe", it seems as though there is NO discussion allowed by the policemen at New Rome. And there are several tales there where apparently, ADDITIONAL infractions were levied due to the driver discussing the original stop.

Yes there are a few where the driver was not cited, but the vast majority point to an unyielding and unquestionable suppression of rights.

THAT is what is so objectionable about the New Rome police department.

2¢

By the way, keep up the good work, and THANK YOU for being a police officer.

If you want a prime example of why the cops in this country are getting a black eye, it's a lot of the "new breed" of cops on the roads.....

Right now there is a 22 year old Deputy Sheriff in a town near mine, been charged with supplying work release prisoners with cocaine, crack, marijuana and falsifying their drug test in order that they would supply him with drugs for his habit...

He's also being linked to a murder at the moment.

Too many of these cops now days are in their late teens and early 20's, with a chip on their shoulders because they wear a uniform and carry a gun. Some of them seem to think they are above the laws that they are being paid to enforce.

One of the things that irks me to no end is the number of officers that habitually drive 10-20 miles an hour over the speed limit on I-81 in my area, while they are merely going to Pizza Hut or back to the station. They break the exact same laws that they ticket and chastise others for while they really have no reason to do so.

If they can't lead by example, then who is going to give them any respect?

As an example, many years ago I followed one of our Deputy Sheriffs down Main street once, he turned on his lights and siren, blew through a stop light, and took off at high speed and made a left turn into Pizza Hut. I drove the speed limit, did a right on red after stop, drove to Pizza Hut and pulled up behind his car as he was getting out and asked him if the place was being robbed. He replied no, so I asked him if it was common practice to do what he had done, which he denied doing and asked me what business it was of mine to follow him. Lucky us, he's now a Captain.....

Now what kind of message does that send?

I may have quoted it wrong, but basically I was told it means "Who watches those who watch over us."

2MZ's post is right on the money.

Too many police officers do feel that their position permits them to be "above" that law. I'm NOT saying MOST police officers, just that even one is too many.

The police officer who off duty feels it's ok for HIM to speed. Or even ON duty, who as 2MZ posted, turns on the lights to blow through a light without having a legitimate need to do so.

The biggest problem with this is that when the public becomes aware of it, it seems as though ways are found to "justify" it and not atone for it.

2¢

In San Francisco, there is currently a case of a junior officer (who happens to be the SON of a Captain on the force) being accused of beating "suspects", and in one case assaulting a citizen merely because the citizen refused to give the PUNK cop the Burrito he had just purchased. The SF Grand Jury has been trying to investigate, but has been stonewalled by the brotherhood in blue who fear retaliation from the captain if they cooperate with the Grand Jury.

Another black eye for San Francisco and the majority of Officers who hate these actions as much as the rest of us.

Carl

PS Smokey, It wasn't hard to "guess" that you are an Officer. With a screen name of Smokey, and your AOL Handle of "Radar446", it's not like you were trying to keep it a Iraqi State Secret.

You are , of course; welcome here!

Hehehe, I don't try and keep it a secret. I am proud of what I do.

I agree with you that the flagrant misuse of power is terrible, and in some cases very public. I have always said, no matter what the job, there will always be those that dishonor the job. That applies to everything from bagger at the grocery store up to politicians (OK, that last one is a bad example, as most are questionable :stupid: )

I just sometimes get a little irratated when stereotypes are brought out, and then applied to everyone. Further posts have made it clear that the target is the small town that has an entry tax.

As far as the use of force goes. It has a time and a place. A burrito is not a valid reason for any use of force.

Dealing with police feeling they are above the law. There are some out there. I do not like those, and have a strong disrespect for them. I don't even bend the law as much as I allow citizens to. For instance, I will let them go faster before I pull them, than I actually go. I will never pull someone for something that I do. That is just hypocritical.

In all these post I haven't read anything about radar vans. I live in the Denver, Co. Metro area. These are unmarked mid-size vans equippped w/ radar and photgraph equipment, when the radar reads three mph over the speed limit it takes photographs of both the driver and the plate (usually don't realize this till you get a flash in your eyes). Usually manned by a min. wage employee that lies in the back of the van and makes sure the equipment work properly. If the pictures clearly shows driver and tag the locals mail you a ticket based on $$$$ not points. The constitution of this practice has been in and out of the courts so frequently I'm unable to say if today this is or isn't still (will or won't be) practiced. In Ft.Collins, Co. they actually have an intersection where the equipment is mounted on traffic light poles, and timed w/ the traffic light snaps photo of those who push the yellow into red. I've gotten caught twice this way and was able to fight one because I was on a motorcycle and my face couldn't be made out w/ the helmet on.

Another point is that when the speed limit was taken off the 55mph many towns on the interstate system lost considerable revenue. Places like Green River, Ut along I-70 near the Utah Colorado boarder you could count on a trap, the last couple times through there I saw not a single cherry.

As for the Police I beleave they are very much under paid especially in the larger towns where they need to be disciplined like a marine, understand the law like a lawyer and have the people skills of a salesman also need to be able to multi task like a computer. Kudos to the men in blue.

My experience has been very Karma like. Yes I was once needlessly shaken down and even beaten by the Denver Police dept. But I was also released once after being clocked doing 85 mph on a downtown street (speer blvd) I was also to drunk to F*#@k, and the cop was called off by a nearby shooting. Yes I even had a cop lie in court about my use of a bus lane. But I once told a cop that if he opened a film canaster that he had found my possession it would expose undeveloped film for a school project and I would recieve an F, needless to say he didn't open the canaster and let me go.

...... and we all are aware of the Denver boot.

Darylick

One day I woke up and looked out on the road in front of my house. The D.O.T had put a trailer with a radar unit that would read your speed then flash it in lights so you would know the speed you where going.

Now the road was 45 MPH and most people drove around 50 55 MPH. It took less then one night before the kids marked the road a 1\4 mile back with a nice white line.

It was nuts. All night long they would stage and run for the highest MPH. Yes I must say I took a run or two myself but that was it for me. After about a week of this I start wondering why the cops are doing nothing.

Turns out they put it up without a camera but came back a few days later and installed one. Then waited on sending out tickets for about a week. Next thing you know there are very pissed off dads getting photos of there kids running there ol mans corvettes Porsches and so on with the speeds on the photos.

I felt sorry for some of the people. Only because it was the people that couldn’t afford an attorney that had to pay there tickets and a ticket for 100 something in a 45 is not cheap . The ones that could cried entrapment and walked away.

It was up for about three weeks. I don’t want to think about how much money that thing had ta have made in three weeks. Funny we never saw it again after the court cases started. :tapemouth

Originally posted by Darylick

But I once told a cop that if he opened a film canaster that he had found my possession it would expose undeveloped film for a school project and I would recieve an F, needless to say he didn't open the canaster and let me go.

...... and we all are aware of the Denver boot.

Darylick

And what pray tell was in the film canister??? :cross-eye

Originally posted by BambiKiller240

And what pray tell was in the film canister??? :cross-eye

I'll just say it was the Denver Nuggets

Darylick

I have made a note on my maps... avoid Ohio... :-)

Actually something that I try to do anyway.