Another question for lady cop

[godfry n. glad]

Hey...

I basically try to live my life with as little interaction with the police as possible.

However, I've got an extensive background in community activism, including community policing. This experience put me in contact with a small sample of officers.

I don't know if this is because of my small sample or not, but it seems to me that the police officers I've had to deal with are reticent and seemingly resistant to social interactions with the "civvies" while on patrol. Is this a cultivated attitude, or just an outgrowth of the police officer culture?

How come so few officers smile and wave at an innocuous citizen who smiles and waves at them? What's with that?

godfry

[lady cop]

Hi Godfry...i can't speak for everyone, but it is true there is an "us vs. them" mentality among LE. i heard it expressed once as "if they're not one of us, then they're one of THEM". i don't personally subscribe to that credo. as to friendliness, an individual personality matter...when i am out and about in uniform i make sure i am friendly and very polite. i represent my sheriff and my agency when i wear my 'greens'. and even when i don't. people know i'm a cop around here, in uniform or not. kids in particular concern me because i have heard parents say to their noisy kids in walmart "if you don't be good, i'll have that cop arrest you and put you in jail". well ,that really burns me up, that parent is teaching her child to be afraid of me. people don't have to like us, but i think it's a good thing to let children know we are there to protect or help them if they need us. getting back to your observations Godfry, i am sure you are right about that police culture thing, i know, i am a part of that, i cannot help my feelings of brother and sisterhood. especially when we have to attend cop funerals, it isn't accountants out there getting shot in the street, and we do have a particular bond. but i agree it is to everyone's benefit if the cops are more friendly and outgoing in the community. it would inspire more trust.

[wildernesse]

This is interesting, and something I never really thought about much. Mostly because the deputies (and dozen police for the couple of incorporated towns) in our community were really part of the community--my cousin, my friends' parents, and, weirdly to me, nowadays people I went to high school with. Small town life--but extending over the whole county really. Back home most police do get smiles and waves, otherwise they'd hear from their mama about being more polite to people.

[godfry n. glad]

This is interesting, and something I never really thought about much. Mostly because the deputies (and dozen police for the couple of incorporated towns) in our community were really part of the community--my cousin, my friends' parents, and, weirdly to me, nowadays people I went to high school with. Small town life--but extending over the whole county really. Back home most police do get smiles and waves, otherwise they'd hear from their mama about being more polite to people.

Yeah... It's been a long time since I lived in a small town, but I've friends who assure me of the same. Thing is, my experience is that small town officers will treat local polite an' all, but if you're an outsider not in the company of a local, it's a different kettle of fish.

As for life in the big shitty, things are different here. Unless you are known to be a compatriot of the clique of officers, you are treated with suspicion if you are overtly friendly to most officers (there are, of course, exceptions). I suspect that it comes from being exposed to a lot of strangers who are potentially violent and could use such an approach to endanger the officer, but I'm not really sure.

It tends to encourage the public to see their protectors as "them" and promotes the "us and them" attitude on both sides.

Several years back, we had a police chief in this city who briefly implemented what was known as "community policing"...putting regular officers on the street in regular areas and encouraging them to build relationships with community members. That was shitcanned with the firing of the chief when the next mayor came in, and we went back to the distant, aloof and reticent attitude in dealing with the public, along with a more militaristic image. As of January 3, the chief of police shitcanned then will become the city's new mayor. I have hopes for a turnaround and possible return to "community policing".

Thanks for your input.

godfry