An Officer Speaks?

A POLICE OFFICER SPEAKS

By Trooper Mitchell Brown of the Virginia State Police

Well, Mr. Citizen, it seems you've figured me out. I seem to fit neatly into the category where you've placed me. I'm stereotyped, standardized, characterized, classified, grouped, and always typical. Unfortunately, the
reverse is true. I can never figure you out.

From birth you teach your children that I'm the bogeyman, then you're shocked when they identify with my traditional enemy...the criminal!

You accuse me of coddling criminals...until I catch your kids doing wrong.

You may take an hour for lunch and several coffee breaks each day, but point me out as a loafer for having one cup.

You pride yourself on your manners, but think nothing of disrupting my meals with your troubles.

You raise hell with the guy who cuts you off in traffic, but let me catch you doing the same thing and I'm picking on you.

You know all the traffic laws...but you've never gotten a single ticket you deserve.

You shout "foul" if you observe me driving fast to a call, but raise the roof if I take more than ten seconds to respond to your complaint.

You call it part of my job if someone strikes me, but call it "Police brutality" if I strike back.

You wouldn't think of telling your dentist how to pull a tooth or your doctor how to take out an appendix, yet you are always willing to give me pointers on the law.

You talk to me in a manner that would get you a bloody nose from anyone else, but expect me to take it without batting an eye.

You yell "something's got to be done to fight crime," but you can't be bothered to get involved.

You have no use for me at all, but of course it's OK if I change a flat for your wife, deliver your child in the back of the patrol car, or perhaps
save your son's life with mouth-to-mouth breathing, or work many hours overtime looking for your lost daughter.

So, Mr. Citizen, you can stand there on your soapbox, and rant and rave about the way I do my work, calling me every name in the book, but never stop to think that your property, family, or maybe even your life depends on me
or one of my buddies.

Yes, Mr. Citizen, it's me...the cop!

Durty

That is nothing but the truth, I am glad that you put this on here to make people stop and think for a minute how we really feel out there. Law Enforcement is taken for granted every second of the day.

Be safe out there!
As you were

old fuzz

Many years ago, my partner and I came up on a traffic accident that had just happened seconds ago. The drunk that caused the accident was in his car, which was lying on its roof, and on fire. Jerry and I rushed to the car fought the jammed door open and started trying to get the unconscious drunk out. Meanwhile, the car is starting to burn pretty hot, I could hear the gas tank hissing, getting ready to let go. We got the drunk out and were dragging him away from the burning car when the gas tank went. It wasn't the big TV/movie explosion, just a big whoosh. Flaming gas started raining on us as we continued to drag the drunk away. Some of the gas landed on the drunk's legs and Jerry beat the flames out with his hands, more gas landed on Jerry, burning half the hair off his head. Some passer by ran up to me and started slapping me with his jacket. I had not realized the gas had landed on the back of my jacket.
We got the drunk away from the car, he suffered a concussion. Jerry was treated for burns on his head and neck; I just lost a nice jacket. Our thanks, from the drunk, for pulling him from a burning car was a failed attempt to sue us for "aggravating his injuries".
Every cop I know has a story like this. It can really sour you towards the general public.

Mystery

Yes you said a lot of truth and it's to bad that all cops couldn't live up to this. But you know as well as I do that not all police officers handle their job in the proper manner. Just like in every other catagory there are the bad seeds in every field. You just forgot to mention about the ones that are using their authority to get away with murder until they are caught just like the ones at Rampart Division did. I hope you understand what I'm trying to get across. But I do respect you for what you do do for us everyday and by putting your life on the line everyday too. Just wish there were more like you around. May you be kept safe daily to go home to your family forever and ever. Mrs. Citizen

good girl

Hello Officer.

I am very proud to live in a country that you really can COUNT on the police. I never met a police officer or trooper dishonest. Yep I been stopped a couple of times for a rejected sticker, a busted light or worse ...speeding. Luckily I was stopped in time that I didn't cause an accident. I am still alive and I didn't kill anyone. I never got a ticket. I have a good record. I got out with some warnings. But I learned my lesson. Fixed the light the sticker I and watch my speed now. So the cops where there for me when I was wrong. They were protecting me. And I am glad for that.

First,I born In Brazil 30 years ago. In some parts of the country has a lot of crime, and police officers are not respected there 'cause of the system. Also, most of them is corrupt, they make money covering for drug dealers.

And also the cops were there to make it right.
Second, recently a police officer was involved in a fatal car crash that killed my brother in law. She saw the speeding driver running a red light and is in the record now.

So I can say ... Us Police Officers deserve my respect and I am not a US citizen but I am Permanent Resident that is PROUD OF MY COPS. Thank you.

Todd

I like it. It is full of truth.

Thanks for sharing and the support.

It's great to see something positive in this category.

Mr. T

Mr. T says: Thank you B B.

For once great points about police officers will be posted and it won't be deleted or perverse by Dog Fool.

BPD Wife

Wow. Really powerful. Thanks for sharing.

Tony A

I think you are American. I am English and have only spent 2 weeks in America in my life. I do have many friends amongst the police in England and where I now live in Thailand. Your comments are a mirror image of what the police in England say and also, to a lesser degree, what the Thai police tell me. To the law abiding citizen in all countries the police are there to to prevent and solve crime. When everything is normal the police are forgotten about. When a person has a problem the police are the finest people in the world when they sort it out. I, like most average Joe's on the street, know you have a thankless job but please keep on doing it. We need you out there.

CountyMounty

Thanks for the post BB. I have seen a couple ones similar to this in the past.

Its sure is the truth. The same people that are the most vocal about the police "harassing" them or charging them with something are often the ones who are criticizing the police for not responding to there complaints about someone doing the same thing.

Two very recent examples here. A former deputy (he has been fired now) was caught throwing a political sign off a bridge. There was a long involved trial in which he fought all his charges (theft, criminal mischief, littering etc). I have been reading all of the "readers comments" on the ongoing newspaper articles. Several people in one sentence complain about all the taxpayers money the district attorney is wasting to prosecute and then in another complain that cops always get off easy. How can you do both, the deputy retained a very good expensive attorney to fight his case and the DA's office had to fight back.

Second about a month ago I wrote a speeding ticket to a guy who complained that I should be out catching real criminals. Two days ago I see a complaint in our log requesting extra patrol for speeding vehicles, I note the name of the complainant, its the same guy I wrote the ticket to. Makes me want to call and tell him that no one is able to come stop the speeders because we are all to busy catching "real criminals".

STEVEN E

I think it's great that someone finnaly stood up and called it like it really is.
Law enforcement officials have never gotten the Respect and Gratitude they derseve, Bravo for "Telling it like it is"
You will always have "MY" gratitude for your Sevrice to our country, you are a true hero!

dwmatty19

Thank you..........well said.

blu_id_irish

If you cant see it yourself, I will point it out to you... You are doing the exact same thing that you dont want us to do to you. I am a citizen and you have stereotyped me as one who harasses you, puts you down but wants your help when I need it. So then I say, if you can say and do what you feel, then why cant I, are you saying because you wanted a badge of Steel and I didnt Its okay for you to then feel as if you need to over power me. That is the reason for the comments that you get from us "regular citizens"! Do I respect the fact that you go out during your work time and look danger in the face, absolutely, I applaud it. But when it comes time to talk to us "regular citizens" dont put us down, dont talk to us like we are the criminals, dont act like you are better than us. YOU HAVE MADE THE BARRIER LINE JUST NOW WITH YOUR COMMENTS. YOU HAVE MADE IT AN US AGAINST THEM, WHY! BECAUSE YOU FEEL YOU ARE ALOUD TO SAY WHATEVER YOU FEEL AND IF WE DONT LIKE IT WHO CARES, Right. WRONG!!! If you want RESPECT, then give it... I know a few good people that are police officers and yeah maybe there are a few people out there that are hypocrites, but it looks to me that you and a few others on this page that have answered are also... I think that you need to put yourself in our shoes and see the other side. Because from what I see you really dont care about your citizens, you just want the recognition for what you feel that you do....

probed

All that is true, but keep your attitude out of it. Give respect to get respect. You stereotype, we stereotype. We appreciate the fine job you do, but don't take advantage of the power that badge gives you, because when you take it off, you're just a person like the rest of us. Don't look down at people because you are the authority, look eye to eye, like a man.

jackassdumbassmyass

This is highly amusing to me.Considering that chances are you personally have NEVER done any of these "HEROIC" actions that you speak of as if EVERY cop is this well mannered,speaks to the public with respect and treats the public as they would their fellow officer.I think we all know that you don't do that,in fact it seems that it is a cop's objective to criticize EVERY citizen out there as if we are all hardened criminals even for a minor traffic violation.I have been pulled over a few times, and every time,BEFORE I even open my mouth ,the officer feels as though he can talk to me as if I'm a child or someone that can't understand the english language(I'm caucasian).I have SOOOO much to say about this but do not feel like typing it all,So I will just say that YOUR lack of RESPECT for the public WHICH pays your salary by the way(don't forget that) shows all through this "Question" of your's.It also shows your arrogance and feelings of superiority.If you can't handle the indifferent feelings of people then maybe police work is not for you, why not try, let's see..........cleaning up s**t at your local animal shelter,I'm almost certain they will kiss your a** the way you want,hell they'll probably lick it too!!You'd like that I'm sure.Stop being a crybaby!!!! And by the way,I have come to expect this kind of treatment from cops so I don't look for a cop to do the right thing anymore,if they do then they are a "diamond in the rough" pal!!! And until the moment arises that an officer does "help" me, this is the way it is!!! RESPECT BEGETS RESPECT!!!!!!

savashviro

A Response:
I deeply resent the way you act as if you are above the law. I deeply resent the way you treat those you are sworn to protect as if they are lesser people than yourself. I deeply resent your "us vs them" mentality.
I've never gotten a speeding ticket, but I've seen you race past without lights or sirens. I've never gone through a red light, but I've seen you blaze through them. I did once get a parking ticket and the person who had assured me I could park there paid my fine, but I have to walk around your car that you parked in the middle of a crosswalk.
I try to tell my kids that you aren't the bad guy, but they ask me if the woman you raped was a bad person. I tell them that you're there to protect them, but you tasered a little kid. I tell them that you protect their grandparents, but you shot an old lady to death.
I stopped being able to tell you apart from the criminals when you started treating me the same way.

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