[Morris]

Recently, you have seen a series of actions by certain unnamed groups and federal types in regards to cops across the US. I offer you some things to consider:

1) You lash out angrily when you deem your rights are violated. Yet you routinely violate mine and curtail mine on and off duty.

2) You demand respect at all times, in all contacts, in all areas. Yet you spit in my face and call me stupid names, acting disrespectfully.

3) You complain when I drive too fast on the street. Yet you scream that I can't get to your house fast enough when you call 911.

4) You sit for hours, watching cop like shows and believing everything presented as "realistic drama." Yet you can't find the time to hot seat in the passenger side for a ride-along for a real view of drama.

5) You expect us to be tough. Yet you scorn us when we break down.

6) You put us on pedestals. Yet you kick that pedestal from underneath us whenever you can.

7) You cry about how unfair it is you were cited for speeding. Yet you always mutter "Where's a cop when you need one" when that silver bullet blows past you on the highway.

8) You expect us to be perfect in all areas, in all facets, in all parts of life. Yet you yourself are not.

9) You want us to be your psychologist or therapist even though we don't have the training, or degree, for that.

10) You expect us to be a surrogate parent and punisher when you cannot be one yourself.

When you understand this, then perhaps, we can talk at a peer level.

Sincerely,

Your local officer

[RyanNREMTP]

Don't forget Paul Harvey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEvZBKwvE0k

[msu_grad_121]

Originally Posted by RyanNREMTP

Don't forget Paul Harvey.

Amen.

Love the first post, too. Wish I could get a whole ton of people to read this...

[Morris]

You are welcome to distribute as you like. I'm making it public domain.

[Mrs.Cicero]

I liked that. A lot.

Sort of sounds like the way some women I know think about and treat their husbands...

but that would be a thread...

for GNG...

Have a safe and happy holiday season,
Mrs.Cicero

[PROSOUTH]

I'm sure we deal with the same type of people daily, I know that I do and after all these years I still am amazed at people daily.

I'm getting close to the end of my tour and to the point that I really don't give a dann about complaints so things have been going a little more to my favor lately.

I went on a call recently where the father of a 15 year old male called and said that his son wouldn't get up and go to school. I blistered him and told him if he couldn't be a parent then he shouldn't of had kids. I asked him where his belt was and why he hadn't used it? No answer, I asked him why did he think it was my responsibility to discipline his offspring? No answer, I told the boy to get up and get his *** in the car and that if I had to come back he would wish that he had never been born and that I had a place for him.

I told the dad to get up off of his *** and be a man, take the kid to alternative school (where else) and that after he got back to get outside and have the junkyard cleaned up in front of the house and then start on this filthy house and have it cleaned up before his working wife got home. If he didn't I would get warrants for him and send Child Services, County Codes and who ever else I could think of out here to make his chronic un-employed life have a little more meaning.

Dang, Why haven't I been doing my job a little more over the top all along.......

I came back by this guy's house the next day and he had cleaned up all of the junk and swept the leaves and garbage into a pile and was burning it. Nah I didn't even stop and complain about him not having a burn permit lol

Life is Good !

[x_out86]

Amen to the OP and Paul Harvey.

There still is respect for the badge out there. You just have to look pretty damn hard to find it.

[janice6]

I have asked people, "how much would you charge to be shot at"?

Puts a different light on the job.

[NEOH212]

Poetic and so true.

It's definitely a tough job that takes special people to do it. I don't think that I could put up with all that nonsense from people and not be overly cynical at the end of the day. Not to mention I would probably loose my sanity within the first year on the job.

[MODOC GLOCK]

I feel for all the police officers out there. In CORRECTIONS we deal with very similar B.S. get paid less, crappy health ins, and worse of all no discount at the local Mc Fast Food Dump. So I kinda know how ya feel. lol but in all honesty I'm just thankful for a job and my liberties.

To all the cops and CO's out there watch your six.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine

[nikerret]

Originally Posted by RyanNREMTP

Don't forget Paul Harvey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEvZBKwvE0k

Damn, that was good.

[lwt210]

Originally Posted by PROSOUTH

I'm getting close to the end of my tour and to the point that I really don't give a dann about complaints
!

That is usually about the time you stop getting complaints.

Been rolling like that for years. If someone needs to be told the truth in love, I dish it out.

Usually, when a parent calls and wants me to tell their kid what to do, I look at the parent and say "Uh, he/she doesn't look a thing like me so why do you think I am going to be his/her parent? I have my own child to raise. Want to come over to my house and help me with him? Oh wait, I don't need help with my son. I started with the discipline early on. You can't start when they are 15 years old. So basically, this is pretty much your (parents) fault. So my next question is why are you calling me, bothering me on such a pretty day, when you are the one who has failed your child?"

It is usually at this point when every mouth in the room has dropped. The parent/complainant, the spoiled kid, the other cops in the room.....

The truth only hurts when it needs to.

Regards.

[lawman800]

If I got a call everytime I had to go play parent for someone who can't control their little 6 year old or tell their middle schooler to wake up and go to school... I would be doing pretty well. I don't get it with these people that have kids and don't have any idea how to be a parent. They don't get to be called a parent, that is a title that is earned for someone that is actually taking care of their kids... otherwise, they are just someone who has kids.

[Pepper45]

Originally Posted by lwt210

That is usually about the time you stop getting complaints.

Been rolling like that for years. If someone needs to be told the truth in love, I dish it out.

Usually, when a parent calls and wants me to tell their kid what to do, I look at the parent and say "Uh, he/she doesn't look a thing like me so why do you think I am going to be his/her parent? I have my own child to raise. Want to come over to my house and help me with him? Oh wait, I don't need help with my son. I started with the discipline early on. You can't start when they are 15 years old. So basically, this is pretty much your (parents) fault. So my next question is why are you calling me, bothering me on such a pretty day, when you are the one who has failed your child?"

It is usually at this point when every mouth in the room has dropped. The parent/complainant, the spoiled kid, the other cops in the room.....

The truth only hurts when it needs to.

Regards.

I've come to realize that you're exactly right. We get complaints when we try to be parents, or mediators, or whatever. We get complaints when we aren't cops. Compassion goes a long way, and I'll spend a pile of free time talking with someone who wants help, who honestly needs direction. But if someone wants me to parent, or fix their lives, they're going to get blunt honesty, and shown the door. I stopped getting complaints when I did that.

[actionshooter10]

It seems like I get get complaints everytime I try to cut someone a break.

So.....

[lwt210]

Originally Posted by Pepper45

Compassion goes a long way, and I'll spend a pile of free time talking with someone who wants help, who honestly needs direction. But if someone wants me to parent, or fix their lives, they're going to get blunt honesty, and shown the door. I stopped getting complaints when I did that.

And that is the thing. If someone wants help....particularly if they NEED help, then I will do what I can to offer something to them, if that something is only an ear to soak up their grief.

But this "come parent for me" thing is about the same as "hey, my yard needs cutting" in my opinion. I'm not there to be junior's dad nor am I there to keep your yard tidy.

If junior bows up on you and pops you in the head, then I can deal with that. I have options for that.

But as far as complaints are concerned, I have found that the average citizen wants to be told the truth...even if it stings a bit. When I was younger I would worry about complaints and sure enough, they would roll in. I'd watch what I said to folks, try to sugar coat it the best that I could, and sure enough, they'd get ticked and call in something bogus.

I finally figured out that if I am going to get complained on anyway, might as well tell folks what I truly thought, instead of a watered down PC version. So I tried brutal honesty.

I can't remember the last complaint I have had. It's been years since I have had to write a statement. I record everything now anyway so the powers that be may be heading off stuff by just watching the footage without me knowing it.

Either way, not stressing about it all has added years to my lifespan. I treat people that I deal with fairly and justly. And they appreciate that, even if they need the truth thrust upon them.

Regards.

[Mrs.Cicero]

I'm still trying to get over the fact that people call the cops to get their children out of bed...:

Mrs.Cicero

[Misty02]

Originally Posted by x_out86

Amen to the OP and Paul Harvey.

There still is respect for the badge out there. You just have to look pretty damn hard to find it.

Not as hard as you may think, and is not respect for the badge but for the person that is wearing it.

Thank you to all that do it well, it is not a job I would like to do but needs to be done. It takes a special person, character, and more patience than God ever blessed me with.

.

[Hack]

Originally Posted by lawman800

If I got a call everytime I had to go play parent for someone who can't control their little 6 year old or tell their middle schooler to wake up and go to school... I would be doing pretty well. I don't get it with these people that have kids and don't have any idea how to be a parent. They don't get to be called a parent, that is a title that is earned for someone that is actually taking care of their kids... otherwise, they are just someone who has kids.

I couldn't word that much better. You are not a parent until you really are a parent; not just breed stock.

[lwt210]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Cicero

I'm still trying to get over the fact that people call the cops to get their children out of bed...:

Mrs.Cicero

We have them call for all sorts of stuff. I would guess that 40-60 percent of the calls we get now have nothing to do with police related matters.

Some of my favorites:

1. Weather updates via 911. Or road closures. Yeah, dialing 911 to see if their favorite route to Walmart is okay to drive on.

2. Busted pipes....in their house. Not the water mains. Happens most often on really cold nights. And I have personally been dispatched to these. Grown men pointing to a busted pipe spewing water behind their wall and not having the sense to go kill the water at the meter.

3. My kid won't clean his room/go to school/backtalking........yeah, been dispatched to those as young as 8 years old. Had one way back when where an 8 year old took the toy from his six year old sibling. Mother wanted me to handle it.


etc.....mind you, most of these gems come out when there are three cops working a huge area. While someone has to go tell these folks "yeah, handle that yourself", the other two cops are checking buildings that have been broken into, going to domestics alone...that kind of thing.

The liability driven mentality is that if we don't dispatch a unit to the silliness, and someone slips on the puddle that their busted pipe caused and breaks their hip and they expire, then we tote a lawsuit.

So yeah, people tie us up all day long with all sorts of good stuff. We are the catch all. It will get worse before it gets better.

[Misty02]

Those calls you mention that come from parents are just shameful.