Blue Iris stays away from the shrubberyBlueIris (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:15 AM
Original message
Inspired by CreekDog's thread, how many of you have now reached the point at which you will now
go out of your way to avoid interacting with or even being in close proximity to a police officer?
I have, since approximately the year 2002, gone out of my way, sometimes literally, to avoid even being on the same city block as a cop. If a police officer's car gets anywhere near mine, I will actually switch lanes, and sometimes take an entirely different route to my destination. This has become habitual for me. Same if I see them on the street--I do what I can to move away, including going into stores I wasn't planning on going into, just to be as far away from them as possible.
For the record, I am a good law abiding citizen who has never been arrested. But I can now see most police officers to be not just unstable, but dangerous people who have near absolute authority to do what they please without consequences. Not only do I no longer rely on them to be able to protect us from crimes, I think they are little better than government sponsored enforcers. And it frightens me that our society has devolved to the point where the current standards for police conduct are considered acceptable.
Blue Iris reminds me of a friend who told me a story of coming into ownership of a house in a bad neighborhood. His first act was to install flood lights all over the property. For the first few weeks he would randomly turn on the exterior lights which would clearly illuminate the street. Every time he did, there were people out in the street who would scurry away from the light just like a cockroach.
CreekDog (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #1
56. I'm concerned that many police can't handle medically compromised people properly
or situations where the person they are dealing with is disabled.
whether it's the professor in Massachusettes with one leg and the field sobriety test (really happened).
the San Mateo man tased while going through a diabetic reaction.
the apparently hearing impaired man in North Carolina who didn't obey a shouted command and was tased while riding a bike which caused him to crash and die.
asthmatics they spray point blank in the face with pepper spray.
The man in Washington who was disabled and homeless who a friend called a welfare check on and the police came and ended up shooting him.
folks they rough up because they can't run or don't know how to follow a command.
I mean, if someone is having a medical difficulty or has an impairment, the police aren't just arresting them, a lot of times we're hearing they're using deadly force on these people or sometimes just violent force when it's not necessary.
And when you consider that if you see someone staggering with a medical problem and your intent is to *help* that person, if you think the police are going to come and tase them and throw them to the ground and cuff them --why would you call the police in that case?
It's got to cross one's mind when they read these stories.
BS, but we have actual LEO's on CC. I'll let them say something.
coalition_unwilling (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:45 AM
Response to Reply #4
16. What happened at UC-Davis is not an anomaly or aberration, but
an iconic representation of what has been happening all across the length and breadth of America, from Tulsa to Oakland, from New York City to Seattle.
In short, the cops all across tbe land have been using excessive force and brutalizing Americans who are exercising their first amendment rights.
And Obama and the leadership of the Democratic Party has remained entirely silent.
Seizing a public park for your sole use, destruction of property, blocking of traffic, drug solicitation and usage, rape, assault, and robbery are not constitutional rights.
ThomWV (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:25 AM
Response to Original message
6. I avoid interaction with the police at every opportunity, but I don't scurry from them in public.
Not one time in my entire life has a cop done anything good for me, quite the opposite actually. In the very few times I've tried to make use of their services they have failed me, in fact they continue to fail me annually in one case. On a personal level every one I've ever met was an asshole with some sort of a John Wayne/Clint Eastwood mentality (minus 20 or so IQ points). As far as I'm concerned they are just garbage-men with badges, I wouldn't piss on one if he was on fire.
ThomWV makes a late bid for DOTY.
Fumesucker (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:27 AM
Response to Original message
7. I suspect the replies to your post will be fairly well sorted by class and race..
If you are upper class and Caucasian then you have little to fear from most interactions with police, the further you get from that status the more careful you should be.
Ah, yes, the police are classist and racist meme.
coalition_unwilling (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:57 AM
Response to Reply #21
22. I wonder whether the folks at your Occupy encampment share
Edited on Sat Nov-26-11 10:57 AM by coalition_unwilling
your lack of fear or whether they, like many Occupiers across the U.S., have grown suspicious and fearful of the cops.
I know I am far more skeptical about the cops in the wake of Oakland, NY City, UC-Davis.
I'm in Los Angeles. We had three of the LAPD swagger through the camp after last night's General Assembly. The arrogance and contempt rolled off them palpably. (See Fire Walk with Me's account.)
Why shouldn't they hold you in contempt? Take a look at what really went on in Oakland, but it would take honesty on your part.
WingDinger (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:41 AM
Response to Original message
12. Once lived with two other roomies, and the landL wanted to allow a cop to move in.
We all told him sorry, but dont tell.
So the landlord tossed the dopers out and moved the cop in.
NYC_SKP (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 10:47 AM
Response to Original message
19. I once did that lane changing thing and got pulled over.
I watch my mirrors like a hawk and one night on 680 near Fremont California where there had to be 4 lanes in each direction, I see a CHP coming up on me, so I do the right thing and signal then pull one lane to the right.
The CHP follows suit, so I do the same, then again into the furthest right lane.
Then on go the lights.
He explained that I was pulled over because I couldn't seem to stay in one lane.
**** that shit.
****er.
Yep, it's called acting suspicious.
snappyturtle (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 11:14 AM
Response to Original message
29. I avoid them like you do. Too many incidences to get into here but if
anyone would bother to review the police harassment etc. during the Rupublican Convention here in the Cities (ask Amy Goodman) then they'd know what we're up against. If it is the actions of only a few cops then it's time to weed them out but I doubt that is the case. I, too, am law abiding and never even had a ticket (40+ years of driving) however.....
Sure, the police were harassing the innocent harmless protestors. The same protestors that were doing everything in their power including planning bomb making to disrupt the republican convention.
nadinbrzezinski (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-26-11 11:29 AM
Response to Original message
32. Alas that behavior will get their attention faster
no seriously..
And most cops are not what you think they are
Nadin, cop psychologist.
