Isn't it time for police forces to focus less on force and more on real policing = serve and protect?

Perhaps SOCIETY could act a little better!

Police officers have tough jobs...working each day not knowing if they'll come home alive or not.

If you want Andy Griffith then the criminals need to be like Otis. But unfortunately that is not the case. They are encountering more and more violent interactions and each time they respond they are criticized and MMQB'D by people and the media that have no clue what it's like to wear the badge or be in a situation where your life hinges on a decision you have to make in milliseconds. Mayberry RFD. Is long gone and we will not see a return to the days of Andy Griffith style policing. Our society has progressed or digress ed (depending on how you see it) to a point where it is highly unlikely the police will ever become soft and cuddly. With the recent war on the police by the media and cop blockers this hardliners stance will only get worse. Cops are on high alert and I don't blame them.

Of all these 'incidents' paraded by the media, ONE was an abuse of power and that was quickly ignored by the police because the officer was arrested and charged?

The police are under attack in a way I have never seen in my lifetime and I think we better start getting behind the police and show our support. I think if criminals would stop breaking the law or resisting when caught 100% of these incidents would never happen.

I think we should allow these people who would rather take their chances with the criminals and thugs to sign off from the police being forced to protect them.

Here's my perception on your comment where did "officer friendly" go? It went out the window with our society. There are a lot of really bad people out there in the world making it tough for all of our law enforcement to be "friendly" on any given day. When you have to deal with “road rage” here in California, how can officers be friendly with idiots like that on the road? On the way to my client's office yesterday in Santa Ana, CA I had to change lanes quickly, used my turn signal and thought I allowed enough proper distance, but the driver behind me didn't like it. Instead of honky his horn, he quickly pulled up beside me and tried to ram my car. Now if we have people that are going to act like that in a car and then act that way in public how are the police supposed to be friendly? In small communities where you don't have all the thugs it’s like Mayberry RFD and the police get along fine with everyone and they are friendly. I think society and the police both need to change, but it just can't be one or the other. If they use excessive force and there is no justification, then the police officer is no better than the thug and should be prosecuted as such (just like a criminal). Just my opinion!

I have no issue with the police if they are doing their job correctly. Yes, there are good and bad people in this world regardless of their professional occupation. I have witnessed by husband SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4' thrown on top a police car and our son being thrown into the rocks by overzealous cops. One officer lied out of the side of his neck in the report while the other two told the truth. If it had not been for the other two officers my husband and son would have criminal records. Every time I would see the lying officer I would greet him. About a year later I finally held a conversation with him. After small chit-chat, he ADMITTED that he overreacted and needed his meds adjusted. WOW!!! He could have ruined their lives (or taken them) because he needed his medicine adjusted. I thank God to this day that my family is okay. However , because of this my husband and our son have a VERY different outlook when it comes to police officers. I don't feel it was racially motivated. I forgave the officer (J was upset that I did). This will take awhile for the men in my family to heal from. I can't get the images out of my mind, but I believe when that officer sees me he's ashame of his actions... he puts his head down every time. I speak and it forces him to acknowledge me. I pray for those that do evil.

PV2 (Join to see)
SFC Mark Merino
SGT (Join to see)

Unfortunately, the gov't will first have to end the asinine, statist, failure that is the War on Drugs.

Probably the same place as common sense. You couldn't pay me enough to be in law enforcement now a days. The general public has no respect for any one in the position of authority. Yeah, yeah I know there are some bad cops. But in most cases they are not and if people would just obey their commands most of the high lights in the news would not be there. Less than one percent of police interactions have any conflict, but you never hear about those. God Bless those that Severe!!

I recommend the book by Radlay Balko "Rise of the Warrior Cop: Militarization of the Police" it fully explains the trend from 'guardian' to 'warrior' that many LEAs exhibit today.

SGM Dan Coberly Sergeant Major, respectfully, have you been trained as a civilian police officer, or ever walked a mile in a street cops shoes?

Your comments, attitude, and obvious beliefs lead me to believe that you believe everything that you read and hear in the media.....

There are good and bad LEOs everywhere. Just like there are good and bad Soldiers and people.

At least here in California, the current philosophy of policing is "intelligence based policing." That philosophy and doctrine apecifically pushes LEOs to be friendly and communicate with people-the community and the criminals. It pushed LEOs to use their heads more than their hands and weapons.

Now, the above philosophy/doctrine elaborated, (at least here in California) the sole job of a Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff is to enforce the law. What that means is that whether the crime be a infraction, misdemeanor or felony, it is not the LEOs job to be the judge and jury. It is their job to investigate the facts and apprehend those that have violated the law. Apprehension of those violators/or the accused oftentimes means that you, the LEO, are going to physically take custody of those human beings. I don't know if very many human beings that like their freedom being taken-especially here in the United States. That said, a situation of arrest/apprehension is a high stress and emotional undertaking. The violator/accused is anxious and the cops are normally on alert.... And there is nothing in the rule book that says LEOs have to be polite or warm and fuzzy. In fact, here in California there is specifically a law (section 835a of the penal code) that says you do not have to retreat or back down and give the LEO the right of self defense.

Me personally, I have the training and experience of civilian law enforcement. I also put handcuffs on more than one person. And I done so here in Southern California where the environment can at least be called dangerous and hostile towards LEOs. In fact, I once heard a former Marine, who was my Field Training Officer, compare Los Angeles, CA USA to Beruit, Lebanon.... I'm not going to lie and tell you that I've always been a nice guy because I haven't. But, I can honestly say (and sleep well knowing) that I was never a jerk until I needed to be a jerk. By that I mean I never yelled at anyone or swore unless the situation warranted it. I was always taught and tried to "look, act, and be professional." And frankly, the vast majority of LEOs around me did as well.

Why am I going on off this tirade? Hopefully to bring to light that:

1. You've never walked a mile in a LEOs shoes (so far as I could tell from your profile and written word).

2. The job is much tougher than you can imagine.

And,

3. You're wrong.

Very Respectfully,
2LT LOOMIS

Yes we need to derail this train of events before no one trusts the police.