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PappaGun wrote:
I hope at some point he realized the error of his ways.

It's doubtful. My theory is it's often a wiring issue. Some people are drawn to the emergency trades, not because they have a desire to help, but because they have a desire for the rush. I think every US police officer should have to spend a 6 month internship in the UK where they're not allowed to wear a gun, and are forced to use reason and common sense to solve problems. It would make them less prone to use the taser and the gun as the first resort.

Dreamhopper wrote:

PappaGun wrote:
I hope at some point he realized the error of his ways.

It's doubtful. My theory is it's often a wiring issue. Some people are drawn to the emergency trades, not because they have a desire to help, but because they have a desire for the rush. I think every US police officer should have to spend a 6 month internship in the UK where they're not allowed to wear a gun, and are forced to use reason and common sense to solve problems. It would make them less prone to use the taser and the gun as the first resort.

That it might. There is also a very strong possibility that it might result in a bunch of dead LEO's. I would not want to be the one to have to explain that problem the the families.

OldCurlyWolf wrote:

Dreamhopper wrote:

PappaGun wrote:
I hope at some point he realized the error of his ways.

It's doubtful. My theory is it's often a wiring issue. Some people are drawn to the emergency trades, not because they have a desire to help, but because they have a desire for the rush. I think every US police officer should have to spend a 6 month internship in the UK where they're not allowed to wear a gun, and are forced to use reason and common sense to solve problems. It would make them less prone to use the taser and the gun as the first resort.

That it might. There is also a very strong possibility that it might result in a bunch of dead LEO's. I would not want to be the one to have to explain that problem the the families.

I value people in descending order of importantance/value:
1. Military
2. Doctors
3. Cops/Average citizen (tie)
4. Gangbangers
5. Dishonest cops
6. Drug dealers
7. Abusive cops
8. Terrorists

I am hugely pro-LEO, and just as hugely anti-bad cop. I think 15 drug dealers do less harm to society than 1 crooked cop, and I'd darn sure prefer to take my chances against 15 drug dealers than to have to deal with 1 crooked cop.

Years ago I drove a semi - hauled rail freight to and from the yards. I often took the back roads into Louisiana, because the troopers at the I-20 Louisiana weight stations were jerks. I was rolling down a deserted two-lane highway in rural Louisiana on a warm August day, wind coming in the window, enjoying the sun, the weather and the ride, when the CB radio squawked, "County mountie eastbound!"

I immediately looked at my speedometer and realized I was going too fast. So I took my foot of the pedal and let the truck slow down naturally. About that time I spotted the police car in the rearview mirror. Of course I figured I was about to get a ticket.

The guy followed me for about a mile and never lit me up. So I figured, he's goin' somewhere, let him by. I eased the right side tires onto the shoulder and signaled with my hand for him to pass. Sure enough he pulled around me and took off. As I was breathing a sigh of relief the CB squawked again, "I'll bet you got all nervous when you saw me in your mirror!"

I keyed up my mike and said, "I sure did. Was that you on the CB earlier?" (It sounded like him.)

"Yeah, that was me", he replied. "You might want to watch your speed. You were goin' a bit fast through there."

I responded, "Yeah, I was enjoying the sun and the breeze and not paying attention to my speed. Thanks for the early Christmas present."

"I'll be watching for you when you come through here", he answered. "Try to keep that big rig under control. I don't want anyone gettin' hurt."

That happened fifteen years ago at least, and I still chuckle about it.

Dreamhopper wrote: I value people in descending order of importantance/value:
1. Military
2. Doctors
3. Cops/Average citizen (tie)
4. Gangbangers
5. Dishonest cops
6. Drug dealers
7. Abusive cops
8. Terrorists

I am hugely pro-LEO, and just as hugely anti-bad cop. I think 15 drug dealers do less harm to society than 1 crooked cop, and I'd darn sure prefer to take my chances against 15 drug dealers than to have to deal with 1 crooked cop.

I get intensely angry with LEO's over three things:

1. Stupidity that puts his life at jeopardy
2. Stupidity that puts my life at jeopardy
3. Crossing the line and stomping on mine or others rights. IE, breaking the law.

I believe one of the reasons for the intensity of these feelings, beside my innate sense of right and wrong, is I was one.

baldeagle wrote:Years ago I drove a semi - hauled rail freight to and from the yards. I often took the back roads into Louisiana, because the troopers at the I-20 Louisiana weight stations were jerks. I was rolling down a deserted two-lane highway in rural Louisiana on a warm August day, wind coming in the window, enjoying the sun, the weather and the ride, when the CB radio squawked, "County mountie eastbound!"

I immediately looked at my speedometer and realized I was going too fast. So I took my foot of the pedal and let the truck slow down naturally. About that time I spotted the police car in the rearview mirror. Of course I figured I was about to get a ticket.

The guy followed me for about a mile and never lit me up. So I figured, he's goin' somewhere, let him by. I eased the right side tires onto the shoulder and signaled with my hand for him to pass. Sure enough he pulled around me and took off. As I was breathing a sigh of relief the CB squawked again, "I'll bet you got all nervous when you saw me in your mirror!"

I keyed up my mike and said, "I sure did. Was that you on the CB earlier?" (It sounded like him.)

"Yeah, that was me", he replied. "You might want to watch your speed. You were goin' a bit fast through there."

I responded, "Yeah, I was enjoying the sun and the breeze and not paying attention to my speed. Thanks for the early Christmas present."

"I'll be watching for you when you come through here", he answered. "Try to keep that big rig under control. I don't want anyone gettin' hurt."

That happened fifteen years ago at least, and I still chuckle about it.

Something similar, without even a CB. Heading for the barn in my telephone truck, hit a radar trap going about 10 over posted. I made eye contact with the cop in the car, and he made a "pistol finger" at me, and then just waved. I assumed he never had a problem with the phone company. I slowed down.

The ambulance driver may not have known his emergenncy lights weren't working. I've seen that happen when an emergency vehicle operator is sent on a call before he can complete his equipment check at the beginning of a shift.

That wouldn't excuse his driving but might explain why he thought the oncoming driver wasn't yielding to his rig.

Under the heading of "lack of education makes my job hilarious", I relate the following.

I was on duty but heading home in the marked crusier, which looks like any other cruiser except for the words "POLICE CHAPLAIN" on the trunk lid and rear fenders. No lights or siren running. I was doing my usual 58 mph or so in a 60 zone in the right lane and one guy behind me just refused to pass. It got so bad I started to pull off because his tagging along behind me had everyone else on the road scared to pass as well. There must have been 30 cars backed up. I decided to pull off and get a soft drink and this guy follows me. When I got out at the 7-11, he parked, got out, and came over to me. I asked him why he didn't want to pass me. He replied, "I figured a POLICE COMMANDER would write me a hefty ticket if I passed him, so I just followed behind."

My uncle used to be a Nacodoches police officer while he worked his way through college back in the '70s. He told me this story one day.

He was parked on the side of the road one night both running radar and studying his school work when he saw an ambulance running Code 3 and hitting about 80 miles per hour. The ambulance passed him and he didn't give it another thought. Then, about 10-15 minutes later, the ambulance came Code 3 in the opposite direction. Now, having worked scenes where medical attention is required, he thought the short time frame was a bit suspicious, so he followed the ambulance.

The ambulance returned directly to the station, turned off its lights and siren, and parked. The driver came out of the ambulance with a 12 pack of beer under his arm. Turns out, the guys at the fire station ran out of beer and sent the ambulance driver on a beer run. My uncle wrote him a ticket for speeding.