Radley Balko | May 18, 2009
Good editorial from the Washington Times:
The nation’s capital is recovering from a week of cops running wild. Every year on May 15, National Peace Officers Memorial Day is celebrated in Washington…
For years, local residents have whispered to one another to stay off the roads at night during National Police Week because of all the police cars swerving wildly after the bars close. This year, the Metropolitan Police took the unusual step of ticketing cruisers because so many were parked illegally. Roll Call ran two photos last week of out-of-state police cars parked in a handicap spot and a space reserved for Zipcars. Emergency fire lanes across the city were blocked by police cars.
The dangerous activity is not limited to automobiles. Drinking while carrying sidearms is an annual part of the celebrations. A few years back, one inebriated officer tripped out of a bar in Chinatown and unloaded his pistol on the bell tower of nearby St. Mary, Mother of God Catholic Church.
At Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium two years ago, four officers from Signal Hill, Calif., made a public spectacle of themselves at a Nationals-Braves baseball game. With little regard for safety and even less concern for their appearance, these law enforcement officers were chugging down beers while in full uniform with their pistols on their hips and spare bullet clips on their utility belts. One concerned spectator asked them if it was against police regulations to be drinking alcohol while carrying weapons. In response, one of the officers teetered over, spilled his beer, put his finger to his lips and slurred, “shhhhh” - giggling uncontrollably.
Ask around D.C., and you'll find quite a few people have personal stories about encountering caddish off-duty cops during Police Week.
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It's news like this that makes you appreciate the discipline and order shown at the Nuremberg Rally.
If any of us did any of these things, we would be arrested, have our concealed carry permits revoked instantly, and be chastised by the pigs who arrested us. It really is a different system for the pigs.
Ask around D.C., and you'll find quite a few
people have personal stories about encountering caddish off-duty
cops during Police Week.
What, they behave better the other 51 weeks out of the year?
This nonsense will stop just as soon as the Times gets its share of the bailout money. And by "this nonsense", I mean editorials demeaning our boys in blue.
Sometime in 2001 I was working at a club in Atlanta GA, Cops
would come in there and get drunk and every time I would ask them
if they needed me to call them a cab. Everytime they would say the
same thing. "No, I am just going to drive home." One day I asked
one of these officers what would happen if he gets pulled over. The
cop tells me matter of fact that nothing would happen to him
because more then likely the officer that pulled him over was a guy
that he had already helped out.
It really is a us verse them mind set.
Not to mention the 40 police cars at a Baltimore strip club to
deal with a minor scuffle.
It's not like there is any real crime in Baltimore...
Lazy pig: "Why should I patrol a neighborhood that has actual crime
and I might get shot when I can go deal with a few drunk idiots who
got kicked out of a strip club? Ooh, and I might be able to see
some titties."
Cops are probably the most overpaid group of people in America.
Most of them get great pay and benefits to sit around and eat
donuts. Then they get to act like they are tough because a few of
them actually do their job and go after real criminals.
quick poll:
which group of public employees is more deserving of contempt: cops
or teachers?
Ho-hum. Too jaded to rant* about this. Thinking folks have known
about the double standard (one for the enforcers, one for the
peasants) for years millenia. Many cops act
as if the law doesn't apply to them. Most are more than willing to
ignore, excuse or cover up the misdeeds of their "brothers in
blue". They call this professional courtesy.
Sadly, this failing is not limited to LEOs. See the military and
health care professions for further examples.
* See that? Not one obscenity in the whole post.
This year, the Metropolitan Police took the unusual step of
ticketing cruisers because so many were parked
illegally.
It's nice to see them occasionally get hoisted by their own petards
though!
"spare bullet clips"?
You mean magazines?
Yeah, no big surprise here. A little while back there was a bit of
story here in Richmond, VA about a cop who beat up another guy at a
bar, and his buddies (also cops) basically helped him get away and
threatened witnesses not to finger the guy. But it eventually came
back around to him - just took a couple years. Nice that an LEO,
who supposedly is sworn to uphold and defend the law and protect
and serve the citizenry, can instead go out and beat another dude
in a bar fight, then stroll away without any charges pressed.
The best example of "Cops Gone Wild" that I have seen is the
Saint Louis Guns & Hoses boxing matches. Holly crap that can be
one scary group of people.
I have to say over 50% of the people I know that are officers do
not abuse their position off duty (aside from their damn firearms
discount *shakes fist*) in any way. I also noticed that when you
get a few together they tend to change their personality some. But
I guess that is standard with any group talking shop.
Fuck the police!!!
* See that? At least one obscenity in the whole post.
A good friend of mine is a civilian Army CID agent. He makes no bones about the fact that he can speed anywhere, anytime he wants. The badge will get him out of any ticket anywhere in the country. The cop maffia and contempt for the law is limitless.
Ticketed? ROFLMAO!
Get back to me when the cruisers are towed. These tickets will
amount to zilch.
Radley doesn't seem to realize that these troopers have been through cadet school and have plenty of training to handle firearms while compromised. I guess ordinary citizens cannot be expected to understand this.
Radley doesn't seem to realize that these troopers have been through cadet school and have plenty of training to handle firearms while compromised. I guess ordinary citizens cannot be expected to understand this.
They teach you how to handle firearms while drunk in cop school? That's some pretty damn good training ...
But if guns are legalized in DC, as Reason wishes, and if we're allowed to carry our guns everywhere, as Reason also wishes, won't every day be "National Police Officers Memorial Day"? I mean, shouldn't I be allowed to carry my S&W to the stadium and down a brewski or two?
Radley doesn't seem to realize that these troopers have been
through cadet school and have plenty of training to handle firearms
while compromised. I guess ordinary citizens cannot be expected to
understand this.
First rule of CCW classes is not to carry while drinking. Basic
firearm safety follows the same guidelines. Anyone who carries or
handles guns on a regular basis will tell you people drink and
shoot and bad things happen. Hunting season every year accidents
happen because of this. Cadet school averages about 3000 rounds
with some of the most pathetic qualifying standards both for
graduation and continued qualification. People get hurt when they
get comfortable with the dangers of their job and lax in safety.
This holds true for every dangerous profession. Complacency is the
enemy of safety. Drinking and carrying is a huge fucking no no
anyway you look at it.
"First rule of CCW classes is not to carry while
drinking."
These Officers are not ordinary citizens. They don't need CCW. They
can't protect you if they have to follow rules meant for ordinary
citizens.
These Officers are not ordinary citizens. They don't need
CCW. They can't protect you if they have to follow rules meant for
ordinary citizens.
Oh gawd I hope that is sarcasm or troll bait.
Just an FYI they get the same rule for carrying off duty in every
jurisdiction I know of.
Oh, how I missed Juanita. Not in that way, J sub. I wouldn't dream of stepping on your toes, brother.
Get back to me when the cruisers are towed. These tickets
will amount to zilch.
My thoughts as well. If anything, this was probably a head-fake to
the citizenry to make it look like there would be consequences.
These Officers are not ordinary citizens. They don't need CCW. They can't protect you if they have to follow rules meant for ordinary citizens.
The police can't protect me even if they wanted to, and, as it
has been pointed out a million times on these pages, they have no
duty to protect me, you, or anyone else.
Fuckin' retard.
Do you think if a few cruisers did donuts on Scalia's lawn while
firing wildly into the air that it would be enough to disabuse him
of his "new professionalism" beliefs?
Any idea how we can make it happen anyway?
Oh, how I missed Juanita. Not in that way, J sub. I wouldn't
dream of stepping on your toes, brother.
That poster was a fake. True love gives me the ability to instantly
discern that.
This year, the Metropolitan Police took the unusual step of
ticketing cruisers because so many were parked
illegally.
Hmmm . . . Unfortunately, I fear the police ticketing the cruisers
was driven by a desire to generate revenue than to enforce the
law.
But if guns are legalized in DC, as Reason wishes, and if
we're allowed to carry our guns everywhere, as Reason also wishes,
won't every day be "National Police Officers Memorial Day"? I mean,
shouldn't I be allowed to carry my S&W to the stadium and down
a brewski or two?
Back in 1996 the Texas Concealed Handgun Association scheduled its
first annual conference at a hotel in Austin. We got quite a few
nervous looks.
After the weekend was over we were invited back. A friend in the
hotel business says we're on the hospitality industry A-list of
conventions that never cause problems, along with the Texas State
Rifle Association and the NRA.
i The Cadet school averages about 3000 rounds with some of the
[more] pathetic qualifying standards both for graduation and
continued qualification.
I've got the most pathetic qualifying standards
story of all time.
When I was sailor one of my collateral duties was to supplement the
Marine Detachment as a nuclear weapons security guard. We were
supposed to qualify with a .45 pistol and M14 once a year. One year
our qualification consisted of firing five blank rounds off the
fantail (that's the bit at the back of a ship) while we were at
sea.
The story we were told was someone had just figured out that we'd
left all the .45 ammo in Vietnam and there was no allotment of .45
ammo for training.
"The police can't protect me even if they wanted to..."
Even the most kind and professional Peace Officers would be
discouraged by the vulgar and disrespectful attitudes you exhibit.
This can only make you less safe. This kind of attitude shows a
lack of respect for ones self. Since the police can only respect
you as much as you respect yourself, if you posters would improve
your self respect you would be more professionally serviced by the
police.
Even the most kind and professional Peace Officers would be discouraged by the vulgar and disrespectful attitudes you exhibit. This can only make you less safe. This kind of attitude shows a lack of respect for ones self. Since the police can only respect you as much as you respect yourself, if you posters would improve your self respect you would be more professionally serviced by the police.
Ever heard of physics? It's what prevents the police from being
everywhere at the same time.
By the way, I like my attitude, so go fuck yourself.
"professionally serviced"
Is that a euphemism for shot in the back?
Honestly I would rather have drunk concealed carry holders than
sober cops who carry when they are stupid (which is quite
often).
Hitler wouldn't have tolerated black cops, nor would he have
tolerated drinking on duty.
Once we get rid of all the criminal blacks, once you get rid of the
jews stirring up racewar, properly segregate sections of society.
Things can be improved.
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