Any Good or Bad Experiences With Police Officers?

[Carl62]

In light of the Pres. Obama, Sargeant Crowley, and Prof. Gates incident, has anybody had any positive or negative experiences with police officers? Also, any thoughts on the Obama/Crowley/Gates episode? Did Gates over-react? Or was it Crowley? Or was it Pres. Obama with his statement at the press conference? Again, any experiences you've had, good or bad, please share.

[Jamie123]

In light of the Pres. Obama, Sargeant Crowley, and Prof. Gates incident, has anybody had any positive or negative experiences with police officers? Also, any thoughts on the Obama/Crowley/Gates episode? Did Gates over-react? Or was it Crowley? Or was it Pres. Obama with his statement at the press conference? Again, any experiences you've had, good or bad, please share.

I'm not familiar with this incident - can you post a link please?

[Seanette]

Just about every police officer I've ever dealt with has been anywhere from coolly polite to very nice. I've even been on social terms with police officers in wards I was in. Of course, I don't throw screaming rants pretending to read the officer's mind when he's doing his job, I'm polite and cooperative. Since the worst legal issues I've ever had were traffic, NBD.

Funny story about cops in the ward: in one ward, our bishop and one of his counselors were both county sheriff's deputies, and the EQ president was a CHP trooper (and DH's HT companion, while his wife was my VT. The two families were pretty friendly). I was at one point ward librarian, and I'm given to understand that temperamental copiers are standard in ward libraries. One day, I was having a really rotten time with the copier, which was jamming about every time I looked at it funny, and Brother CHP cruised into the library. I semi-jokingly asked him if he had his gun with him. Bishop Deputy overheard this and commented, "I've seen Brother CHP shoot. The copier is safe". (Everyone present laughed.)

[Guest JoshDwellington]

I know a police officer who's a branch president of a nearby city, he's really nice.

He truly sounds like a positive person, trying to help people get back on track, etc.

However, I've never ever met real life police officers that nice and I think it is very sad :

most of those I've encountered were extremely abusive power trip riders . . . unfortunately

[Dravin]

Never really reacted with cops and so its a blank slate for me.

As far as the Gates issue, from what I've read everything was nominally fine until he got arrested for ''disturbing the peace (officer)'. I don't think it was an issue of racism (I can be pleasantly naive about that kind of stuff though) and more an issue of a loudmouth getting under an officer's skin.

[miztrniceguy]

i got pulled over a couple of weeks ago, was speeding and didn't realize cuz i was getting a bottle of water from my backpack. it was 10:30 at night. when i realized how fast i was going, i immediately slowed down only to notice i was approaching a state trooper from behind who was in the right lane. as i passed him, couldn't slow down fast enough to keep from it happening since he was behind a slow semi, he pulled be himd me. after i passed the truck and moved to the right lane, he moved behind me again and hit his lights. i pulled over and had my lic and ins out when he got to the door. he asked if i knew why he stopped me (duh). i said yes, and explained what had happened. he asked if i knew how fast i was going...about 80(limit 70). he said he would be back in a minute. came back, said he was giving me a warning only cuz i was honest with him and have a clean record, and asked me to slow down please. i thanked him and we went on our way.

[Gwen]

on the negative experiances... there is a county in our area that the cops are known for being pretty crooked. there is a gambling place there and i have to drive past it regularly when we go places. i'm always careful around there cause i know there are big white vans that load ppl up and take them to gamble. i drive a big white van and i know ppl assume that's where i'm going. so one night i turn off the road from the gambling place and i'm increasing to the speed limit just like i always do, when i'm about 5 under the speed limit i see a cop on the side of the road looking for ppl speeding and i don't think anything of it cause i'm not even up to speed limit yet. then i see his lights behind me. so i pull over. my kids are freaking out "mommy, what is wrong? are you going to go to jail?" typical little kid over reactions. so i'm trying to figure out why he could have pulled me over and get the kids to understand that i really need them to stay buckled and be quiet. the cop comes up and stops just behind my vision so i have to turn around slightly to see him, looking in my back windows at my kids. he says nothing just stands there looking confused. so i ask "is everything ok?" he says "i couldn't see your seatbelt, has it been on the whole time?" as he moves up to my window..... yes sir..... are the kids buckled?.... yes sir.... (my husband is holding out the insurance info and what not he got out for me)... he looks in my window sees this and says "let me look at that"... he looks at it, finds everything in order then says "ok, you can go" and leaves. he was very cold, i felt like i was leading what he was supposed to do at the stop, it left my kids very freaked out. i was trying to explain to them for a week why everything was ok. i was not a happy mommy. i figure he pulled me over simply cause i was a big white van and he figured he'd find something to get me on when he got to the window and was thrown when he didn't. but oh well, life goes on.

on the positive and funny side.....

my kids got hold of the phone one morning, started pushing buttons. i did what every mom does, took the phone away and hung it up without another thought. i turned on a cartoon for them and got in the shower...... as i was getting out, still not even dried off i hear the doorbell ring. well my oldest was at a stage where he could unlock the door and he was very excited about that and i hear the little feet running to the door at the sound of the bell. so i open the bathroom door and start yelling "DO NOT UNLOCK THAT DOOR!!!!" then i hear the door unlock and the little feet run back to the living room. i'm trying to dry off as fast as i can thinking they unlocked but didn't open it so i'm ok..... then i hear the door open.... and a man's voice say "hello?"...... by this point i've thrown back on my dirty clothes i took off to get in the shower (just the shirt and pants, forget undies or anything as all this was only a min). i come running toward the door to find a man, a police officer, standing in my living room. all the kids are sitting in the living room on the sofa (and had removed their clothes while i was in the shower). so i as calmly as i can ask the officer "can i help you?"... to which he explains that he got a 911 call from this address....... excuse me?..... i got a call from the 911 operator that there was a call. no one answered but they could hear kids in the background. then they were disconnected. i came to make sure everything is ok.... (he's looking around at everything he can see from where he is standing and not being discreet about it)..... well, the kids were playing with the phone just before i got in the shower, i guess it was possible they called 911. everything is fine, just trying to get our day started. i'm very sorry, i'll try to keep the phone out of reach...... you sure every thing is ok?..... yes. (i'm thinking i'm going to kill the little monsters.)

fast forward nearly 2 yrs later. we are trying to sell our house. we have ppl coming through a lot. painful process. a family comes to look. a man, his pregant wife, and their 4 young children... a family that looked a lot like ours only i had just had my 5th. we are showing this family our house and while standing in our living room the man gets a look on his face and says "i've been here before".... ummmm i don't think so.... on a call.... call?.... i'm a police officer, there was a 911 call, and a lot of naked children....... (trying not to die laughing) i respond "thank you for not calling childrens services on me". it was funny, we each shared our version of what happened that day and laughed about it. we see eachother at the school for our kids activities on occassion and stop and say hello.

[BenRaines]

Having been a police officer I will in the next few days share with you some of my experiences.

Gwen, as for your situation the reason the officer stops out of your vision is to observe the area. Officers are trained to not walk to the front of the window but to keep the door post between themselves and driver. This prevents it from being easy for officer to be assaulted by door or even worse to easily be shot.

Imagine that every vehicle that you stop has someone in it that does not want to be stopped, has a reason to do you harm so that they can get away and you are going to walk up to their door. How would you approach that car?

More to follow.

Ben Raines

[Honor]

I was engaged to a cop.... but I don't think the story of our breakup is what you're looking for.

[Mahone]

I think I've only ever interacted with the police on one occasion in which I hadn't contacted them first and that was when I happened to be walking past what seemed to have been the scene of a crime. A half dozen or so police cars zoomed past me (on blues and twos) as I was walking down the road and the last one stopped beside me and started questioning me about what I was doing and where I was going. It was late on a Friday night and only half a mile or so from the local pubs, so when he asked me if I'd been drinking and I denied it, I think he was little suspicious - how many 20 year olds haven't been drinking on a Friday night when they are right next to the pubs?

Anyway, he questioned me a little bit more and then drove off. I don't think I've had any other interactions with them.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Mahone

[NeuroTypical]

I've had overwhelmingly good experiences. A lot of speeding tickets in my younger years - there was only one time the cop was mad. He was in a neighborhood where a young girl had been hit and killed by a speeder a week ago. He apparently decided that any speeder in that neighborhood would find themselves treated like a potential child killer. I can't say I really blamed him.

But all other experiences were positive. I've been through our local "Citizen's Academy", and really suggest anyone do the same if you have the opportunity. It's a great way to learn about police procedures and why things happen the way they do. (I even got to shoot one of their full-auto MP5's - woo-hoo!)

LM

[Generally_Me]

Other than an exfiance who led me down a path of underworld anti-God experiences (although he wasn't a cop yet at that time) ...I've only had good experiences with officers. Even the ones who gave me tickets were polite about it.

[dazed-and-confused]

I have had good experiences with cops.......and bad. Fact is, there are good cops and bad cops....just like any other profession.

Some are truley committed to being a good person, and some are truley committed to being a controling, "i am in control so obey me", jerk.

Fact is, at times all people, cops and the rest of us, have bad days.

Cops have to CONSTANTLY deal with SO much crap.

Fact is, if you are a law abiding citizen, and white, and not subject to racial profiling, the bad cops will probably let you go.

Good cops......are good people.

They believe and enforce justice before it gets out of hand.

HF bless the good cops.

As for the bad cops, or imature cops....well, we just have to deal with them.

[dazed-and-confused]

PS... i live in the south, and work in a black neighborhood...THE hood, in fact......and i am exposed to a lot of "stuff" that perhaps many other LDS people are not.

[pam]

I've had the opportunity to have contact with officers for several different reasons. Some good some bad. I've had nothing but good experiences (even when being issued a ticket).

At a previous convenience store I worked at I got to know many of the Murray (Utah) police officers. Most times I locked up the store to leave about 12:15 a.m. This particular store required we turn off all the canopy lights above the pumps. Which pretty much left me in total darkness going out to my car. What impressed me was 90% of the time..as I was going out to my car there would be a police officer sitting there in the parking lot waiting for me to get into my car. As soon as I left he left. I thought that was such awesome service and something they didn't need to do. But it was a pretty rough neighborhood and I appreciated that they took their time to come provide that little bit of service for me.

[beefche]

I have a mild obsession with police officers...I watch reality cop shows and love them! I tend to view police officers in a positive light.

The only time I've had an unpleasant experience was when my friend was driving 43 in a 40 and a Texas cop pulled him over and gave him a rough time for driving so fast in Texas--"I don't know what they do in Indiana, boy, but here in Texas, we are law abiding citizens." He was pretty pompous and arrogant, but whatever.

[lestertheemt]

I realize that this isn't what is being asked so please bare w/ me as I get on (and off) my soapbox.

Just as Dazed mentioned there are good and bad just as with any and all professions. What I ask is that you consider what they do and what they see as apart of their job. The see the bad. They see the ugly and the horrific that humanity has to offer. And all they want is to come home at the end of their shift. And every day their spouse dreads seeing a patrol car parked infront of their own house w/ the news that there love isn't going to come home. (In most cases spouses know before hand who will be delivering that horrible news)

So I ask be kind......be respectful. They are putting their life on the line for each of us.

And I ask that you please keep Sgt. David Kinterknecht family in your prayers as he was KIA 7-25-2009 in Montrose Colorado.

Sergeant David Kinterknecht, Montrose Police Department

'a thin blue line'

[Carl62]

I'm not familiar with this incident - can you post a link please?

Just watch the news on Thursday. The news is gonna be all over it when the threee sit down at the White House picnic area for their "B3 summit" as Greta Van Susteren calls it. (B3 stands for 'beer 3' - no, I'm not kidding)

[havejoy]

When I was about 30 years old I was on my way home from work at about 7:00pm when I was pulled over. I was not speeding so I wondered why and asked. The officer said he wanted to search my car. He got a bad attitude when I questioned why. I finally told him to go ahead. By this time there was a second officer who had showed up. They took everything out of the back of my car, including my spare tire, the jack and all my tools. After more than a half hour they told me I could go. I asked about them putting everything back in my car and they just laughed, got in their cars and drove away.

I'm a white woman but if I had been a black man of the same age I would probably have thought it was racial profiling.

As it is I'm still just scratching my head over that experience.

[ADoyle90815]

I tend to view cops in a positive light, and even have some former cops who are good friends of mine. The way I see it, if you're polite to them, they're most likely going to be polite to you in return. Sure, there are bad ones, but most of them are good people.

[havejoy]

Yep. The very few bad ones get all the headlines. The good cops are everywhere doing their job right and getting darned little recognition for it.

[Guest Alana]

I've been pulled over 11 times. All while I was 17-19 years old. The last time I got pulled over was the only time I didn't deserve the ticket and was also the only time I did get a ticket. It was an older gentleman that gave me the ticket and turns out it was his first time issuing a ticket. The other officers were congratulating them. He also called for back up lol. I wasn't even speeding... and well, you know how the story goes:P The other 10 times, well, I drove a 1968 Chevy Malibu El Camino with a 327 most of the time. which was very exciting to my teenage self. Lets say the cops shared my enthusiasm. Oh well, one time I was driving a '75 plymoth Duster and I was swerving because one of my tires was one of those skinny spare tires... That car was great, it was held together with a few cans of insulation foam.... there was so much rust I could see the ground through the floor board in a few spots. Once I got pulled over right after I bought a 67 Chevy Impala. Turned out that the brake lights and tail lights had a habit of just not working sometimes. The motorcycle cop that pulled me over was very understanding. Since then I think I may have lost a bit of my girl like charm, so I'm a little more careful not to get pulled over:)

My other experience with police that doesn't involve cars is when I worked the night shift at several hotels. The first hotel turned out to be the scuzziest hotel in town. I saw more blood, drugs, prostitution and kidnappings there than most people ever need to see. I will simply say that every single one of my interactions with police while having that job were completely wonderful. Those officers were some of the most compassionate and level headed people I've ever met.

[Maxel]

My personal interactions with police officers have always been good, even when I got a ticket (twice, I think). Once I was parked at a mall parking lot after hours with my girlfriend and two officers told us to go home (thought we were having sex; we weren't)- even then the officers were gracious and not overbearing.

Regarding Obama, Gates, and Crowley: from what little I've read about it (and I wish I could find more, non-biased sources- anyone have a link?) Gates and Crowley may have been overreacting to each other's presence amd actions (Gates thinks that Crowley comes in to harrass him; Crowley thinks Gates might be a burglar and gets nonplussed and suspicious when Gates gets hostile). Obama- to borrow a phrase- "acted stupidly".