My cousin is a retired cop
And he hates when I criticize police. Recently I posted this in an FB thread:
"Not exactly Jay....the thing I promote is this-any cop who ignores any abuse is guilty of a crime and there is no "gray area" allowing that. To a degree you are correct in that if the same scrutiny was applied to sanitation workers or postmen just as many would be found wanting. But you applied for a badge and a gun and a car with a "protect and serve" logo. You claim to be held to a higher standard? Of course you are-you alone can cripple or kill any perceived threat. You have the power to arrest and by the act alone damage someones life. A bad sanitation worker leaves garbage laying on the lawn and a bad postman delays your mail but a bad cop damages, wounds, or kills. I don't expect the media to publish my outrage that my Walmart circular is a day late but I'm glad they tell me when a cop shoots a guy 7 times in the back or smothers a naked unarmed mentally ill black man. To be a good cop is only possible if every other cop on that force is a good cop. A gay moonwalking child molester suggested that "One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, Babe" in direct contravention of wise conventional wisdom that states it DOES. Here is the thing Jay-even past any misbehavior you were allowed to practice "discretion" meaning you chose who got punished and who walked away uncharged and undamaged. That is a God-like power and humans rarely use it fairly. You may have and I hope that is the case. You seem not to like the current coverage of police abuse, if I am wrong please tell me in what forum fairness comes. The press reports, cops are suspended, and in the worst cases cops are charged. If you have a valid alternative I'd like to hear it."
= new reply since forum marked as read
