How do you feel about the police?

[pietillidie]

There's no need to over-glorify or under-glorify here. People do stuff for a whole host of motives simultaneously.

It's much better to focus on things at the larger institutional level, rather than down at the individual level. If the bigger direction is right, the individual variation doesn't matter quite so much. There's no need to personalise these topics IMO—we all end up in different places for a host of reasons, from our religious affiliations to our jobs.

I think it really does require us to spell out exactly where we're placing criticisms each and every time: One incident, one individual, one group, an institutional policy, etc. This applies as much to farmers, Islam, Catholic priests, the police, businesses, the wealthy elite (my favourite whipping boys), teachers, unions or the Salvos.

However, there are two clear exceptions to this: It is still acceptable to say that all politicians and all non-CFC fans and club personnel are scum

[think positive]

[think positive]

[luvdids]

I respect them, but that wasn't an option. Strange poll choices, first 3 options are negative, 2 other options are a bit "meh" and one's over the top positive.

I got half way through becoming a cop then realised I didn't want to deal with doom & gloom day in day out. Think about it, no one calls the police when something good happens.

If I get pulled over it's because I'm in the wrong. Fair enough, I cop it on the chin (hasn't been for a few years now thankfully). I'm not happy to be pulled over & given a ticket, but I'm not going to take it out on the officer, they weren't pushing my foot on the accelerator! Then I watch shows like Highway Patrol - the police sometimes deserve a medal!! Some people are so rude, speak so disgustingly to them I'd want to punch them in the face! I think all police officers should be paid more and respected a hell of a lot more. They're not "just ordinary people", ordinary people don't risk getting shot every day, or show up to work every day after dealing with things they have to deal with. I'm grateful to them.

[think positive]

[The Prototype]

[think positive]

[nomadjack]

My experiences have been mixed. Interactions since I've been in Melbourne have generally been positive. In Bendigo, not so much, with my general impression there being the local rozzers were boofheads with a sense of entitlement. As an example, first year of teaching at uni I had a student with severe mental illnesses and a drug addiction that got locked up in the local psych ward following an armed hold up. 10.30 on a saturday night I got a call from her saying that she had escaped from the ward after being attacked by another patient and could I come and pick her up and drive her to melbourne or drop her on the highway so she could hitch. I picked her up and convinced her to let me take her into the local police station and hand herself in. Drove into the station at Pall Mall with her and walked her in, started explaining the situation and the desk sergeant's first question was 'what? are you phucking her or something?'. Absolutely charming...That was generally the tone I struck whenever I dealt with them there. Maybe it's a regional thing as the Maryborough police had a pretty shitty reputation as well. Used to deal with them on a weekly basis in the pizza shop as well and while many were good to deal with there were more than a few arseholes amongst them as well. Pretty much like most areas in life I guess.

[Lazza]

In very simple terms, the vast majority (over 95%) of the Police I have dealt/coped/worked with have been decent and responsible people doing their job competently. Three or four have been bloody arrogant, vicious, angry, abusive (even racist/bigoted) arseholes who I never want to meet again in my life. They would abuse their own mothers and how they ever got or kept their job as a policeman has been a real mystery to me for many years.

[Lazza]

[stui magpie]

[Neil Appleby]

As I said in my earlier post, it seems Victoria Police don't have very good selection criteria. Too many bozos and arseholes make it through. Yes the majority do a great job considering what they have to work with; the general population.

I was beginning to think I'd been too tough and then I got to thinking of my younger days in the 70s and 80s. The police were quite corrupt, more so than now and there was no ombudsman or complaints mechanism back then; they were a law unto themselves.

Yesterday I called the Northcote Police to report a traffic hazard; a tree had fallen on Heidelberg Rd Clifton Hill, blocking both lanes. Two police officers spoke to me to get the details. Neither had what I would call good people skills. They took the details and passed the info to the appropriate services. In these situations we rely upon our police to keep us safe. They did the job.

Today I read an article by Melbourne writer Barry Dickens. It brought back the bad memories. Apparently this article was printed in The Age and then deleted after senior police complained.

Here is a link to the article. It should be widely read.

http://www.julianburnside.com.au/whatsinside/uploads/2015/11/Dickins.pdf

[stui magpie]

Interesting article, and also interesting comment about the 70's and 80's.

I grew up in the NSW bush. The local cops would often call into mums milk bar for some lunch and eat out the back in the kitchen. I got along really well with them.

As I got older into teenage years i saw some examples of what i'd call favouritism as they had some people pegged in some boxes and some in others. Not that I bothered too much, I was in the good box.

[David]

Crazy stuff, Neil. Hard to believe such a thing could happen.

By the way, I was talking to a police officer last night at work - a woman had been hit by a car and he was looking for witnesses - and he came across as respectful, friendly and not at all arrogant. Hard to extrapolate a lot from a short conversation, of course, but it seems like the force is attracting some decent people after all.

[Bucks5]

How do I feel about the Police?

Well, I reckon Sting can sing a bit, Andy Summers is a pretty good guitarist and that Stewart Copeland guy goes ok on the drums (plus he has a good Collingwood related name).