Reminder: Cops are people too

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OVERKILL

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Wife and I were out for a drive in the truck today. Plan was to take the dog out for a walk in the country but he needed a new harness so we headed downtown to Pet Valu to get one. As we approached the area of the store we came to a set of lights where there was a bicycle cop. I let him go first then overtook him before pulling into the plaza where I parked and shut off the truck while my wife exited the vehicle to head into the store.

Officer on the bike follows us in and stops at the sidewalk behind the truck that ran in front of the stores. He stood there for a minute and then approached me. The exchange went like this:

Officer: "Hey, is that factory exhaust?"
Me: (concerned) "No, it's a Borla cat-back"
Officer: "it sounds amazing, I have the same truck and have been considering Corsa"
Me (relieved) "Oh! Yes, we just had it put one, we really like it"
Officer: "What series is it?"
Me "It's the S-Type"
Officer: "OK, thank you! you have me considering this setup now" *laughing*
Me: "No problem!"
Officer: "Have a great day and thanks again!"

He leaves.

I in no way expected that to go that way so I was of course pleasantly surprised. Sometimes we forget that cops are car guys, gun guys, bikers, hikers...etc and may be interested in the same things we are and do, even when on duty.
 
I think a lot of the people protesting have never lived in the city.

Right before I moved from Florida in 1990 ish
2 cops went to arrest someone on some sort of sex crimes that was 6-4 and 250 pounds.
The description sounded like he grabbed them both and knock their heads together and then executed them both with their own guns.

I get very frustrated with people who haven’t walked within 100 miles of their shoes asking questions..

My friends have moved 50 miles away from the edge of the city and have the nerve to ask me why I need a gun. I usually send them a link to an apartment in the worst area in the city and say: you move here and tell me😂
 
For several years I went to car shows (to show our classic cars) with the local county sheriff. He drove a modified 72 Chevelle. I find it is always good to be friends with the local constabulary.
 
Well, I’m glad he was pleasant but remember he was doing his job every second. If you had been transporting drugs or contraband he or would have picked up on your anxiety and one thing would have lead to another. Or maybe you would have mentioned a kind of peculiar thing down the street that you wouldn’t normally bring to his attention. Talking to people like that is a huge part of the job.

There was a guy in my town who was smooth as silk. Kind of a Wilford Brimley type guy. I once saw a tape of him arresting a DWI. If you weren’t paying close attention you might think he was inviting the guy to dinner instead of reading him his rights. Practically poured the guy into the back seat and drove away.
 
I think a lot of the people protesting have never lived in the city.

Right before I moved from Florida in 1990 ish
2 cops went to arrest someone on some sort of sex crimes that was 6-4 and 250 pounds.
The description sounded like he grabbed them both and knock their heads together and then executed them both with their own guns.

I get very frustrated with people who haven’t walked within 100 miles of their shoes asking questions..

My friends have moved 50 miles away from the edge of the city and have the nerve to ask me why I need a gun. I usually send them a link to an apartment in the worst area in the city and say: you move here and tell me😂
One of our managers was transferred to Houston … but his family stayed behind so the daughter could graduate High School in the home town, then they’d shop for a new home.
He was murdered by a random stranger who broke in his apartment …
Only the criminal had a gun.
 
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One of our managers was transferred to Houston … but his family stayed behind so the daughter could graduate High School in the home town, then they’d shop for a new home.
He was murdered by a random stranger who broke in his apartment …
Only the criminal had a gun.

One of the guys I was specifically talking about had a neighbor killed. Random nut case. All of a sudden he’s calling me up asking about guns😂

These people in (who move to) Newport Beach, Greenwich Connecticut, places that see no crime have zero business talking.
 
I have lots of respect for police officers. Spend a night listening to a police scanner and you will wonder how they stay sane. They deal with tons of domestic disputes, drug problems, mental issues,....you name it. It's simple, treat them with respect, no more, no less.

The very most important thing to remember is that if you volunteer information to them, that information can turn up in court in a wildly twisted way. Always be leary of them trying to befriend you, asking you to share everything because if you are innocent you have nothing to hide. An example I read about years ago was a guy sharing that he gave his daughters baths, which turned into he fondled his daughters in the bath tub in custody proceedings.

Not sure why this thread is getting derailed into a gun ownership rights discussion. The OP started out about giving thought to police officers as human beings.
 
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Most cops are great people, but I would say a third of them are pompous jackasses who think they are superior because they wear a government uniform.

I think there are only two kinds of cops. Those who do it because they want to serve their community, and those who do it because they want to exert power.

You take a privileged kid fresh out of high school and make him a cop because his dad is someone connected in the force and you get a recipe for disaster.

I think higher standards, frequent training and audits, and periodic re-qualification would go a long way in how police is viewed by the public overall.
 
I have lots of respect for police officers. Spend a night listening to a police scanner and you will wonder how they stay sane. They deal with tons of domestic disputes, drug problems, mental issues,....you name it. It's simple, treat them with respect, no more, no less.

The very most important thing to remember is that if you volunteer information to them, that information can turn up in court in a wildly twisted way. Always be leary of them trying to befriend you, asking you to share everything because if you are innocent you have nothing to hide. An example I read about years ago was a guy sharing that he gave his daughters baths, which turned into he fondled his daughters in the bath tub in custody proceedings.

Not sure why this thread is getting derailed into a gun ownership rights discussion. The OP started out about giving thought to police officers as human beings.

No, treat them with courtesy. Respect is earned, not given. Don't respect a cop for just being a cop.
 
For several years I went to car shows (to show our classic cars) with the local county sheriff. He drove a modified 72 Chevelle. I find it is always good to be friends with the local constabulary.

But see, it shouldn't matter if one is good friends with the police. I reject that statement because it implies there is a difference in service if you know them than if you don't.
 
@ OppositeLock: Courtesy vs. respect? Point taken. But respect has several definitions. One of mine is " Due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others. " So we are on similar pages. The Golden Rule, in my case.

Edit re comments below: in agreement - I stated above to be leary of information you volunteer freely.
 
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Wife and I were out for a drive in the truck today. Plan was to take the dog out for a walk in the country but he needed a new harness so we headed downtown to Pet Valu to get one. As we approached the area of the store we came to a set of lights where there was a bicycle cop. I let him go first then overtook him before pulling into the plaza where I parked and shut off the truck while my wife exited the vehicle to head into the store.

Officer on the bike follows us in and stops at the sidewalk behind the truck that ran in front of the stores. He stood there for a minute and then approached me. The exchange went like this:

Officer: "Hey, is that factory exhaust?"
Me: (concerned) "No, it's a Borla cat-back"
Officer: "it sounds amazing, I have the same truck and have been considering Corsa"
Me (relieved) "Oh! Yes, we just had it put one, we really like it"
Officer: "What series is it?"
Me "It's the S-Type"
Officer: "OK, thank you! you have me considering this setup now" *laughing*
Me: "No problem!"
Officer: "Have a great day and thanks again!"

He leaves.

I in no way expected that to go that way so I was of course pleasantly surprised. Sometimes we forget that cops are car guys, gun guys, bikers, hikers...etc and may be interested in the same things we are and do, even when on duty.
I've never had trouble with cops. In fact I'm 37 now, haven't been stopped in years, but most of my cop memories are young cops letting me off for driving stupid when I was a teenager. There will always be some bad apples out there, but the majority of them are good people.
 
Every time I got pulled over in my 300ZX,the cop always was a Nissan Z fan, and my violation never would even get discussed. He'd start asking about my car,and eventually tell me to be safe and have a nice day:D
 
You take a privileged kid fresh out of high school and make him a cop because his dad is someone connected in the force and you get a recipe for disaster.
And I happen to know someone I played soccer with as a kid who went down that path - his dad was pretty high up there as a sergeant. That’s all I’ll say.

Except for a ticket or two, I’ve had positive interactions with the cops. I’ve gotten into convos with them about bikes, beer, a few of them talked about their workouts and other things.
 
Every time I got pulled over in my 300ZX,the cop always was a Nissan Z fan, and my violation never would even get discussed. He'd start asking about my car,and eventually tell me to be safe and have a nice day:D
My Brother in Law got hired in 1978 by a rich guy to pick up one of the very first Mazda RX-7s from a port in California and drive it back to Michigan. Paid all expenses for him and his buddy to fly to CA and drive it back. Got stopped dozens and dozens of times by cops asking "What IS that?" Never got a ticket, but still laughs about it to this day.
 
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