The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns

That's some story. I don't generally get along well with "authority" figures, particularly those wearing badges, but I have seen a few times they've impressed me. A very few. If they had been in another line of work and had made the same types of mistakes that were made here they would of probably been fired before they could say "pink slip".

Very few times that they've impressed you? How about every time they get a rapist/serial killer/arsonist/etc off the streets? Isn't that impressive?

I'm so sorry that you find it is an inconvenience to drive the speed limit or other daily tasks that they also keep an eye on.

I just think it is absolutely amazing that people get their shorts in a knot every time the cops fuck up. How often do those same people turn to a cop and say, "Hey, thanks for doing what you do. I know it can't be an easy job, but I know you are human and make errors. You're doing as good a job as anyone else could. And I appreciate your work at making my city a better place to live."

Hope for Mercy? Did you write that whole post for that line? Great (in an awful way) story, though.

thats disgusting
i hope they get justice
incompetance is one thing, an incompetant police force is quite another
aren't they supposed to protect the innocent?

So sorry if I offended you Greg. I'm sure there are lots of fine officers on forces throughout this country but as I said, I've seen very few that have impressed me. It may have to do with the region I live in but most of the law enforcement I've come into contact with, for whatever reason, act like a badge bestows them with absolute power. Not to mention a man was kicked to death and the officers that did that are still on the force. There's a not so fine line between fucking up and thinking because they wear a badge they're immune TO fucking up. Also I don't find it an inconvenience to drive the speed limit. If I'm speeding and I get stopped well that's MY fault and I deserve a ticket.

It does seem like sloppy police work, certainly. And yes in the real world, I think he would have been fired, period. I think a lot of cops become jaded with dealing with scum all day long, and lose respect for people based on that. It must be hard, I don't doubt it, but they must remember they serve US, the public, not just the Mayor, or some nameless civilian authority.

As for thanking cops? I have. My Uncle was a copper for 20+ years, my stepdad's friend is a high ranking copper in London, and a friend from school is training to be a copper. I would like to think that any one of them though, would at least allow my wife to put her boob back in her blouse before arresting her...

I'm not contesting that this was a bad thing and that there aren't "lots" of things that cops do/get away with that the average person wouldn't.

I still think that for every bad cop there are many more good cops. Just like in any other organization. The actions of the few does not equal the actions of the many. Does something need to be done about the few? Of course, but the actions of the few (even if its the "majority" in the area you live) don't give you the right to condemn the entire organization.

I just have a problem with the fact that when someone (be they a cop, soldier, mother, biologist, etc) screws up they get more press than if they have done something fantastic. You'd be more succesful naming serial killers than naming Pulitzer or Nobel Prize winners.

Well, by Diane saying that she hadn't been impressed by the police very often, it just means that she hasn't seen much to impress her, has probably seen more bad than good. Is that her fault? I don't think so. I have to say I live in a pretty bad area of town, and I haven't been much impressed either. I hear gunshots every night, we have even been known to drop to the floor in the middle of eating dinner when there were shots that actually hit my house. Did any police come to investigate, even after we called? No. My young daughter now has an instinct to drop when she hears gunfire that close. Not impressed.

One time we heard screaming outside and then right at our door, my husband opened the door to find a girl hanging onto our porch rail for dear life, her shirt torn almost off her with breasts exposed, her face and arms black and blue, and a man trying to pull her off our porch rail to throw her back in his car. My husband pointed his gun at the mans head and told him to get the F out, and the man ran to his car and left. We brought the girl inside and gave her a shirt and called the police. What happened was that she got arrested for a long unpaid traffic ticket. They didn't even seem concerned about the man who beat her and attempted to rape her. NOT IMPRESSED.

I could go on and on with things I've seen that just didn't impress me. And frankly I think that to say there are many more good cops than bad cops just may not quite be true anymore. Maybe if I get rich and move to the best part of town I'll start seeing things that impress me.

And the cop mentioned in the original post who was reprimanded was probably still allowed his donuts, just not the filled ones.

Thanks for your support. We'll be discussing it on the Montel Williams show in couple of weeks. The ACLU has taken our case. Thanks again.