3 ms·

The problem to me is often their caviler use as torture devices to force compliance. I have seen many used where some calm words or listening would have gotten

The problem to me is often their caviler use as torture devices to force compliance. I have seen many used where some calm words or listening would have gotten their way. Now cops just yell commands, often 3 at a time, and use less lethal force as a first resort.

taxicabjesus 9y ago
> I have seen many used where some calm words or listening would have gotten their way. In the United States we have a sort of trench warfare between 'citizens' and 'la policia'. No one wins. Many people hate the police because they're routinely harmed - financially and otherwise - for not hurting anyone. Police officers justify hurting people with "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them." I think this is the origin of the term 'cop out' [1]. [1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copping%20out https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copping%20out I remember a fellow who I picked up at a police substation around 2am. ~7 hours before he'd pulled into the convenience store, on his way home from the bar... His car had automatic headlights, it was twilight, and the car didn't think it dark enough to turn the headlights on yet. The police officer was right behind him. He blew a .04 (half Arizona's legal limit of 0.08). The police officer decided to arrest him under the state's Zero-Tolerance laws... My passenger said that he'd complained, "you don't actually have to tow my car", but policy is policy... 7 hours later I took the guy home. As I recall, this passenger was rather frustrated, but could probably afford to spend a couple thousand dollars getting his car back & on a lawyer to deal with the legal system on his behalf. Most people get stuck with public defenders, who mostly just provide small amounts of lubrication to those who get screwed by the system.

3 ms·

The problem to me is often their caviler use as torture devices to force compliance. I have seen many used where some calm words or listening would have gotten

by damnfine 9y ago

taxicabjesus 9y ago
> I have seen many used where some calm words or listening would have gotten their way. In the United States we have a sort of trench warfare between 'citizens' and 'la policia'. No one wins. Many people hate the police because they're routinely harmed - financially and otherwise - for not hurting anyone. Police officers justify hurting people with "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them." I think this is the origin of the term 'cop out' [1]. [1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copping%20out https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copping%20out I remember a fellow who I picked up at a police substation around 2am. ~7 hours before he'd pulled into the convenience store, on his way home from the bar... His car had automatic headlights, it was twilight, and the car didn't think it dark enough to turn the headlights on yet. The police officer was right behind him. He blew a .04 (half Arizona's legal limit of 0.08). The police officer decided to arrest him under the state's Zero-Tolerance laws... My passenger said that he'd complained, "you don't actually have to tow my car", but policy is policy... 7 hours later I took the guy home. As I recall, this passenger was rather frustrated, but could probably afford to spend a couple thousand dollars getting his car back & on a lawyer to deal with the legal system on his behalf. Most people get stuck with public defenders, who mostly just provide small amounts of lubrication to those who get screwed by the system.