Things The Public Wants Cops to Know
Quite a few years ago, I started collecting “Things Cops Want You to Know” and posting the best online here.
The suggestions I received from the law enforcement community were a colorful mixture of facts, fun and folklore, and they continue to come in.
I also got a lot of comments from people who took exception to what the Cops were saying, or didn’t quite get the tongue-in-cheek meaning of some comments.
If you have something that you want the Cops to know, leave a comment here and the better ones will migrate to the “Official” list.
Note: “You Suck” does not indicate the degree of thought and intellect I’d like to represent here, so if you have nothing constructive to say …
ATTENTION POLICE – You Should Know …
- Please learn the US constitution and your State constitution and abide by them. They are the documents you swore an oath to uphold. It might be tough to accept but those documents are there to restrict YOU not us! They are there to protect us from you. Our freedoms are not supposed to be convenient for you. and a citizen exercising them is not being “uncooperative.” (Fitz)
- If YOU don’t respect your badge, and what it represents, how can you expect others to do so?
- PLEASE – Interact with us the same way that you would like other cops to interact with your parents, spouse or child.
- We know that you have to establish authority, but calling me a bitch or dropping the “F” bomb doesn’t help me respect you.
- As long as we are not physically obstructing you, we have a right to film you when you are performing your duties. Merely making a video of your actions is not an offense and you have no authority to confiscate cameras, phones, tapes or memory cards without a warrant.
- Some people are jerks and hate cops, but that’s not all of us.
- As a member of law enforcement you are held to a high standard — mere words can’t hurt you, and “Contempt of Cop” is not a crime.
- You are law enforcement, not legislators.
- Scott Says: To the cop that put the message about fighting and not losing, the same can be said for us. When you take an aggressive stance and threaten or impose brutality remember
- You might not get paid to lose but most civilians have nothing to lose, especially depending on what you’re there to charge them with.
- You may have pretty toys (as you so disturbingly called these dangerous weapons that can cause great bodily harm including death) to help assault us but they mean very little when someone is fighting with heart and for equality.
- You may have backup on its way and pissed off but I bet my homeboys could be there faster than your backup and 2x as mad. So think about that the next time you nonchalantly and so light heartily talk about beating a United States civilian.
- A “pat down” is a “pat down” to check for weapons for officer safety. The courts have ruled those are allowed. But a “search” requires a warrant or consent. Unless its obviously a weapon, the unknown lump in my pocket is none of your business, and my refusal to let you search is my RIGHT.(Grant F.)
- When I am pulled over for going 4 miles over the speed limit (that is my bad). My passenger’s identity is of no concern to you. Unless they look like a person of interest, and you can prove it in a court of law.
- My asserting my RIGHTS does not give you probable cause to violate them. Ask officer Howell in St Helens and trooper Oxenrider with Oregon State Police how that worked out for them. (Grant F.)
- Rather than escalate a situation, speak calmly and clearly if you want cooperation.
Screaming at people doesn’t make them understand you better, instead, it causes them to block you out. (Paulo) - Just because you stopped us because you profiled us, don’t feel as if you must] give us tickets or warnings to cover it up. Be pleasant, thank us and be on your way.
We’ll respect you more for respecting us than if you penalize us for having done nothing but drive a crappy car. If we can’t afford a better car, we can’t afford a ticket we didn’t earn. (Christine) - Remember our lives and jobs suck too. Badgering us with interrogating questions when we’re just having a bad day doesn’t engender our cooperation or courtesy.(Paulo)
- I know not all cops are bad and many of you conduct yourselves professionally and courteously. However, I cannot distinguish you from the bad cops at first glance so the only safe thing for me to do is assume you’re a bad cop. (Bruce)
- Zarathustra adds: The tone of your comments (Things Cops Know) sets the tone for your interaction with the public, it’s generally borderline hostile and intolerant. We get it-you’re great and carry a great burden for 30k a year. Also, blasting your radios at full-volume at a public restaurant is annoying and in poor taste.
Things Parents of Special Needs Children Want Cops to Know
let them know in the comments below.
The Best will Move to the “Official List”
As I Said Above: “You Suck” does not indicate the degree of thought and intellect I’d like to represent here, so if you have nothing constructive to say …
Sir,
First of all thank you! The article itself had me nodding and thinking “No kidding” from the LEO point of view.
The comments from the readers (not all but most) were infuriating. The ones that complain are the epitome of why this country is such a mess. OK, I’m back on point, sorry.
I happen to love and adore LEOs!
What I want them to know is that my fondness and respect is because of how I was raised and the person that I am. Having served honorably in the military for over 20 years,
I view them as family, brothers/sisters in uniform, please don’t confuse this with me being a badge bunny ( my term for the ” groupies” ).
Also, many times I end up being able to give extremely detailed information. Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I’m am attention whore. I don’t mean to be crass but I deal with those attention starved idiots daily.
I may be tall, blonde, thin and nice but please don’t take my kindness as me flirting. I’m not trying to get out of anything.
So far I have no tickets, arrests etc. I have a TS clearance, I just follow the rules. If all these haters put their energy in giving back or spending a week in harms way they would petition the legal system to change it, where it belongs!
In closing, I predict that in the very near future we will be under martial law, most likely 24-72 hours or so. On the down side the military will be the most hated “servants” but if it makes LE appreciated more then it will be a win!
We have a minimum 4 percent error on death row if our system can condem that many innocent men consider how many are sent to prison for crimes they didn’t comit.
That being said and on another note cops love to use the “I’m just doing my job” cliche but then turn around and scream that they are of higher morality or that there life matters like they are soecial. The fact is you CHOOSE a job that’s it if you are afraid or cant handle the occasional threat quit.
It is difficult to feel to much sympathy for a man when he signs up for a job and on the first day you are given a gun, bullet proof vest,taser ,made,handcuffs,club,and other things designed to inflict pain and restrain people as well as a badge that grants you some special right to use it at your discretion.
Please just keep in mind as you do your job day in and out your presence invokes fear not comfort. Ordinary people fear cops and for good reason. To many cops behave as if it is y’all against us when all we want is to go home just like you and just like you most of us are good people the assholes make us look bad but as an officer of higher moral standards you must weed out and penilize any officer who violates a civilians rights or breaks the law otherwise you are just as guilty by association and no better than the worst in your Dept.