My liberty and indeed my physical safety demand that I treat any cop whom I involuntarily encounter as potentially dangerous to me.
Feeling this way yourself, you obviously don't begrudge LE to look at unknown people in the same manner, right?
(Whether they meet those other folks voluntarily or involuntarily.)
When I was working, and operating in my plainclothes assignment in another jurisdiction (or when off-duty in another jurisdiction), if I had occasion to come into contact with the local LE I expected them to treat me with a certain due caution until they could verify my status and that I was not a danger to their officer safety. I didn't take it personally, I looked at it professionally. Some were more lackadaisical about it than others, some were a bit more abrupt about it than others and some were professionally polite. Human nature.
Unfortunately, the daily events and circumstances of our world often present more threatening situations than many folks may care to realize or desire to admit. Their prerogative.
Considering the significantly greater numbers of non-LE folks than LE folks in our great country, and perhaps the greater number of non-LE folks lawfully carrying concealed weapons (via license, permit or other local law) than LE carrying weapons by badge and sworn office ... and naturally those folks unlawfully carrying weapons, and of criminal inclination ... it makes it harder for LE to immediately & clearly recognize a potential threat. No dedicated uniforms making it easy to readily identify everyone and recognize their affiliation.
Now, this thread has become side-tracked with a number of other topics, a few of which are a bit dismaying and probably not exactly denoting the best of some folks and their beliefs and opinions. Human nature, again. (I am not directing this against any particular individual, nor should the brief quotation I used be construed to mean I'm directing it to the thread contributor who wrote it.)
LE must be held to a very high standard. The office requires public trust and the public deserves having that trust vindicated. Nothing less is acceptable.
LE hires from the within the public it serves. This can sometimes result in selections and choices which turn out to be regrettable, but those can be identified, addressed and resolved by the professional standards ("internal affairs", etc) mechanisms in place. Or, the criminal justice system, if it comes to that.
One further thought. Because of the greater sheer numbers of non-LE to LE in our country, it would seem to be possible for more non-LE to potentially develop the "us-versus-them" mental schism than LE. More's the pity. Those among us who have accepted the burden and responsibility of being the public servants and keepers of the peace who work to uphold the laws, preserve the public peace, investigate suspected criminal activity and bring suspected violators before the court have a hard enough time dealing with the criminally inclined.
The people that dedicate themselves to act in the capacity of law enforcement are chosen from among us, folks.
We are they, by individual choice and by being sworn to that public office. If we are to be deserving of trust among ourselves, and desire it from others, so must we trust in those who we have allowed to dedicate themselves to acting in the role to help preserve and protect our way of life, according to the laws we have chosen and enacted as a society. Too many people try to drag things down to a personal level, when it should remain an impartial, non-personal, professional matter. (And by people, I DO include some occasional folks who have chosen LE as a career and may not have acquired the maturity and professional perspective required to serve in that role in the manner desired of them by their employers and the public they serve. That's why we have supervisors, managers, admin, command & executive level LE, though, folks. To be vigilant to such potential problems. )
If someone violates that sacred public trust, that's something to be vigilantly identified, investigated and addressed in the proper manner.
LE must be held to a high standard. I remembered that each and every day during my career. I taught that to those I trained, too, as I was previously taught.
There is no "us versus them". There's "us serving ourselves", and our chosen way of life, adhering to principles and laws crafted among ourselves, adhering to established freedoms upon which our country was founded, long respected and cherished, representing the freedoms we alone enjoy when considering the many other peoples and countries of the world.
Just my thoughts.
I didn't make it to 30 years before I realized one day that it was time to go. )
