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
Oct 26, 2007 at 4:32 am
Philosophical Cop,
I stumbled across your blog while doing some research online, and I was impressed by what I read.
I think you have a keen eye for detail and the subtlety necessary to communicate it.
Keep up the good work – I’ll drop back often for an interesting read.
- Bron.
Oct 26, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Bron…
Thank you for the kind words. I look forward to hearing from you!
PC
Jan 28, 2008 at 5:36 am
I think the cops would recieve a lot better treatment in the press if they would admit that drugs is not a policing issue and that they have been the agressor to the public over drug prohibition.
Let’s face it, they have been less than honest about drug prohibition and what causes gangs, street prostitution and all this violence and property crime.
Maybe if they were more honest about what their job was ( to protect our rights and our property ) instead of trying to control us we could be more understanding of what they are going through.
Let’s face it, they could reject the drug war anytime as not real police work and show they understood that we will not live in a nazi state.
In your article you got the apples and oranges mixed up. Drug dealers are not criminals unless they are cops. Don’t talk abpout drugs and rapist in the same sentences.
Until the police reject the drug war, why would you expect anyone to respect them. They deserve our disdain.
Have you read the article ” recovering our honor ” by gil puder?
http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Content&pid=16
visit the web site at http://www.leap.cc
Cops interject themselves into peoples lives with the drug war and it is not their concern if I smoke pot, have sex or use drugs.
The problem with police is they do not understand that they are here to preserve the peace and cause it to be kept.
They are not here to mirco manage our lives and hate the bad guys.
That is why they have bad press, is because they have twisted their job and it is just Blow Back. That is the unintended consequence of your actions.
Have you watched the video’s on the Clinton drug dealing and the involvement of the CIA in international drug trafficking.
Maybe the disdain is rightly deserved?
Tim Felger
Tim Felger
Jan 28, 2008 at 5:53 am
I also read a few articles on your web site, and have concluded you are a victim of your own demise.
I think we should pee test all cops randomly. The cops that work on gang task forces should be fired as imoral.
Drug prohibition causes gangs so these guys are less than honest to begin with.
Make them give all their bank records and where they live at night as part of the public information.
Why should they be able to go out into the community and terrorize the community all day and then go home and sleep in peace.
The home address of the cops should be public information so that a cop will be afraid to go to sleep at night if he does not behave.
That will put an end to police brutality in a short order. Let’s face it, the way the police spokesman have for years lied about the cause of gangs and been less than honest wiht the community over the drug issues they deserve and need more public oversight. I think I as mayor would make a great chairman of the policeboard? I would force all the cops to wear name tags, publish their home addresses and make them take classes about constitutional policing.
Something they had no right to reject. Police have responsibilities, not rights.
Tim Felger
Tim Felger
Jan 28, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Tim
Thank you for stopping by. You make some valid points, although I am sorry you seem so angry. By the way, many cops agree with you on the uselessness of the drug war. Take care,
PC
Feb 27, 2008 at 12:56 am
Hello PC!
I feel obliged to let you know, first and foremost, exactly how much I respect you, not only for your commitment to serving the community, but for the way you conduct yourself over the internet (and I can only imagine, in person).
I discovered your blog yesterday, and have spent a good deal of time since then reading up on past posts. I have to admit… we see eye to eye on nearly every issue you’ve discussed, but more than that, I think it’s astouding the way you treat those who disagree (even when they are hostile)
You’re calm, never defensive, and recognize the value of input – no matter how disrespectful the person may be. Furthermore, I’ve never seen you degrade anyone.
All of that considered, I think it’s only fair I send a bit of respect your way.
Now… on to the point I suppose…
I decided to contact you because… I’m a little lost. Next year I’ll be graduating high school, and eventually I’ll have to decide what to do with my life. Do I want to go to college? Certainly. But that’s the only thing I know.
I’ve always considered law enforcement as a backup… I would say,”Well, if I start failing at school, I guess I’ll just join the force” I guess my thought was that to be a respectable, intelligent citizen, you had to have a white-collar job or a libral arts degree. Oops.
More and more though, I’ve come to look at law enforcement as a reasonable life decision…
And it’s fucking up my plans.
I want to move to New York! I want to be rich! I want to work with TV, or film, or music! But suddenly this feeling has crept up… I feel compelled to protect… and I almost crave the excitement of the chase, the pride in stopping a criminal.
It almost seems like I’m divided by two completely different life choices… And I’m not sure how much I would fit in with the “law enforcement crowd”. I mean, until recently I imagined you all as ignorant “right-wing” republican zombies. (Oops again). But still, how much can my reletivly liberal-minded, Obama-supporting self get along with cops?
I’ve always been a musician, always an actor, always an artist. That’s definatly my group…
But it won’t go away… the feeling that maybe I should be doing something MORE for the people around me.
What it comes down to, I guess, is that I’m scared. Scared that if I go get a Criminal Justice degree and become a cop, I’ll be trapt in the institution. People will dislike me, the media will treat ME like a criminal, and I’ll have to say good-bye to the energetic, quirky, fun loving person I am now.
Oh yes… and I’ve always DREAMED of living in New York… but at $25,000 a year? I’m not sure that’s an option…
So… I apologize for the novel I’ve written you here (Kudos if you made it this far), and I’m not looking for a substitute therapist… But as I said before, I respect your opinion immensely based on what I’ve read, and I just wanted to hear your opinion.
Thank you so much,
Cody Wiles
Feb 27, 2008 at 10:52 am
Cody,
I think you should be a writer with that outstanding style!
I think your situation is very common. It is wonderful to be at your stage and unsure what to do in life. I also am pleased to announce I have an easy solution for you:
GO TO COLLEGE. PERIOD.
Even if you decide to be a cop one day (which I commend and encourage) it is imperative that you go to college first. AT LEAST get an AA in something, but my strong preference would be a Bachelor’s degree. I have two reasons for you:
FIRST, in the law enforcement field, it is more and more common for departments to require some college just to HIRE YOU in the first place. I believe that NYPD is one of them. Even if they do not, you will never advance in a modern police agency without some college. You will never become more than a lieutenant or so without a bachelor’s degree.
In fact, many of my colleagues now have graduate degrees and that assists them in moving up in their careers.
SECOND: The things you will learn in college (and not just in the classroom) are critical for your development, including as a cop. Police work is about how people get along (or don’t get along). It is about human interaction at the most gutteral level. It is about reading people and their actions. This you can only master with practce, and college is the perfect place to start.
Also remember that most departments require you to be 21 years old. They look carefully at how you spent the time between high school and application. College and the military are your two best options for that break of 3 – 4 years. Have you considered the military? It can help you pay for college, too…
As for living in New York, I agree that NYPD cops make paultry wages. It is humiliating to the profession. Keep in mind that there are other agencies in that area that get paid among the highest wages in the nation (about 85K or more).
Also remember this, however: If you are going into police work for the money, DON’T! But NYPD is extreme in the poverty scale. Perhaps a few years there for the training, and then you could move on to another place…
Most important, GO TO COLLEGE! If you decide on the police career, you are set. If you decide NOT to become a cop, then you are STILL set. You can’t lose with the college route, but you can lose a lot if you fail to go.
Let me know if I can help in any way!
PC
Feb 27, 2008 at 9:53 pm
PC,
I’d like to thank you very much for the response, and even more for the promptness of it.
You actually reminded me of a question I had… Does it matter what sort of degree I have? For example, say I do decide to go ahead and get a BA in communications or music, but still decide I’d like to join the force? Will something so differen’t help in my advancement, or would a Criminal Justice degree benifit me more?
Also, what if I want to advance to a spot in a federal agency like the DEA or the FBI? Would my experience as an officer outweigh my non-applicable degree, or are they looking for both?
(Did you ever assume when you started this blog that you’d be bombarded by questions like this?)
A guess aside from that – and only if you don’t mind sharing – I was wondering how you made the decision to become a cop. Did you always know, or were you juggling differn’t ideas like myself?
Oh, and as for the military… I can’t say I’ve decided yet. I’ve considered the National Guard (mostly because I’m interested in state deployment), and I even had a recruitment meeting set up. Schedules conflicted, I asked if we could do it another time, and I never heard from them again. Since then I’ve had time to consider and I’m not so sure… but it’s always an option.
Thanks again PC, I look forward to hearing from you.
Cody Wiles
Feb 27, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I read your blog again and respect what you have to say. The only question is if a lot of cops agree with me on ending drug prohibition, how come no active duty cops do?
That is a bad reflection on their character.
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.
Tim Felger
Feb 27, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Cody,
It does not matter what you major in — in fact something unique is probably better than criminal justice or the like.
For the FBI, and other feds, you will need experience or a graduate degree — or both. That can come with time.
I sort of came on the cop thing later in life. I was not someone who “always knew” except that sitting in a cubicle was never going to work.
Keep in touch!!!
PC