I have been a cop in one of America’s largest cities for over a decade. I have spent time in various police assignments, from patrol to the fight against terrorism. I have done this in million dollar neighborhoods and poor ghettos. Ten years of this would change anyone, and I see things differently now. I hope you will, too.
I hope this blog will be a conversation, not a lecture! Feel free to email me with questions or comments: philosophicalcop@gmail.com
Feb 27, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Tim,
Thanks for the thoughts. I think the reason that cops who are working won’t agree with you is that they would be foolish to give the impression they didn’t support the rules as they stand.
Remember that whatever we think as people, as cops we enforce what the legislature gives us. That distinction is incredibly important, and it is why legislators are elected.
If citizens don’t like the laws, they can vote for someone else. We don’t want the cops having that much “say” or the whole order breaks down. Law violators need to know that the cops will be there to incarcerate them. Period. Change the rules with someone else, but don’t expect to change them by having the cops un-do what the elected officials did.
Having said that, we are still people. I have told many arrestees that I thought they were caught up in a BS situation. They generally understand, and respect the job I have to do…
Please come by and comment on some posts. I respect the hell out of your honesty and your position on this…
PC
Mar 13, 2008 at 10:47 am
Tim said: “If you agree with me then why don’t you not only state so, but put it up as a course of action to improve the perception of the police.”
Tain’t necessarily so, Tim. Just because they don’t go around flaunting it doesn’t mean they don’t agree. I know working cops that agree. But it’s like being in the armed services – it doesn’t matter if you agree with the decisions of those in authority to give the orders: it is not your job to decide which orders fit your preferences and obey only those.
By the same token, I’m sure that you can appreciate that it’s not up to a cop to decide which laws to enforce and which to ignore based on his personal preference of which laws he/she likes or dislikes. Their job is o enforce the law. Period. Not to pick and choose. Laws are not like meats, vegetables, and desserts in a cafeteria that we can pick or choose from.
Glad you continued reading PC’s blog. It’s an excellent one and I believe it can contribute significantly to understanding between cops and those whom they protect and serve.
406, OUT
Jun 16, 2008 at 10:06 am
PC,
I came across your blog though the “Top 100 Criminal Justice Blogs” on criminaljusticedegreesguide.com.
I had a couple questions about your blog if you had a few minutes to talk about it?
Sep 29, 2008 at 1:04 am
Hi, came across your blog whilst doing research for a script. I’d love to ask you a few questions about the NYPD Harbor Unit, if you know anything about the unit and have the time to correspond.
keep up the good work
David G. McDonagh
Oct 3, 2008 at 3:15 am
i had found some bizzare hate mail via e-mail
it is a lady claiming she is a brooklyn area nypd detective that i had been having affair with her man , i had gotten deported recently and she told me thru the myspace web page that because i had affair with him she had to do what she did to get me out of united states .
my ex boyfriend did an armed robbery and got away 2005
at the time we were friends his wife which is nypd detective has alot to do with this robbery .
now that i am in different country she has got to me thru e-mail saying basically she will use all her powers to make my life miserable even asked for my home phone , and constantly
watch my e-mails and uses my e-mail to
others to play jokes
at the same time i didnt know he had wife and kids for years
what can i do to get away from this ?
where and who shall i contact ?
Nov 26, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Keep fighting the good fight.
Feb 28, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Cops are anti-liberty, why else would they become pigs?
Pigs follow orders like the Concentration Camp prison guards.
Pigs are the enemy of freedom, this is why they prey on the helpless and try to intimidate to feeble-minded.
Pigs are called pigs because they act like pigs.
IF you want to play soldier, join up and go see what serving your nation is really all about. It’s really easy to dress in camo and bully an unarmed populace. Go to Iraq, Nazi pig. You have no clue what America is all about so quit your crying when we call you pigs. We’re just stating the facts.
Mar 1, 2009 at 10:49 am
Thanks for the thoughtful input. I might ponit out that a high percentage of those serving our nation in uniform ARE also, as you so elequently put it, “pigs.”
I appreciate you offering your opinions.
Apr 16, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Well… I just took a quick look, but I see nothing I would consider philosophy.
Perhaps you are mistaken about what philosophy might be?
As with anyone putting in the time to create a blog, best of luck with it.
If it is the good fight you are fighting, perhaps you might illuminate it.
Don Robertson
Limestone, Maine