Sad state of America's youth

[Dreamstalker]

The local cops here run the gamut...there are a few good ones and a few bad ones.

Back in 1994, I came home to find our front door had been kicked in and stuff got ripped off (I realize I was damn lucky the robber wasn't still there when I came home). I dropped my bag of food, touched nothing and called the cops, then my mom. I could see exactly how they got in; the perp kicked in the door panel near the knob, then reached through and undid the deadbolt. There was a towel on the floor with a few drops of blood on it (probably cut themselves on the wood splinters). I was ignored because "she's a kid and in shock" (erm, I was the one who called you guys, if I'm in shock why am I telling you what you'd see if you bothered to look?). The responding officer went so far as to make the pointed suggestion to my mom that "you must have left the door unlocked" (I have a feeling that went on the report, and is the reason Mom never saw any insurance money for her professional camera kit that was jacked). To this day I'm amazed that a twelve-year-old could see what the cops ignored.

One night we were pulled over by a guy who we later dubbed The Terminator. The dude was out-of-control mad; we both thought he was going to pull his gun. The offense? No front registration stickers on plates from a state that did not require them at the time. Mom didn't want to file a complaint....someone else must have for another incident as I didn't see him around after that. There was also a tiny little Asian dude with a serious Napoleon complex who tended to harass kids just because he could.

My mom and I were on good terms with a local captain until he retired, and I still see the officers from my self-defense course around town. When we lived in Montpelier, I was on a friendly first-name basis with several of the beat cops there.

[Gawdzillers]

Man, everyone's got a more exciting life than me.

[Broomjockey]

Wow, Ree. That "A Cop on the Take" brought me close to tears, and I can count the number of times I've cried on both hands. That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing those

[JustADude]

Wow, Ree. That "A Cop on the Take" brought me close to tears, and I can count the number of times I've cried on both hands. That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing those

Seconded, on all three parts. Those were great, and the 'Lousy Cop' one really makes you stop and think about how hypocritical some people are about things.



I really don't have much to add, except all the cops I've known on a personal level have been great guys, and most of the ones I've dealt with in the course of their work (mostly also in the course of my work... shoplifters, a break-in at the shop, etc) have been more than professional. I've dealt with an asshole or two, though.

One was hovering at a tiny stretch of freeway zoned 55mph where it cut through the corner of a town, while everything for 30-40 miles on either side was 65mph. Literally, by the time I saw his lights and got pulled over I was in sight of the sign marking the return to 65mph. I got a ticket for going 10 over the speed-limit even though I was PASSED by another car while he was tailing me. Yes, I deserved the ticket, but there's a serious problem when a +10 ticket takes priority over a +20 ticket.

The other one isn't so much an asinine situation as merely annoyance at the whole "guilty until proven innocent" profiling thing. BB and I had gotten the craving for some 4th Meal munchies, so we made a quick road-trip to Taco Bell around midnight. On the way back, we got pulled over by an officer on the way home... ostensibly to tell me I had a tail-light out. From his posture, attitude, and the distance he kept from the car, though, you could tell he was expecting there to be problems... probably drugs, from the questions he asked.

[Dreamstalker]

Thirded. Those were wonderful My grandfather was a MA state trooper back before I was born, and one of the first things he taught me when I was old enough to understand was to always respect the police. The majority of the cops I've dealt with have been great guys/women, totally polite and professional and I have always been polite back. It's a tough job that I could never do and I salute them for that.

Literally, by the time I saw his lights and got pulled over I was in sight of the sign marking the return to 65mph. I got a ticket for going 10 over the speed-limit even though I was PASSED by another car while he was tailing me. Yes, I deserved the ticket, but there's a serious problem when a +10 ticket takes priority over a +20 ticket.

I've heard that in a given line of cars, the last one to pass will always get nailed. Not sure how true that is, but it makes sense if the cars are close together--the reading bouncing back from the last car may contain data from the ones who were really speeding.

Route 24 close to the Tiverton bridge is notorious for speed traps that you will not see until it's too late.

[protege]

I've heard that in a given line of cars, the last one to pass will always get nailed. Not sure how true that is, but it makes sense if the cars are close together--the reading bouncing back from the last car may contain data from the ones who were really speeding.

I've heard that too. More cars tends to screw with the readings. Also, around here, those radar signs (the ones reading "your speed is" with a digital number) occasionally are calibrated higher. For example, there are several in and around various construction zones. Through those zones, I slow down to the required 55mph. My speedometer says 55, yet the sign says I'm doing 60mph or higher....simply because some idiot wants to speed through the zone. Not a good idea, since fines are *doubled* in construction zones, and cops just *love* nailing people in them.

[powerboy]

Oh how could I forget about this one.

We used to have a neighbor that was pissed off at my family. Don't know what we did to her, but she was pissed at us. One day she was shooting a BB gun at my parents. She shot a basketball of mine. She also shot one of my cats. We filed a police report every time that happened. Because she was the sister of a cop, nothing came of it. Until one time, when she served a court order on her B-Day. She had a nail that was hammered all the way through the board, and my brother and I both ran past, and got scraped by it.

[Gawdzillers]

She had a nail that was hammered all the way through the board, and my brother and I both ran past, and got scraped by it.

Like, in the fence, or is this a metaphor?

[blas]

Speaking of rent a cops......security at the factory....ahem ahem...

Let's just say, no physical test required. No previous experienced required.

All that's required? Extreme nosiness and extreme bad attitude and superiority complex.

My friend Dan's car got broken into last fall. Some kids pulled up at 2 am or so, bashed out his back windshield, they got in and stole his stereo and subs and anything of any value he had in the car. The car alarm went off and everything. Where was security? ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT IN HIS LITTLE CAR PEERING INTO EVERYONE'S CAR LOOKING FOR SUSPICIOUS THINGS!

So my friend got a handicapped spot for the following month or so until he felt safe that those kids would never return.

I don't know how many times I've came in early for overtime or whatever, and I park, sitting, smoking a cigg, getting ready to load up and come in, and the security guard gets into his car and drives past me, staring at me.

The first shift security guard parks his car right by one of the exits and watches each 3rd shifter leave. I've watched his head cock back and forth watching each person leave. What's he gonna do, chase me if I go too fast?

The girl that used to make herself pass out....well, regardless of whether she faked it or not, a few times, she banged her head on the floor and blood flowed...

We dialed the front desk, and security is supposed to call 911 and escort them into the proper area. It took 45 minutes. Because that security guard was sick and tired of being called from our area being told of a girl passing out. So he took his sweet time. My supervisor, who is a first responder, called 911 himself and chewed that security guard out but good!

This other asshole has a problem with people smoking outside. He's an ageist, if there is such a thing. My friends and I all park next to each other and walk inside finishing our cigarettes. We take a few puffs rihgt before the door and dispose of the butts into the ashtray provided. One night he was standing there, waiting for us, saying "NO SMOKING AROUND HERE! Too many people complaining. Put it out NOW!"

Then the next night, I saw a 2nd shift man who is much older, walk outside and light up. No security guard came hurdling up and screaming at him.

I hate the security at that factory.

Not only that, but any chance they get, they'll change the music to country.

[Gawdzillers]

He's an ageist, if there is such a thing.

Yes, there is such a thing.

Not only that, but any chance they get, they'll change the music to country.

I see no problem here.
Of course, I enjoy country, so...

[Shabo]

The worst deal I've ever had with the police was when I was following my friend back to his house on New Years Eve/New Years (it was around midnight). We were going down the highway (I guess a little fast? I don't know, I wasn't paying attention to anything but where he was going). I was a little close to his back end since the highway was empty, but not so close that I was in danger of rear-ending him. The cop pulls me over, but not my friend, and tells me that I'm following a little too closely to the car in front of me. I responded with, "I was following that car." The cop proceeds to tell me that I don't need to be that close since there's no one on the road, then lets me go.

Thanks dude. Thanks a lot for wasting my time and getting me lost. Didn't even ask for my license. I'm thinking he was just looking for a drunk driver. I wasn't even weaving.

My aunt and uncle were both cops. I was always taught to respect all officers, and I have no problem with them. I'm usually completely polite to them, and they're the same back. I've had to call the cops before when I was an RA at the university, and some of them do have attitude problems, but not all of them do. Either way, I have no problem with them until they have a stupid problem with me.

[blas]

Here's a nice one for ya....

The other day my bf and I were driving on the freeway to go to Wal-Mart. I had some extra gas and I much prefer the newer Wal-Mart in my parent's city than the dirty one where I live (the newer one has self checkouts, the old one doesn't).

So we were in the right lane toodling along and all of a sudden I started going a bit fast. My bf said "Let off the gas, there's an undercover right next to you"

Without braking, I let off the gas and watched the cop next to me, eyeballing my car. It was one of those unmarked Crown Victoria's. All the antennas give it away. That and I could see the woman cop driving it was trying to radio someone and mess with her little laptop thingy at the same time, and the futher ahead that she got in front of me, the more she kept weaving into my lane and couldn't keep her patrol car on her own side of the road.

I laughed and said, "Well since she's doing that, she really has no right to pull anyone over for anything small today!"

[protege]

Without braking, I let off the gas and watched the cop next to me, eyeballing my car. It was one of those unmarked Crown Victoria's. All the antennas give it away.

Not all of them have those antennas. Quite a few unmarked patrol cars locally don't have them. They do though, have plain steel wheels (usually black) with small chromed center caps. Another giveaway (locally), is that they usually have blue municipal (MG) plates with white lettering.

[blas]

And no hubcaps!

[Anakah]

Make sure you don't tell the child they are going home, leading said child to believe they are being arrested and taken to prison, where they will never see their family again.

.

That's legal?? I'd have the world's biggest lawsuit with that one. I can't believe that! Well, I mean I can't believe that in this day and age people who do that... That should've been a serious crime! Does that still happen at that school??