How do the cops in your town treat people?

[hedgehog]

My folks live in a suburb, but I'd say it's fairly welcoming to anyone with enough cash to buy a house. Keep your lawn mowed and take in your empty garbage cans and most people couldn't care less what your race or ethnicity is. It's mostly white, but there are a lot of people of color because of the state university. Now, most middle class people rarely encounter a police officer. I know white people with African American friends, Asian friends, Latino friends who are stunned to find out that their friends get hassled by the local police. It's a fair bet that the majority of the people in this town wouldn't approve of this. So, how do they put a stop to it?

[NJCher]

1. in my town, a strong Democratic place

They had a meeting last week about how the cops treat citizens. The mayor presided and the public was invited. For awhile, it's been known that the cops have been pretty abusive to everybody.


Cher

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Depends on who you are

If you are a minority, they pull you over. If you are from out of the county, they pull you over. If you are driving a clunker, they pull you over. If you are a teenager, they pull you over. If you are a minority or a teenager, they assume you have done something wrong and treat you like a criminal. If it's late at night, they treat you like a criminal for driving down the street.

I hate our local cops. I dealt with them as a teenager, my kids dealt with them as teenagers and my African American friends won't come over to my house for fear of being pulled over.

My dad filed racial profiling complaints in the 60s and I have called and complained as well. Does no good.

One of the local suburbs here has a 99% white population but when you go to their municipal traffic court, there are 99% minority defendants. Been that way for YEARS.

Sad.

[kaiden]

3. Here in Denver, they just shoot people.

[librechik]

31. I was just going to say exactly that--"accidental" shooting by cop are almost like policy here

and also have a disgusting racial slant. And i say that as the daughter of a cop--I had an inside view on the cops--nice guys, but trigger happy. And racist. There are many exceptions, and Denver is not an especially racist town. But cops can be a problem here.

[Echo In Light]

4. We live in a tiny town, and the few cops pretty much leave people alone. However....

...in two other nearby towns, especially the smaller of the two, where many professional yuppie types have migrated to, are notoriously right-wing. If you live in this area it's nearly impossible to have not had a bad encounter w/them, and/or know of many other friends/family who have. The last time those fascists fucked w/me it required three squad cars for a SEATBELT VIOLATION! Three, ha...funnier still was that I was able to dodge the ticket for not having one on, which was the only reason the first one pulled me over ... or is it that I have very long hair and drive an old car?

[Butch350]

5. Which one? White, Black, Mexican, etc?

[deadmessengers]

6. like cash registers with feet.

Revenue generation is my local police department's highest priority. As far as I can tell, they don't do anything but write traffic tickets.

[krispos42]

7. Dunno

Never had a run-in with them. And I plan on keeping it that way.

Of course, I'm boring, don't drive a flashy car, and am a white male well out of my teens and early 20's.

:shrug:

[Hutzpa]

8. I've not had a run in with them

in my neck of the woods, I tried to stay out of their way, but, comparing them to
other nations, the American cops abuse their power a lot, considering I've lived
in England, I can tell you it's a different approach with the English bobby to
their American counterpart.


Here is how you put a stop to this abuse of power;

you can put a stop to it by regulating the police force, change some of their
racial profiling laws, teach these officers how to act rationally instead of
irrationally, use some common sense, by that I meant, know when you're dealing
with a law abiding citizen and when you're dealing with
a criminal.






On Edit: Had some more thoughts.

[seabeyond]

9. i have a tendency to speed, so i do get to say hi to the cops often. ah well... the cops

approach almost always in intimidation and i am criminal to be proved otherwise, if at all. i have had a few that have approached in respectful manner and those events happen uneventful. but the police that approaches in the manner to intimidate immediately piss me off and those events arent so fun. i have had a couple cops down right disrespectful just cause they want to and i have done nothing to warrant. then i dont speak respectfully, submissively and look them in the eye. at that point, they are free to take action.

that is why i recognize that even though i am in a category that should respect police, support police, i dont, cause i know if they behave this way with me they are ten times more confrontational with other groups. adn i can understand the anger of these groups

i also talk, and address adn look for solutions, so i have also spent time discussing this with police i know trying to find ground to work with them, as a community. they are not receptive, no desire to recognize any issues in their department, or willing to forgo their power, bullying or intimidation.

[Phentex]

16. speeding aside, this is how I feel...

I just don't ever feel like the police here are respectful or concerned about any situation I've encountered.

I drive on a major interstate regularly and the majority of people pulled over appear to be hispanic...but I'm sure it's a coincidence...

[T Wolf]

10. I live in a small suburb just north of Philly. The cops generally are bullies on ego trips

who get off on hassling people, especially young people and anyone who does not look like they belong here (read non-white).

The place is well-known throughout the Philadelphia area as a place where DWB gets you pulled over, walkingWB gets you questioned, etc.

The weekly rag always has a long list of folks arrested for "disorderly conduct" - e.g., talking to a cop gets you that citation.

Personally knowing (or even better, being related to) one of the cretins bestows a status that is a get-out-of-jail-free card for any behavior - including DWI and other crimes.

Even when these issues are addressed, nothing changes. And we are a Democratic (tho DLC-type) political town.

The killer is that the cops here know that they will (practically) never have to confront a dangerous person, so they get to act all macho without taking any risk.

[Iris]

11. Our cops are nice.

I live in a predominately African-American area. The town has a bad reputation, but it's unwarranted. I've never seen or heard of the cops doing anything abusive or wrong. They really care about what they are doing and care about the community.

[kestrel91316]

12. I live in Los Angeles, where LAPD treats no one but fellow law enforcement

with respect (though things are improving in recent years with Bratton's "community policing" program). I am a white, middle class, business owner and medical professional and the few times I have had to deal with them as a complainant or victim at my office they have rarely treated ME with respect.

I can't imagine how they treat minorities in bad neighborhoods. It can't be pretty.

[Raine]

54. I'm in LA County and it's just as bad

even as a white law abiding citizen if you ask them something politely you're likely to get a smart assed reply. :-(

[MorningGlow]

13. Like "drinkin' buddies"...because they are

I call our village Mayberry. Race isn't so much an issue (as far as I know, but then again I'm a white 43YO female, so I don't have first-hand knowledge) as personal relationships are. These cops have grown up with the "upstanding citizens" as well as the "lowlifes." The good part is they know all about everybody's personal lives, background, motivations, etc. The bad part is if you have a complaint about someone, they might give the guy a pass because "Aw, well, yanno, that's just Bob... (chuckle)." :eyes:

We do have more impersonal county sheriff's deputies if the going gets tough, however.

[Soylent Brice]

14. here in Cincinnati?

http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/headlines01/0428-04.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Cincinnati_riots

[Peregrine Took]

15. In Chicago they are arrogant and throw thier weight around but I'm glad

to see them when I need one!

[Vinca]

17. I think, for the most part, it's different in small towns such as mine

because the cops are your neighbors. When we first moved here I accidently hit the "911" speed dial and apologized to the dispatcher at the regional center. Even so, the local cop turned up at the door to be sure I was okay.

[Holly_Hobby]

18. We have a nearby racist police force

Although I live in a blue city, there is a part of this city called Ottawa Hills. That's where all the rich white people live. I mean really rich.

If you are black, don't even think about driving through Ottawa Hills. They will pull you over, pull you out of your car, beat you, maim you or even kill you. A young black woman was pulled from her car last year and beaten so severely by police, she required face reconstruction. She admitted to speeding.

We have a case now in Ottawa Hills where a police officer shot a motorcyclist, who was sitting on the ground handcuffed. The motorcyclist's spine was severed and it left him in a wheel chair for life. Why shoot someone who is handcuffed? He admitted to speeding. The motorcyclist is of mixed race.

Our city police have actually been personally helpful to me, but they also beat young black men. One case several months ago made it to the national news, Rick Sanchez of CNN reported on it. The young black kid was dancing in front of their police car.

[HughMoran]

19. Very nicely

...though I think they would be much more cautious/abrupt/by the book to blacks/hispanics from the city.

[datasuspect]

20. if you're a youngish male, they eye fuck/mean mug the living hell out of you

like how inmates in prison do. or gangbangers.

return their glare and they will light you up.

[abumbyanyothername]

21. Santa Monica they are fine, although

the ACLU sued them for rounding up the homeless in the annual pre-tourist season sweep.

LA is a different story.

In California there is no majority -- blacks, latinos, asians, jews, irish, italians, wasps . . . we all live together and don't really notice the differences.

[Shagbark Hickory]

22. I don't know cuz when I see them I take off runnin'.

[lies and propaganda]

23. im in an unincoprporated, srsly hippie-esque town

in wine country Sonoma County, CA. We are WAY too accepting of the ills that our little town has, which is mostly boozers who live under the creek bridge.. Most seem harmless, but there have been a few rapes and Im always mindblown that because we are such an accepting community, we will accept THAT. So yeah.. the cops pay no mind to anything unless its super egregious..


Now, where Im from in Shreveport, Louisiana is a whole other story. dbags with power trips who had no friends and mother who was mean to them..

[Evoman]

24. I hate cops, but i'll admit that half the cops in my city aren't too bad.

The other half could be choking on their racist, asshole badges and I would do nothing but laugh.

Of course, my experiences vary. I'm latino, but I'm white enough that I pass for an average white guy. It's a lot different dealing with cops when I'm with my obviously latino family members or friends. Is it telling that all good experiences with police happen when I'm by myself or with other white people?

[goodboy]

25. YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME IF I SHOW YOU...>>>>

This is where I live:

MARTINS FERRY, Ohio — Two Ohio police chiefs are being investigated in a suspected burglary aimed at supplying a tabloid with photos and other information about the surrogate mother carrying twins for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, an official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/sarah-jessica-parkers-sur_n_216948.html

[juno jones]

26. In my current town in WA state, so far so good.

The cops seem pretty mellow.

In Sacramento, they were a bit more big-city paranoid-we got pulled over once to have our truck searched for a bomb, there had been a rash of synagougue vandalisms for some reason we were profiled as likely white supremecists (hahahahah!) even tho we lived in the highly mixed neighborhood we were pulled over in. Even then, the cop was nice and let us go when no explosives (!) were found.

On the other hand, I heard some hair-curling stories about Springfield IL police. Mostly from women detailing sexual abuseand offers of sex to avoid bullshit tickets, etc. Last time I was back, the big flap was the death of a mentally retarded and physically incapacitated man from a taser shot. He was behaving 'suspiciously' and didn't obey fast enough for Spfld's finest, was tased and thrown into a cell with no medical care, acess to meds etc and 24 hours later...well we know the rest, this scenario has repeated itself for years now.

It varies. I think the culture of the city makes a huge difference in the attitudes of the cops.

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. Our cops have been pretty darn nice and helpful. I have never run into the

ego-run-amok sort that others have talked about encountering.

[AngryOldDem]

28. I've seen the cops up close and personal where I used to work.

A homeless shelter.

Needless to say, most visits by the local constabulary were not pleasant. Sure, we sometimes had disruptive or violent people. But more often than not, cops would escalate situations with guests that really did not call for, or need to be, taken to the next level. That's because I think most of the cops in our district saw the homeless as worthless scum, beneath being treated with basic respect and dignity (as is anyone's right just by the basis of their stature as a human being). A lot of the time cops (and paramedics -- also not high on my public-servant hit parade) would openly mock and disrespect folks for no good reason. A lot of us complained to our management, but we got the subtle message that we had to go along to get along, given that we did sometimes need rapid response from the police, so it was not in our best interests to get on their bad side. There were times when I literally had to set my jaw and walk away as I witnessed such treatment, partially out of fear that if I said anything, I would be the one thrown over the desk and cuffed.

One example: We had a man once who would not leave the premises after being told numerous times to do so. He is mouthy, but otherwise harmless. The cops came; the guy was still hot, so instead of just letting him vent and run himself down, one cop started to yell back. ("SHUT YOUR SUCKHOLE!" is a phrase I clearly remember; now I ask you -- is that, or is that not, pouring gas on an already inflammatory situation?) The man responded in kind, and wound up over a table, his arm twisted behind him, as the other cop went through his pockets and found prescription meds. Off to the races. The guy was cuffed and shoved out of the building.

Another: We had an emotionally distraught, mentally ill woman in hysterics in our lobby. She could not answer the cops' questions, so I tried to get her to look at me and talk (I somehow have a lot of success getting through to tougher clients). The cop fixed me with hate-filled stare and told me to back off. A LARGE part of me wanted to say, "Look, asshole, you don't seem to be having much luck here. Mind if I try? I only have YEARS' WORTH of experience at this." My rage was that close to the surface. So I just looked at a co-worker, said, "I'm done," turned on my heel and left. Everyone there knew how I felt, except, I imagine, for the cops. I just didn't want to see them losing patience with her, and having her frisked and led out of the place in chains.

I wasn't the least bit surprised to read about the Gates incident. While there are a lot of good, conscientious cops out there, there are also a lot of two-bit Barney Fifes who think they're Pat Garrett, and see their guns, badges, and cuffs as extensions of their manhood. And it seems like the lower on the societal totem you are, the worse they treat you.

This all should have been over when Gates identified himself as the owner of the home. I hope he gets whatever he is due from this unfortunate incident.

[appleannie1]

29. Worked for the local police dept for 15 yrs. They did not hassle the blacks but watched them like

hawks. If a black man went for a walk after dark, you could bet on seeing a cop car circling the blocks he walked on.

[hedgehog]

44. Which brings up another entire topic - the way blacks get treated as

potential shoplifters in a lot of stores.

[Raineyb]

47. You do realize you contradicted yourself in that two sentence statement right? n/t

[Fumesucker]

30. My family has had one terrible, disastrous encounter..

And one that, all things considered, was handled very professionally.

Both with the same department.

So you could say it varies a lot, depending on circumstances and the particular officers involved.

[fascisthunter]

32. not all are bad, but too many are

and they all protect each other so there is never any real accountability, which fosters a mentality of invincibility.

[BolivarianHero]

33. Never had a problem...

There was one incident where riot police were sent to a couple of bingo halls to stop old ladies from playing VLTs that were illegally paying people. I'm a White male, I dress conservatively (the wildest thing I wear is an Hugo Chavez t-shirt coupled with a pair of shorts), I have no criminal record or other distinctions that would make me a person of interest, and I am generally sober enough to walk in a straight line when I'm out and about, so cops have never had reason or "reason" to bother me.

[BolivarianHero]

34. Never had a problem...

There was one incident where riot police were sent to a couple of bingo halls to stop old ladies from playing VLTs that were illegally paying people. I'm a White male, I dress conservatively (the wildest thing I wear is an Hugo Chavez t-shirt coupled with a pair of shorts), I have no criminal record or other distinctions that would make me a person of interest, and I am generally sober enough to walk in a straight line when I'm out and about, so cops have never had reason or "reason" to bother me.

[BolivarianHero]

35. Never had a problem...

There was one incident where riot police were sent to a couple of bingo halls to stop old ladies from playing VLTs that were illegally paying people. I'm a White male, I dress conservatively (the wildest thing I wear is an Hugo Chavez t-shirt coupled with a pair of shorts), I have no criminal record or other distinctions that would make me a person of interest, and I am generally sober enough to walk in a straight line when I'm out and about, so cops have never had reason or "reason" to bother me.

[Spirochete]

36. The worst I've ever gotten from the police here

is a somewhat snotty attitude. Most of them have been pleasant enough, even when arresting me, writing me a ticket or bitching me out for doing something or other. Some of them have actually been pretty nice. And none have ever slapped me around or brutalized me. Maybe I've been lucky. And I'm white.

[ipaint]

37. I live in an older working class neighborhood

with a mix of every single nationality and type of person except rich people. I live 4 doors from an elementary school.
The cops in my neighborhood helped me with a neighbor that was dealing drugs and running a small prostitute ring across the street. Once I talked with the police they set up a stakeout and ended up busting up the prostitutes business across the way. This dried up my neighbors drug business and she was evicted by our landlord. It was a weird couple months, I was threatened several times by some of the lowlife she hung around with but the cops would sit outside my house late at night and watch the place and they would always be driving around during the day and if the music was blasting from her apt they would make her turn it down.
She couldn't operate under the microscope so she moved and things are quiet and fairly safe now. The police still check back every one in a while and I was so appreciative of their help.

I was lucky to have good cops, I do know folks who have very different stories to tell of run ins with the asshole variety of which we have our share.

[hedgehog]

45. That is how neighborhood or community policing is supposed to

work, IMO. All to often, the very people who need the protection the most refuse to cooperate with the police either because they fear retaliation from the neighbors or because they don't trust the police. I'm sure in other places some officers are being paid to look the other way when confronted with a situation like you describe.

[ipaint]

51. Exactly

The cops where shocked that I actually got involved. They told me no-one had done that before.

I knew I was taking a risk on both ends, from my neighbor and possibly not so nice cops. I did email the head of the police in the county and explained the situation and asked him for the names of police taking care of my neighborhood. He had several police at my door the next day.

Funny thing is the neighborhood is a mix of rent and own and renters are looked down upon for some legitimate reasons, not all. But it took a renter to help clean up the street, none of the owners cared to get involved.

[WeDidIt]

38. Chicago

I really don't think I have to say anything more. Jsut the name of the city should be enough.

[steelmania75]

39. The Cops are nowhere to be found in Pittsburgh

They're lazy, but they can give you a parking ticket on a horrible winter day, whenever you can't read the parking meters.

[me b zola]

40. Depends

Depends on whether you live in the hills or the valley.

[emilyg]

41. No problems.

[DailyGrind51]

42. My neighborhood is in NW Chicago and police treat me and my neighbors fairly well,

because, even though we have a healthy racial/ethnic mix now, a lot of my neighbors are cops, firemen, teachers, or other City workers. However, on Chicago's South or West sides, police are viewed like Israeli soldiers on the West Bank.

[KamaAina]

43. Okay, for cops

I did see one kick a homeless guy who was sleeping on the sidewalk the other day -- but it was a light kick, not the soccer-style kind you'd get from some cops in bigger cities.

[hedgehog]

46. This is an example of something we should all be discussing.

Because as a society we fail to address the homeless problem, we expect the local police to handle it. All too often, the only option the officers have is to move the problem along and out of sight.

[KamaAina]

49. We were discussing it just a couple of weeks ago

but just as with the Gates arrest, the tone of the discussion wasn't as progressive as one might expect...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6071047

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

48. I've had good and bad experiences

A few years ago, my car was stolen from my driveway in broad daylight. The police came and took a report. The interviewing officer acted very suspicious, as though maybe I was engaging in some kind of insurance fraud. But the police recovered the car for me several days later and were very efficient about it and in the end I was very pleased with their work. Apparently, the car was taken by some joy riders. I didn't leave the key in the car and I have no idea how they got it to start.

Several years ago, however, I was sitting in a parked car in front of my girlfriend's house, waiting for her to come out. A neighbor must have decided that that was suspicious behavior on my part and called the police. Two squad cars arrived and the officers drew their guns on me and ordered me out of the car. They put me in handcuffs. They began putting me into the back seat of one of the cars and they wouldn't answer my repeated question about why they were doing this. Fortunately, my girlfriend came outside and told them that she knew me. They still refused to let me go until she asked them what their probable cause was for the arrest. Her father was a lawyer and she was in law school. I had long hair and a beard so maybe that had something to do with how they reacted. I absolutely did not resist or say anything at all of an insulting nature to them except to repeatedly ask why this was being done to me.

[etherealtruth]

50. It depends

I live in an odd suburb of Detroit. A freeway bisects our fair city ... those of us living north of the freeway tend to be treated better (in person and in service provided)than those living south ... yes you guessed it, north of the freeway is largely occupied by white working/professionals (not monied, but not poor).

The attitude is generally one of suspicion in the south of the city and more "protect and serve" in the north.

As an aside, our police department was featured on an episode of 20/20 because of outrageous traffic ticketing practices throughout the city :(

[Raine]

52. Like CRAP

they treat everyone that way even the residents plus they seem to go after minorities as soon as they hit the city limit. For the record I'm in a coastal 'burb of Los Angeles County.

[LostInAnomie]

53. In my town, how they treat you is based mostly on how you treat them.

If you treat them with respect, they return it. If you treat them with animosity, they return it.

[Skittles]

55. I think they're very decent here

I've had a few tickets, called a couple times on incidents at apartment complexes - they've always been very professional

[Starbucks Anarchist]

56. NYPD -- enough said.