I’m sure many readers have heard about the controversy in Portland, OR over police riot training material that allegedly included this slide (clickit to biggit):
Notice that (as far as I’m aware) all the protests and outraged shrieks have come from the left of US politics. There’s a deafening silence on the right – largely because many on the right sympathize with the sentiments expressed in the slide. I’ve so far discussed it in passing with several current and former law enforcement friends. The universal reaction appears to be a giggle of heartfelt agreement.
It’s hard not to sympathize with them, because police are deliberately targeted by the left. They’re publicly pilloried because they stand for law and order, things the left would prefer to remove from the political scene so that they can create mayhem unfettered by the long arm of the law. They denigrate, slander and libel police at will, seek to defund them, threaten them, offer them physical violence – and then act surprised when their attitudes and actions bounce back on them, as expressed in that slide. Frankly, I’m astonished that more police haven’t refused to guard the mayor’s home, or official council buildings, when the mayor and council are part of the attack on law enforcement. As far as I’m concerned, if that’s the way they feel, then let them find out at first hand what it’s like when law enforcement isn’t there to protect them.
That’s also why it’s worth getting to know your local police force, and ensure that they regard your immediate area as friendly. If you “show willing” and volunteer to help law enforcement organizations and civic activities, wave a friendly welcome to cops patrolling your streets, and generally make it clear that you aren’t a problem they need to worry about, you’re very unlikely to fall foul of the attitudes expressed in that slide. Also, if trouble should come to your town and you need to organize your own neighborhood to resist incursions by the radical left, let the local cops know about it ahead of time, and establish effective liaison with them. Don’t bother with top officials: deal with the “cop on the beat”, those living in, working in and responsible for your area, who’ll have to put their lives on the line to defend you if it comes to that. They’ll know that in your area at least, they’ll have backup and support. That’s worth gold to them, and more than gold.
Yes, there are problem cops; yes, there are problem police forces. We’ve covered both in these pages from time to time. However, I still think the majority of cops are trying to “protect and serve”, and doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances. The easier and less stressful we can make those circumstances for them, the more likely we are to receive protection when we need it, and the less likely we are to engender the attitudes expressed in that slide. I think that’s a worthwhile objective.
Peter
At the same time, never forget that the cop you are being friendly to may be the same one who comes for your guns, or to arrest you for not being vaccinated.
If it comes to a choice between your rights and a cop's pension, the cop will choose his pension.
If it comes to your word over another cop's word, the cop will side with other cops. Every time. No matter how much of a friendship you have, your cop friend will always side with a cop over you.
In Moscow, Idaho, the police are not our friends at all. They established a giant lie on September 23rd, 2020 when Psalm Singers were arrested outside City Hall. The Psalm Singers were following the Moscow City law and the cops at the direction of unknown individuals broke the law which specifically excluded political and religious assemblies from wearing masks.
Instead of coming clean, the Moscow cops covered up the illegal arrests and then proceeded to make even more outrageous false claims against individuals in town. They lie in court without hesitation. Not a single leader, officer or staff will step outside of the lies to tell the truth.
They prefer their paychecks to their oaths of office and have shown that they are ready to do anything to keep the paychecks coming. They are not our friends. Not at all.
Things are coming to a head.
I don't know how widespread this situation is elsewhere, but in a significant portion of CA, the cops patrolling your streets are not local citizens. If the city is Blue, most of the time the cops can't afford to live there. It's not uncommon for them to commute 50 miles to get to that city. Most other states tend to mandate the cops must live in the city they serve.
Think they are going to care about trouble coming to your area? Maybe not. Also, that manpower is not quickly available for sudden situations, and may never show up to help out.
Peter,
I humbly submit that your assessment of the majority of cops is overly optimistic almost to the point of being naive. None of the institutions that we conservatives have trusted and championed in the past are worth a damn anymore and are more than likely our enemy.
The military, congress, the police, FBI, hell even the NRA is a pack of grifters. All will stand against god fearing Americans if ordered to do so. We are on our own and owe these institutions no loyalty.
Anyone who thinks that subhuman gestapo filth are their friends has no one but themselves to blame when they're kidnapped and tortured to death as as ALREADY HAPPENED to multiple innocent patriots in just the last year alone.
Stop making excuses for monsters, they made their choice to commit brutal atrocities for a paycheck, and no act of violence is unjustified in the effort remove their murderous presence from the nation they seek to enslave for the benefit of their paymasters.
A cop will highly trust (98%) another cop with whom he works daily; there will always be some suspicion of that cop's loyalty.
A cop will trust, but to a much lesser degree, another cop with his own agency.
A cop will trust, to a greatly lesser degree, a cop who works for another police agency.
A cop will not trust anyone who is not a cop – "You're not born until you're sworn" – because they are an "other." That includes non-sworn members of his own agency.
For a Standard-Issue Citizen to place trust in cops can be a grievious mistake; even retired cops fall far down the "trust ladder."
("Am I being detained or am I free to go" and "I will not discuss anything until I have conferred with my attorney and he is present" should be on your Citizens' Miranda Card, in your wallet right next to your attorney's business card, and it's not a bad idea to have a backup attorney as well, just in case. Without a "Legal Firewall" between you and the Police Industrial Complex you're placing your fortune and freedom at great risk.)
Real Life ain't even a little bit like television or the movies.
Sounds like an Antifa bulletin board for running dog lackies.