How do you feel when around police and law enforcement?

[MCheetah]

I'm option A, and that'd likely be the case even if I wasn't black. I'd still be not-rich, after all.

Uncomfortable/nervous

Safe

Angry/annoyed/upset

Indifferent

Something else

[hahahmm]

Cops have told me there's a huge difference between the average cop from a big city (afraid of their own shadow and eager to shoot first and ask questions later) and cops from smaller cities/towns. So it'd be nice if cops had to wear military style decorations that you can look at and see if they served in any of the major cities!

Anyhow, I feel like if I follow 100% of instructions it's way less likely I'll get shot but you never know. In fact when a cop knows I have a gun and he gives me orders, I slowly repeat the instruction back to him and get confirmation before doing anything because I've seen cases were cops accidentally gave the wrong order, the guy followed it and then the cop's training reacts to seeing the wrong thing being done. Gotta beware.

So bottom line is some cops are great, some are azzholes but at the end of the day you can only control your own actions so the safe money is on not doing anything the cop doesn't expect. I guess there's a problem if you run into a cop who gives you illegal instructions tho. At that point, I'll take it on a case by case basis but the safe money is on doing what you're told if you're in the middle of nowhere cause the Judge and jury will believe whatever the cop says 99% of the time.

[MCheetah]

"Cops have told me there's a huge difference between the average cop from a big city and cops from smaller cities/towns."

That's probably true. Smallest place I've ever lived in had 250,000 residents in it and that was here in South Korea. Just as an aside, Korea (an Asian country) operates on "honor" and "upholding high public standing." Something most of the West doesn't have. So the country (along with most of Korea) operates on CCTV everywhere and if you get caught doing something illegal, they publicly shame you on TV and the internet as a criminal. Which, needless to say, would do f*ck all in America, but is a really strong deterrent in Asia. As a result, most cops in Korea don't really do anything and have pretty boring jobs. Although ironically, guns are legal here, but mainly only for law enforcement. No disrespect to any of them, but they're glorified security guards. (Which is a good thing, cause it shows how safe Korea is.)

Besides MAYBE some cops in Seoul (and even then, they're dealing with nothing compared to the typical big American city), most police officers here have pretty safe, boring jobs, and at worst, might have a domestic abuse call or something. With that said, I'm still uncomfortable around them, though.

[hahahmm]

Oh, definitely there's cultural differences. I like how in Asian countries (from what I've heard/seen in the media) if a kid breaks the law their family will out them & punish them. Also like how in some Asian countries if a criminal is caught by the public he will literally beg for the cops to save him because the entire community will punish him. Or how if a criminal is wounded, many doctors/ambulance staff refuse to help him. Lol.

A guy from some eastern european country told me nobody ever gets abused by cops there because they have 'blood feud' traditions so if a cop murders your brother/son, you are honor bound to murder his son and maybe take an extra kid or two for emphasis. Likewise if a cop were to beat your relative you're honor bound to beat the sh*t out of the cop so the cops there are very polite and so are the citizens. People used to have more respect in the west but I guess teaching that it's wrong to ever slap or teach lessons put an end to that.

[Anonymous]

I hate the police and avoid being around them. I can never get over the fact that they can shoot you dead or lock you up at their discretion.

[MCheetah]

Same here. That's why I don't trust them. At least with other so-called "authority figures," they have no physical power over you like the police do. If a cop wanted, he could arrest me and beat me for no reason at all. And plenty of 'em would just because. I can never trust anyone like that, even if supposedly "most of them are good" (so people say).

Ironically, I once applied to be a cop. But I missed the application deadline due to an asshole friend at the time, and never bothered to follow up. I did do bouncer work, concert security, and executive protection though, so I know how cops are like and how little they respected or cared for us.

[MCheetah]

The other thing is, I grew up dirt-ass poor. We ALL knew, if some sh*t went down, the cops are 50-55 minutes away, even though the station is 10 minutes away. That's another reason I don't trust cops. The unspoken rule was essentially "cops are there to punish people, not help them." Some people need punishing though, but still, they ARE not there to help you, I was taught early on.

[nightdrot]

Voted "Safe."

No joke, when I was no more than 5 years old, I can remember my mother telling my younger brother and me, "If you kids get thrown in jail you can expect to stay there because I won't be bailing you out. Because if you are in jail it means that you deserve to be. When a police officer tells you to do something you say, 'Yes, sir" and you do it!"

To be sure, beyond wondering how I would end up as the first second grader incarcerated on Alcatraz, speaking at just a personal level, I have no sympathy for this notion that someone is a delicate little snowflake who deserves to have his feelings given a higher regard than the rule of law. It is utterly alien to everything I was raised with.

The police have a risky job, their lives are on the line at every stop, and they have no way of knowing who you are or what you are doing. They deserve deference and if they go outside the bounds, you have redress for that in a court of law.

The current popular attitude toward law enforcement is an outgrowth of a sniveling, self-absorbed and self-pitying culture that too easily takes for granted the difficult task of maintaining a stable social order. "The policeman was mean to me!" Good grief.

Do they get unfairly treated? Absolutely. It is the sign of a self-satisfied and sanctimonious age that too easily takes for granted its safety and those who assure us.

In 1977, after nearly two decades of a culture that had taken to calling the police, "pigs" and that thought the criminal was a victim of society rather than a victimizer, Gallup took a poll. It showed that 72% of all women - and 92% of African-American women - of all classes and incomes and all the rest, did not feel safe walking in their neighborhoods at night.

Americans, as was said of the French kings, "Forget nothing and learn nothing." Suffice to say, we are about to repeat history.

[globetrotter22]

If there is one driving behind me or pulls me over it’s natural to feel uncomfortable. The red and blue flashing lights are designed to create fear in people.

However I know I’m not a criminal. My foot was heavy at times when I was younger. I also sometimes ran yellow lights. But it’s not like I’m transporting drugs or anything.

As for the whole race issue. Yes there have been a few isolated yet horrible incidents of police brutality. But don’t kid yourselves on what the mass media decides to promote vs. what it doesn’t.

For example how people on here know the name Tony Timpa? He died the exact same way George Floyd did just a few years ago. Cops weren’t even called on him for committing a crime. Instead he was mentally unstable and off his meds.

The officers were all let off and the wrongful death charge (although they are getting retried on a hearing) Now why wasn’t there widescale mass media coverage and protesting about him? Watch the video and you will get your answer.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_c-E_i8Q5G0

[Fuentes]

When I was younger I didn't like our local LE, they harassed me all the time and once pulled me out of a car tossed me around when I was 16 & would always call the gang taskforce and try to get me on some bullshit and wrote up stupid police reports & made me sound violent everytime they came in contact with me, never could arrest me though and never could get me for anything. I did hang with the riff-raff but I never claimed or banged any hood. i always saw more then that city Coming from a poverty filled with systemic race issue City it comes with it.

Their was only like 3 or 4 cops who would remember me, if they caught me at a party, they would make sure to threaten me and run my name lol but one Officer in that group of 4 once came to our house cause I got into a fight and of course people wanna call the cops on me, but he saw our front door handle & knob was broken so he left, randomly came back with tools and fixed it... so I started to see not all are dumb.

But now living in California I have never been pulled over, have no issue with any police. I started working very close with LE guys &, I see them everyday and it changed my mind completely about Police. a lot of Agency's are hiring in Southern California.

[ChiTown33]

My father was a cop for 33 years. So I probably feel differently about cops than your avg. Person. It's one of the reasons I've really struggled with the Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, etc cases. Because when I see a cop I see a guy like my father who are just trying to do thier jobs.

I just saw a story on Inside Edition tonight. Where this Black pastor was watering a neighbors flowers. Well apparently a white lady saw this, didn't know he was a neighbor and called the police. The police showed up asked him if he was supposed to be there he said yes. And they asked for his identification, to which he refused to give it to them (he didn't have it on him anyhow). Because he was difficult the cops arrested him. While he's sitting cuffed in the squad car. The white neighbor lady comes out and talks to the police. And even concedes that she might have made a mistake. On top of this the pastors wife came out and produced his identification. So it was all just a misunderstanding. All the guy was doing was watering flowers. And the ending was dumb. They still had to book the guy because they said they can't un-arrest someone they've already arrested. OK, I get that we have to have rules, and we have to follow those rules otherwise what good is having rules. But the ending was just stupid! The pastor is suing the city now. And I hope he wins!

[MCheetah]

Yeah, those sound like most cops I've ever met. A girl I knew even said that most police officers are just the school bullies who grew up. And, I want to give cops the benefit of the doubt and assume most of them (at least 75%) are just good people trying to do their jobs. But that sh*t don't match reality. Most cops I've met are assholes and fit that "former bullies" description perfectly. That story doesn't surprise me in the slightest. And of course, the cops will say "it's his fault for being 'difficult' and not just obeying like a bitch when you're being wrongfully accused and harassed for doing nothing."

[ChiTown33]

I do think it takes a certain MENTALITY to be a cop. I'm the youngest in my family and my father was already 32 when I was born. So my father was deep into the family life when I came along. But if you ask my mother she'll tell you he wasn't always a boy scout when he was younger.
I wouldn't say cops are grown bullies. But most I've met do have an edge to them. You kind of got to to do the work they do. Unfortunately not every one of those guys grow up, mature, always have a strong sense of right and wrong. Unfortunately cops have to be recruited from the general population. You just hope those "bad apples" don't get through. And if they do that they are discovered before they do any damage.

[Sixgunsound]

At any minute they could snap and decide I’m a terrorist who needs to get beaten up or shot because I’m a white male military vet with a CCW permit. Their bad day at the office or lonely night after a shouting match at home could become my last day on earth. If my kids open a lemonade stand and make 601$ dollars they might roll up in a military surplus tank at 3AM and start pitching flash bang grenades through my windows and shoot my pets before pointing loaded guns with twitchy trigger fingers at my wife and daughters. My state is so angry and misandrist and racist and anti-veteran and anti-gun that I start sweating if I see any kind of law enforcement, and it gets worse around state troopers or federal law enforcement. And no I’m not capping or blowing smoke.

[Rangers]

So when they ran over the stand with a tank, is that when the quintouple horned unicorn crapped on your roof?

[Sixgunsound]

@Rangers I recommend you put the bottle down and try again when your headache clears up tomorrow.

[Stoner710]

I’ve been around law-enforcement many times I’ve even legally kicked and punched a law-enforcement officer (we were in the same taekwondo class together he was a black belt not the master but an instructor) I of course fought back because even though I felt like he was a dick and an asshole but what he taught me was priceless because he was harsh and I was stubborn. So of course we clashed. Sorry I’m going off. But yea i’m indifferent as long as I’m not committing a crime I have no reason to be nervous.

[ShadezMcgee]

I don't have issues with them and usually feel safe. Part of that is to the fact I have had a fair amount of encounters with them due to traffic incidents or just general interactions. I complied with what they asked and (shocker. Truly big shocker. Being sarcastic with this bit). They were chill and even let me off most of the time.

The other reason is because my little sister is a cop. I support them as well as appreciate the fact I got additional knowledge to use in certain situations because of that.

[Chazmatazz269]

Paranoid. Those fuckers can kill pretty much anyone at pretty much any time with little to no consequences. Wrong place, wrong time and your life is over. What happens if you fight back? MAYBE you live, but you go to prison and you die there because prison guards are just cop wannabes who’ll happily murder a mofo to get in good with the cops. Ell oh ell!
I’ve met one good cop in my lifetime. He was killed by other cops. No joke.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

E. I'm the mayor, and the local police answers to me. Sometimes we go out on lunch together, sometimes I point them out to little jobs that need to be done.

I see them as friends, also because the whole police force of my town is quite small, a team of five people.

[Rangers]

They actually don't answer to you, they serve the people, not politicians

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

@Rangers sure they do, on paper.

[Blueeyes81]

I grew up in a small town and was signaled out as a teen because I looked different.(I liked punk music and my style was influenced by it. Meanwhile my peers wore cowboy boots and wranglers.) I lost track of the number of times I got pulled over and let go without a citation, number of times I was signaled out from a group, etc). I grew very weary of law enforcement and that carries over to this day. I get nervous everytime I see a cop.

[DCooper]

I tend to keep a hand over my wallet, same as being around any other government employees or other pickpockets.

[MCheetah]

GETCHA HAND OUT MY POCKET!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbv746kYHgA

[OlderThanILook]

Indifferent. I have never been approached by a police officer unless it was for something non-crime related (tail light was out, was lost, fire alarm went off, etc.) I hate the fear-mongering that's going on right now. I know two people that were going to be cops but decided not to after beinf shunned by their friends and a family members. Sad.

[SaoirseS]

Safe. I'm not a lawbreaker or troublemaker. I work with law enforcement (mostly traffic sections) weekly, and get along fine with them. I have had a few verbal altercations with police over abusing their status on my property, but overall my interactions with them have been positive.

[YoHoeRose]

Growing up with parents who openly smoked weed before it was legal I was raised to be afraid of the cops Now that all these shootings happen I have even more reason

[420Rachel]

They don't bother me unless one ends up right behind me when I'm driving. Then I start getting nervous 😭. But just seeing them out and about I don't think nothing about it.

[BlueScorpio]

Maybe A and B? B because I'm nervous I might say or do something stupid that might get me arrested lol

[HelloImGoodThanks]

I don't feel anything when around them. I have never been in trouble with the law so I never get bothered by them.

[Lucy68]

Mostly comfortable and safe. Plus I attended a citizen police academy class earlier this year and I really enjoyed it. Most of them are friendly and nice and some are even really funny and laid back.

[KatherineJ]

We have friends that are LE, so it’s whatever. Don’t get me wrong, if one pulls in behind me on the road…. it’s very uncomfortable.

[JDavid25]

Pretty indifferent for the most part.. On the rare occasions kinda safe..

[NewsReader]

Usually safe. If something goes wrong, I got backup next to me. Sometimes I come across messed up people who can be dangerous so it's good to have police nearby in case things get bad.

[exitseven]

I did a lot of business with law enforcement and knew hundreds of cops over the years. They were mostly good people who want to serve their communities.

[MCheetah]

I think it depends on the community. I'm not anti-cop or BLM, but Philly cops are straight assholes! A bunch of Chief Wiggums, for sure!

[exitseven]

I did find that certain towns had a off-putting culture that ran through the whole police department. It usually starts with the chief

[lorenzomichael]

I really don't feel anything. Fuck the police I'll never need them dumb fucks for shit. Remember there not your friends and, besides when was the last time you seen or heard about one of those assholes doing anything good?

[purplepoppy]

It doesn't bother me but if I've a cop car behind me I drive like a Nun on a driving test

[242plusInfinity]

People respect law enforcement. They don't like cops though.

[bolverk]

Indifferent, unless I have to interact with them, then its with caution after their behaviour over the last couple of years, even here in the UK.

[FinalFantasyBro]

I don't feel anything considering I try to stay alone or not in trouble.

[Rangers]

Calm and collected because I understand them and I don't break the law

[collie22]

i like it when i see the police patrolling in the park or near my work or my school

[Čiadas]

Chill, cuz in Europe we have strict gun laws so the police don't have to shoot people on sight.

[msc545]

I feel uncomfortable around suspicious people with guns.

[Fuentes]

But you love to call them lol

[msc545]

@Fuentes The only time I ever have called them is when I had to do so for work in the ER. I don't call cops for anything now.

[Spotifyplaylist]

Uncomfortable.

[Chthou95]

Safe. I don't commit crimes so there shouldn't be a problem

[Pinay_ako]

D… .

[jimmy2]

Leave me alone