Messing around with the police.

Published on December 13, 2005 By Jamie Burnside In Misc

This morning I was listening to the "Pat Miles Show" on Twin Cities' WCCO radio. (Maybe some of you out there were listening to it too...) As part of a weekly segment, they invited a policeman into the studio to do their "ask the cop" feature. (That's the name I gave it. I don't know what the official name of it is.)

It is interesting to hear what sorts of gripes the callers have regarding the police. One complaint (which ALWAYS seems to come up) is that the police leave their cars running for the duration of their shifts. (You know, wasting tax payers' money...blah, blah, blah.) Apparently the newest police response to this is: "We need the cars running to keep the on-board computers running." Makes a lot of sense, except I hadn't heard it until recently. (Maybe that used to be "classified"...) Personally, I'm not opposed to letting the police keep the cars at a comfortable temperature while they're working.

A second caller mentioned that his wife caught a police officer parked illegally. **Cops can park wherever they want if they're doing "police business".** Anyway, this lady approached the police man to inform him of his infraction. (I wonder if this lady beats hornets' nests with a stick in her spare time.)

My point? One would think that there would be more important things to worry about. Plus, it is a bad idea to mess around with the police. Why bother? If a person tells a cop that they're doing something wrong, are they supposed to thank him?

Comments

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 13, 2005

While I disagree with the lady's approach, I think your reasoning is faulty. Police are not supposed to be some sort of unapproachable monster, nor are they without accountability. They are, for the most part, responsible for observing the same laws they're paid to enforce. And, frankly, if they would retaliate against someone who points out that they're not doing their job right, they are corrupt cops and not deserving of the uniform.

Jamie Burnside

on Dec 13, 2005

I suppose you're right, but I don't want to be personally responsible for "keeping them honest".

Dr Guy

on Dec 13, 2005

I use to work for a lady that called and reported a state trooper that was speeding through a construction zone! She had Cajones!

Jamie Burnside

on Dec 13, 2005

I use to work for a lady that called and reported a state trooper that was speeding through a construction zone! She had Cajones!

Phone Operator: Okay ma'am, you'd like to lodge a complaint? Could I please have your name, address, and which roads you use to get home from work each night?

Dr Guy

on Dec 13, 2005

Phone Operator: Okay ma'am, you'd like to lodge a complaint? Could I please have your name, address, and which roads you use to get home from work each night?

That's about the size of it!

AvantiTexan

on Dec 13, 2005

I've always thought that the police were "public servants." In as much as that they are paid to serve and protect the general population. I've never felt that they are inapproachable. However, I have seen some abuse the power they had and try to intimidate people, but I've found, and I hope that it is true all over, that it is the minority.
My wife has the complete opposite view; they are to be feared and avoided at all costs (especially the Italian police at the airport with machine guns).
I would probably never bring to the attention of a police officer their breaking of the law. Mainly because I would hope that they would turn their head on my illegally parked car.

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