A major PR campaign is underway to paint police in a favorable light, while ignoring the issues we commonly talk about here: lack of oversight, militarized police, actions that woukd get a non badge wearing citizen jailed cops walk or at best get NJPed. The problem is much deeper. And I figure it will get much worse.
I just finished a 12-session Citizens Police Academy offered by the police department in the neighboring town. We met on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and each evening a different officer would explain to us a different aspect of policing. It was obviously an attempt by the police to portray themselves in a more positive, human light, and it largely succeeded. However, I recall at least two nights (and possibly a third) when the presenting officer let slip that "My most important job is to home at night." The night of the class on weaponry I was the only person in the class who asked if their Bushmaster carbines are like the ones I can buy. Of course not -- the officer was happy to show me that theirs have "the switch."
I also noticed that every officer we saw in uniform was equipped with a taser. I know the academies around here make a big deal about teaching "command voice." That's what you call it when a "subject" doesn't immediately
kow tow to comply with Officer Friendly's nonsensical order, and he/she simply repeats the nonsensical order in an ever-increasingly forceful voice. They declined to explain to us what the department's taser policy is, but I suspect they're getting tired of using "command voice" and just using "command voltage" instead.
I did get them to acknowledge that they use the SWAT team to serve warrants -- even routine warrants on persons not known to be armed or dangerous. They even told us they do that for our (the citizens') protection. I was proud of myself for not laughing out load.
