Twenty years ago, I could walk up to a cop and, say, ask for directions to the post office. And I would get those directions, and then I'd be told: "Have a nice day." The last time I tried that, I got a short and curt answer. The message was unmistakable: how dare you speak to me!
And then there are the shootings of confused old men, sleepy homeowners, innocent motorists, etc. There is a pattern here, and people are seeing it. So cops are no longer given the benefit of the doubt.
The cops alone have created this environment of extreme distrust, and so they will be sharply criticized, even in completely justified situations.
Bottom line: It's up to the cops to change this perception.
Thank you. And now, I will agree with you. Many young cops do treat the public poorly. And there are many that are very upstanding young men, just as polite and courteous as anyone I have ever met. Unfortunately the polite cops don’t get much press coverage. The morons do.
In general I find our society has eroded and cops are drawn from our society. I don’t like it either.
Police work over the last few decades has changed dramatically. I always warn of the changes going on being made by the ultra rich associated with the IACP, the International Association of Chief’s of Police, a political, socialist organization to the bone. Obama once sat on one of their associate societies, the Joyce Society.
The push is on to change this nation and that includes the way the police operate. I’m sure I am Captain Obvious here but not many people realize the push to change the police forces as well, from the top down and bottom up as they say.
Cops are going to be like everybody else when the time comes, having to make a decision on which side of the line they are going to stand.