Police: Can't Truss 'Em
This story really pisses me off. I'm very suspicious of cops. The ones here in the Vegas valley are opportunistic, lazy, reckless, thuggish, and sometimes just plain scary. Worst of all, they only seem to serve the portion of the community that most benefits them. My in-laws were stopped in MY CAR once because of "a broken tail light." I inspected the vehicle when they got home. None of my tail lights were out. Just so happens, I have a Citizenship Project license plate - one that uses an Aztec calendar in its motif.
And that wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened. I simply can't trust cops. Period. So, spare me the bleeding-hearted "they-lay-their-lives-on-the-line-every-day-for-you" rhetoric. Please. Spare me. They don't lay shit on the line for me, or mine. They do it for those from whom they benefit most.
How deep does this mistrust go? I found out today that this guy that works out at my gym is a cop. I already found him quite menacing anyway because he's a rather imposing figure who carried himself in that "I'm-an-authority-figure-so-my-shit-don't-stink" elitist sort of way. Now I know why. Perhaps he doesn't realize what he's doing. Perhaps he's a good guy. Admittedly, I have no intention of even speaking to the guy, let alone getting close enough to him to find out. Truthfully, I'm not sure why I still call 911 when I hear a domestic incident going down. What's going to happen, really? Usually, nothing. Nevada's laws do little or nothing to protect the victims of battering (another topic altogether), and the police usually won't lift a finger to investigate. In fact, if we ever have a break-in the only reason I could see us calling is for them to pick the unconscious intruder up off our sidewalk. We have lots of bats. And mace. Lots of mace. Two former Marines live in this house. Do the math.
Anyway, it's not that I think all cops are bad apples. A couple that I've encountered were actually quite professional and courteous. It's just that enough of them have crossed the line around here that I'm really leery of them and do everything I can to minimize my contact with them. Even though the guy in the article I linked was drunk, belligerent, and threatening, throwing a handcuffed man to the ground for calling you corrupt is bullshit - especially if it turns out you really are corrupt.
Police are getting out of control. They should answer to the community they claim to protect and serve, rather than terrorizing it. My two cents. Maybe you don't like it. I don't care.
I'm reacting to what I observe. If you haven't observed the same thing or are selectively blind to it, there's no use in debating this issue with me. Shut up and move on.