Like all people, there are good cops and bad cops.
If you're in an accident, you get assaulted or your house gets broken into, who's the first person you call? The cops.
No matter what your opinion is of them or whether you've had a bad experience with the police, when you need them they are there.
My house was broken into years ago - they were around straight away, took fingerprints etc.
When I got punched in the head by a "road rager" cyclist @ 15 years ago, their treatment of me was second to none. They followed up with phone calls checking on how I was and also giving me progress in the case.
They ain't all bad.
Ahh now see I hear this alot, especially from people who have never NEEDED the police (obviously you have, and have good experiences)
I was in a accident (not at fault), police didn't bother turning up, and it ended up an insurance ****fight, was a public bus running into the back of me and trying to claim i was at fault.
Got all the drivers details except address, so they claimed I didn't have enough details to put it through to their insurance, police said they couldn't help (after not turning up) and it was a nightmare, all because according to the police I had enough details for an insurance claim so they couldn't go through the channels to get his details for me! Finally after being told I was at fault by the insurance company I rang them abused the **** out of them about it being a simple accident where I was run into the back of, and after showing some extreme rage the bus companies insurance covered it as they should have from the start.
This was excuseable, however....
We where robbed (the house), called the police they took 3 hours to turn up. This is after we arrived home to find our house open, with theives possibly still inside. They did jack **** except say "Oh this is happening alot around here at the moment".
We have had people brawling outside our house, smashing car windows and mirrors, the police don't bother coming... ever (it happens all the time). The station is literally maybe 1km away.
Was also at a pub once that got attacked by carnies, they smashed a friends motorcycle, bashed a brawler (he was hospitalised with serious injuries) hurt alot of the patrons, and then spent 15 mins throwing metal bars and glass at the pub once it was barricaded with everyone inside.
The police turned up later, caught no one, and pretty much missed the whole event...... luckily the ambulance service was good (from memory they got there before the police too)
I got pulled over for a breathtest once on the bike, and the officer was fine, she was polite friendly and it was good. If every police officer was like this I would never have an issue.
The problem is often the police don't turn up when needed (if you really need them you basically need to lie and tell them someone has a weapon, as its the only way they'll come), which according to recent newspaper articles is because they are forced to spend so much time behind the desk.
Then add in the fact alot of police seem to have a chip on their shoulder, and are following stupid political agenda's which generally include harrassing people and making money (neither of which they should be doing, and is probably the reason for the chip on their shoulders) and you have a bad situation thanks to the pollies.
Also, personally I don't think the police should have guns or tazers, at worst there should be rapid response units specifically armed. Otherwise batons like in the UK. Why? First because no yahoo's will join to get to use a gun, and secondly because deadly weapons have no place on police officers. Especially when the police course is 6 months training....
You need a several year course to teach children (a much less responsible job imo) and yet you can become a police officer, uphold the law, and a gun, and its 6 months?
Obviously there are good and bad officers, but I think the whole system they are trying to uphold is too political and too corrupt, and they don't attract the right kind of people.
:jawdrop:
