Yep, my Dad and Grandads told me about screwing up, If you make your bed, you are going to have to sleep in it. Don't know their names, live in a rural area, when I see the police on traffic detaiI I smile at them and do what they want, see them about town, say high and smile, if they stop me, its more stressful for them than me, tell them what I am going to do, move slow and respect their job, never been mistreated by police, black, white, or plaid, but then when they see me they don't expect me to be trouble, remember as the one that smiles and waves, not the one throwing them the finger. Might not work in city, but sure helps in rural areas. When I first moved to this area in 1973, I was working nights, drove home at 4 am, saw police chief at grocery store,walked up, introduced myself, told him where I worked, where I lived, and when I was on the road. He said why are you doing this, said I was raised in the country and it was easier on both of us if we got it straightened out before he had to come up with some excuse to stop me at 4 am to find out what I was doing. He laughed, after that the local police waved at me when I went by and I was a pallbearer at his funeral 40 years later. Don't know, used to be mutual respect between police and people in town, but then they were just us with a badge, not a professional with citizen vs officer view of life. Don't know if we will ever get back to Andy of Mayberry, but growing up his type was a lot more common than Bull Connors.
Believe it or not I get the cops called on me a lot where I live atand when they show up I'm yes sir no sir yes ma'am no ma'am normally open up my tailgate and sit on it and have my right hand right knee left hand left knee and matter how mad I may be inside it won't come out
I have always worked to have a relationship with my local Law Enforcement, where ever I live.. In Alaska, out in the bush, it is easy... Only one fellow is assigned to our area, and it is just him and his detachment Sargent... The Sargent is also the guy who gets informed when I renew my FFL, So once every two years, we do that dance, and also when he needs information about doings in my area... I always introduce myself to the LE when I move into a new place... Now that we are stuck in Utah for this winter, (medical issues) and in an Urban Setting, it is impractical to know all the local LE, so I will do the “Gray Man” thing... but the Alaska Plates kind of give away where we are from...
I grew up in a small town in the mountains, graduated high school and moved away for a while. When I moved back almost no one knew me and the cops were pulling me over from time to time just checking me out. "I drive an old truck" One of the jobs I got was working with a fellow that was in SAR and he invited me in . It is with the local sheriffs department. After the local sheriffs got to know me they stopped pulling me over. Pictures prints and address, they know where to find you. This place is a retirement community with lots of law enforcement and fire department retirees. One thing you begin to understand is that these are a part of an unspoken fraternity, and once identified in side one of these there is more trust. These generally all have put their life on the line, one way or another. These people are involved in the community and participate in community events. During major events like a 6.2 earthquake every one had a hand in it, retired or not , unless they were unable, being a victim them selves. Cops have to maintain a distance from people they don't know, seeing the some people will use the familiarity to find latitude for some infraction. They know this because they do it for one another. Ideally, if you are involved in the community POSITIVELY, and your name is heard positively the more likely you get slack, where as some guy that no one knows is scrutenized more closely, justifiably.
I try to avoid contact with the police, although I know most of them through work. The only contact I've had with the law in years has been with game wardens, and the occasional Sheriff deputy waking me up in my car just to be sure I'm alive. That's about all the contact I want to have with them when they're on duty.
I have always gone out of my way to get to know my local LEO, be it city or county, or even Staters, if they know me, and I know them, things are a lot easier all around! I also work with the county doing SAR and other things, get sworn now and then, and generally do what I can to help when there is a need! My Neighbor is THE Sheriff, and two miles further is one of his Deputies, and we have family get togethers and BBQ's as neighbors first! It isn't hard to be civil to folks, weather they wear a badge or not, they are still people! This whole "Defund" movement is from a very few with a serious agenda, and lots of useful idiots! Don't fall for the trap, a world with out law and order is not someplace pleasant to live, trust me, I have seen it first hand!
I rely on my white-privledge when dealing with police. Just ignore the long hair and smell of marijuana Ossifer. I'm white so you gotta gimme a pass.
I am friends with several LEO's in my area. The ones that I don't know, know folks I do... so that is helpful. We have three in my intimidate AO, two being detectives and one traffic patrol. In our area, everyone is armed and vigilant to those we do not recognize. Good relations with your local law enforcement is nice to have... especially with enforcing trespass from tweakers, looters and such. If something happens, I rely on the fact that some LEO that show's up, will know who is friendly to them, vs the bad guy. Our county sheriff is not standing down to the left, like his King county peer....
I was raised to say yes sir, no sir, yes mam, no mam to my elders when I was a kid. This has turned into a reflexive habit where I say it to almost everyone if they ask me to do something. It has helped me avoid trouble MANY times in situations where having a smart mouth could have caused a problem. I am raising my kids to do the same. Easiest way to stay gray is to smile, say yes sir or no sir, and move on. I can understand how some LEO can get frustrated and lash out in small ways due to the disrespect they get regularly in their jobs.
It is the generic term "Law Enforcement Officer" or it's diminutive, LEO, that gripes my ass. I am quite happy with Policeman, it speaks community. LEO, on the other hand, has no common sense, no humanity and no flexibility. LEO is a hammer and to a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Laws are passed by people with an agenda; for almost every law there is someone set to benefit, be it lobbyist, insurance companies and their minions, big business, big pharm, Monsanto, someone benefits. This means that enforcement of those laws has little to do with community.
Agree with Seacowboys, somehow it changed from police, who were local and part of the community with the ability, right or wrong, to make decisions and interact with the community, to a law enforcement officer, perceived as almost a modified form of storm trooper who only represents the state and enforces laws, right or wrong, and due to the nature of our society and the hoard of lawyers has as a first consideration to at all times cover his butt by never doing anything but enforce the written law. Then the Ferguson effect, or in my mind the Sgt Schultz effect takes over and the best the LEO can do in a lot of situations with racial or cultural overtones, is to see nothing and go thru the motions and let the "civil authorities" sort thing out. Shoot a man who has active warrants out, an active crime scene with a complaint, been tasered twice with very little effect which would at least suggested an altered mental state, and has a knife and refuses to co operate in any way and is about to endanger 3 children by entering the drivers seat of a car, and you are guilty of unprovoked shooting of a black man. City is being sued by Mr Crump who has made a fortune out of "civil suits" based on trial by media and out of court settlements for millions, city has faced multiple nights of rioting, the officers who were present are being charged with multiple crimes and will have to defend their actions as well as they can and at a very high cost, and very few LEO are ever again make the mistake of showing up and attempting to do anything in a domestic violence case. Much safer to wait until after the murder, beating, rape, etc, and take witness statements the next day. It would seem that the deaths and injuries, in Kenosha as well as other riot scenes, would seem to indicate that the Ferguson Effect is rapidly replacing the broken windows concept of community policing.
Lanuage is a powerful thing. Once we had peace officers police officers now law enforcement officers the focus on the law rather than peace in the community
