Everybody be cool - it's the PoPo

[John Galt]

Cops - love 'em, hate 'em, or just keep 'em at arm's length?

Cop Block: Manchester PD | Cop Block

YouTube - ‪CopBlock: Manchester PD‬‏

[amyuilani]

As someone who has a degree in criminal justice, has had to study many different types of organizations, and has spent a lot of time with cops, both in study and as friends, I have to say I love them. The few you hear about are the exception, not the norm. It's like having a problem with flying because you were around for 9/11 or read about plane crashes. The very few that you hear about should not be enough to disspell the entire notion of air travel.

[dEadERest]

Originally Posted by amyuilani

As someone who has a degree in criminal justice, has had to study many different types of organizations, and has spent a lot of time with cops, both in study and as friends, I have to say I love them.

so how do you feel about CopBlock?

[Incognito]

Everybody hates cops until they need them. Thing is, there are a lot of unqualified asshole cops that make the entire profession look bad; we only see footage of the nefarious acts done by police because it makes for good watching, so generally what the public is exposed to. I treat everyone individually, so if I see a cop pull me over, I don't immediately think that he's going to put a knee to my head nor give me a pass; I take it as it comes.

[marina]

While I know intellectually that law enforcement people are like normal people, mostly good with a few idiots and douches thrown in, and a few bad days, etc., I was also raised by people who had every reason to hate and fear the police. My parents always had me watch for the cops and as an incentive to be a good look-out, I was told that when they caught us, I'd be wrenched away from them and deposited in a foster home or a jail cell. It doesn't help that when I was in kindergarten, the drug den my mom lived in was raided, which was terrifying, and I sat in jail (not in a cell, just in the building) waiting for my grandma to come pick me up.

So I have a pretty engrained fear of the cops, and I find it hard to breath when they're near me. When I was a new driver, I would cry every time I got pulled over.

And while I believe that cops should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law for their transgressions, I also recognize that there are some violent shit-heads out there, and talking nicely to them isn't always the answer. Sometimes some people need beat the fuck up in order to be subdued. These activists are putting good police in an awkward situation. What if one of the people they pulled over starts shooting, or decides to fight back another way. Now the cop has to worry about bystanders, even though the criminal won't give any shits.

It's also annoying that they kept asking "who's the victim?" That's a question you can ask when cops raid a home because they think people are smoking pot inside, but that's not a question you can ask when someone is being pulled over while driving. Any erratic driving, or disregard for traffic laws can potentially lead to an accident. A car is a deadly weapon. The victim could very well be one of these copblock jerks standing in the middle of the street recording the police with their cell phone camera, too busy to watch for speeding cars.

[Fourbid]

Originally Posted by dEadERest

so how do you feel about CopBlock?

After watching the video, I can say that they're a bunch of douches. I was hoping one of them got tazed. No such luck.

[DaveNJ]

Originally Posted by Fourbid

After watching the video, I can say that they're a bunch of douches. I was hoping one of them got tazed. No such luck.

Yep. I also think that 911 should block their numbers.

[incognegro13x]

I really don't know what my feelings are about that video. Most of the time if I don't bother the cops or draw attention to myself then they will not bother me. However, everybody knows an area/city/state where the cops are horrible and you could only wish there was a camera nearby.

[dEadERest]

Originally Posted by marina

It doesn't help that when I was in kindergarten, the drug den my mom lived in was raided, which was terrifying, and I sat in jail (not in a cell, just in the building) waiting for my grandma to come pick me up.

sounds like one helluvan after-school movie

Originally Posted by marina

The victim could very well be one of these copblock jerks standing in the middle of the street recording the police with their cell phone camera, too busy to watch for speeding cars.

the group was careful to not obstruct and to be safe. they are exercising rights.

Originally Posted by DaveNJ

Yep. I also think that 911 should block their numbers.

that's an interesting premise

[fluxquanta]

Every cop I've ever had to personally deal with was professional and seemed to love their job. I even considered it for a while, especially since it's one of the best paying jobs up here.