Are there really vigilante cops, and how prevalent are they? Do they last long in the force?
355495
No.  No one wants to lose their job after extensive study and training.  If anything, cops are too afraid to go after a protected class for fear of having to defend a lawsuit or have it on their career record.  Unless, of course they catch a person in the act of committing a crime - and only then after their are 20 or more eye witnesses.
1152895
I don't know the statistics of how many innocent people actually get killed or hurt by law enforcement. But look at it this way, everyone makes mistakes. Law enforcement officers are just put in a position where a small mistake may cause a life. Just like doctors. They have so much training, yet sometimes things happen and there is nothing you can do about it. And I'm sure the effects on the heart and the conscience of the officer from their mistake weighs more on them than you will ever know.
579489
Sounds like police brutality to me. What was the purpose of being there for so long ? Police should use enough force to control the subject, any force used after the point of control is called excessive force and is against the law.
385103
Ugh!!!  Don't even!  They are usually overtly nice because if something is to come up...that's the topic.  Cops always pick on the people that are pointing guns, robbing etc...black, white whatever.\n  As in everything there are some bad apples.
328824
Because, in my experience, most cops are thugs.  But in their defense, they work with the scum of society and they believe that they have a ESP when it comes to picking out criminals.  Or at the very least they are seriously scarred from those people they deal with every day.\n\nPersonally, I think we need to clamp down on them and force them to behave in a way worthy of a role model, and not a loose canon.
680245
You certainly have some hangups with cops. Why not tell us what your experiences have been so we can get a better understanding of your immature responses and grudges towards police?  Maybe the obsession you seem to have with your penis and the exagerations your gf's must tell you to perform are somehow related.  \n\nFrom: gaylord focker \n\nSubject: hey \n\nMessage: Dallas blue, everybody has to go sometime right. Dont give me your bull of the cops funeral, what about when a cowardly cop shoots someone in the back, or someone that is unarmed, or mentally disturbed, what abouth the families, have you ever been to one of those funerals, have you seen the pain in the mothers, or sons eyes?, I wonder how many civilians cops kill vs civilians killing cops, I would say for every cop killed, 20 civilians are murdered by cops. Have you ever thought about this?
330436
You know, it's probably best for me not to vocalize on this subject but I'm going to take the plunge and do so.\n\nI have had the same problem so far in my life.  I find that the Police are very arrogant and misuse their authority.  I know policemen that break the law regularly: smoking pot, taking steroids, and blowing off illegal fireworks on the 4th.  Yet, turn around and give me a ticket for going 5 miles over the limit.\n\nTruly, someone needs to do some undercover type work and expose many of the corruptions in the police force.  They are in a position to abuse authority...and they do so, and don't get caught.  They don't seem to view the public the same as other people do.  They have exalted themselves, in some way, above the public.\n\nIn the average cop, you'll find a good portion of Arrogance.
959041
Officers....\n\n You know, you don't have to be a law-breaker to ask questions like this.   Maybe he just dislikes cops, like I do - the way good parents dislike child predators.    I coin a new term here: civilian predator.  Different from criminal.\n\n However, I  agree with some of you that you  deal with the worst elements in our society.  Although you put your lives on the line every day, statistically most of your firearm deaths are actually suicides.\n\nUnfortunately, the stress from the job cultivates an antisocial personality in yourselves. \n \n That is why the public dislikes and distrusts you more and more each day.  I've personally never been arrested, but I have been harassed, and I can't let it go.\n\nGueroes and other civilians here, you will have to disregard many of the answers that are still to come from responding police officers.  By their remarks, they will display to you their rude, childish attitudes.  Please ignore the more  vulgar comments.
417954
I feel they do to some extent.  I feel people have a misconception as to what a police officer does.  I work for a city through the parks department and working with the public I can sympathize with police because, quite frankly, there are a lot of dumb asses out there.  And although there is a lot of politics involved, I feel when it comes down to it the police do there jobs.
97148
I'm glad you asked! I am a librarian and I recently referred a patron to this report that will answer all of your questions:\n\nBureau of Justice Statistics: Police Use of Force\nhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ndcopuof.pdf\n\nIf you need more information, try looking on the Bureau of Justice Web site:\n\nhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/\n\nAfter you enter the site, try searching by keyword "brutality".
1152626
I live in Smethwick (just outside of Birmingham) and for the most part the police are brilliant, but I have seen them drive past gangs fighting on the street more than once. When my neighbour was beating up his wife it took them over an hour to respond and when I was punched in the face by a drunk at 10pm they didn't get to my house until 2am.\n\nCoppers, Bobby's, Bizzies, Pigs, The Filth, The Old Bill, Rozzers and The Fuzz
257753
as compared to our "normal" police force?\n\ncompare:  both are enlisted to control mobs and maintain order.\ncontrast:  a hired mercenary knows his trade.  Our "badge and gun" officers don't care.  Unfortunately, we have too many "badge and guns" walking their beat.
856168
What an open ended question.....\n\nThe police in general are great but sadly i feel that they are let down continually by the system they are trying to serve and protect. \n\nI think these guys do a great job and I think it's time our government (yes YOU JOHN HOWARD) took notice of this and made changes to the system that continually lets our Police Force down.\n\nI have recently watched the police arrest two men for raping a 13 yr-old girl and they were so happy to finally be able to charge these men for such a hideous crime only to have these men go to court and both get 3 month suspended sentences. The police involved in this were very disappointed by this result.\n\nI have also watched the police try and protect our community from a mob of angry 13-14 yr olds and charge them several times only for these kids to get slap on the wrists for hate crimes, vandalism etc.\n\nYES the police do a great job BUT sadly they are let down by our government and its lack of policing their system and its guidelines!\n\nBravo to the police for doing such a great job under such difficult circumstances.
746040
From the last statistics that I heard (which was about 4 years ago), the average life expectancy for a police officer, including active and retired, is 57 years old.\n\nKeep in mind this is just an average. So for every young officer who is killed in the line of duty or in some traffic accident, or takes their own life, at the age of 25 or 30, there is some really old retired officer who lived to the age of 90 before passing in his sleep.
140270
I think all police do their job well, but if you see a police officer do their job poorly, people suddenly yell that he is a pig or say dirty cop, and relate them with hanging out at donut shops...\n\nPeople make fun of police if they think the job is not being done well, but if it is done well, we all give thanks...\n\nThat pretty much fits almost any job though doesn't it???
757203
Uh, you're kidding, or being facetious right?\n\nLaw enforcement personnel are sworn to uphold the law.  To degrade oneself by stooping to levels that perpertrators do makes any officer partaking in "street justice" a criminal, and therefore not truly an officer of the law, and not worthy to carry a badge.  \n\nThe court system is not perfect, but it's what we got.  When citizens get tired enough of youthful offenders stealing their hard earned belongings or assaulting them and begin to petition the law makers, then the court system may finally begin to work the way we all hope.  \n\nAny adult, police officer or otherwise, who takes out physical justice on an intellectually and emotionally immature person...read juvenile (sorry folks, that's what they are) are cowards.  Part of L.E. is rehab.  Cops aren't just about putting people in jail, they also assist in programs to help kids stay out of trouble.
461142
For a truly accurate answer (as I know thou must be seeking here) you must contact your local Police/Law Enforcement agency. The reason being that there are so many different types being used by different Departments, and different batons serve different purposes. There are wood, metal, high impact plastic, long (for riots), short (for Rodney King... sorry - I couldn't help it... nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!) for street and everyday use, and new collapsible metal ones that fit in a little pouch on the belt and look like a mini mag light. One snap and it goes from mini mag light to a 24 inch head crackin' force to be reckoned with (ooh, ooh!)! Hope this helps!