[kalimus]

I think people draw the line between "good cop" and "bad cop" in very different places. Any officer that abuses power and calls it perks of the job is, to me, in the bad cop side of the line. That includes things like "brass pass", which I hear far too often.

Not to mention that police in general hold the rest of the citizens to a "ignorance of the law is not an excuse standard", while openly admitting that there are far too many laws for even them to know them all.

The problems with law enforcement are a very complicated and deeply rooted set of issues that have been going on for a long time. Much like another batch of people who serve us (and which shall not be named in accordance with forum rules).

I don't think very many police officers fall into the evil, corrupt, not-to-be trusted category... but abuse (or misuse) of power delegated to them on the other hand... I'm sorry to say that I would wager good money that those police officers seem to be the majority. That mentality is only further supported by exemptions from laws, both by police officers as a class of citizen (for lack of a better descriptive) and by the police officers as individuals, both in and not in the line of duty. Everything from using electronic devices while driving (I.E. texting... see it all the time) to weapons permits. Hell, I had to have a sheriff sign off a fix-it-ticket for my window tint at their department. In the parking lot, every single PERSONAL vehicle was tinted. Unequal enforcement of the law by those who are paid to enforce it troubles me greatly. And while exemptions from law are not the individual officer's "fault", most of those exemptions are actively lobbied by police organizations around the country.

By no means do I disrespect the profession, but the seemingly small group of individuals causing the negative press seem to be growing. Maybe it's just covered better now... I don't know. What I do know, is that I am suspicious of a group of people charged with policing us, who can not seem to police themselves.

Why don't I join? I suppose the primary reason is that I could not enforce a law that I don't agree with. And in my mind, police officers do not have the authority to pick and choose which laws they enforce and which ones they ignore. If something is serious enough to make it a law, it should be enforced. If it is so trivial that an officer can opt to ignore it, it should not be a law in the first place. Maybe not their call, but it comes with the territory in that occupation. I can't bring myself to do it.