Boogie, this is what I wrote on my facebook and I want you to know I'm sorry for my strong views on the police in past years.
"This situation has really made me appreciate the police. I'm still cautious around them of course, but seeing them protect neighborhoods from strangers who would use the chaos of the flood to take advantage and harm people and their property gives me renewed understanding in our police system. It's not complete trust, but it is a sharp turn from outright disdain."
I feel safe. They have cornered all entrances and exits of the hood and you cannot get in with out giving them a specific address. God bless them. I want to give them a nice box of donuts. I should really do that.
I don't feel that apologies are necessary. You've always been someone who has worn your heart on your sleeve, and we can all only form our opinions based on our personal experiences and whatever information we are exposed to. (Err, but send them a shit-ton of coffee, rather than a box of donuts. That's the shit we survive on.
)
I mean, hell, for myself, 2008-2011 Boogie would acknowledge the obvious historical systemic issues with policing in America (and elsewhere), but would have been, and was,
very dismissive about current criticism of police, including experiences and perspectives from members on this forum. My perspective has broadened since then to see that many of you have legit grievances that colour your views of those of us who wear the uniform.
I am still very positive and passionate about policing as a profession. I have to be, but I'm not apologetic about that. Though I'm not a "street cop", the day-to-day life I experience matches what you just wrote above. I work with great people, who do all have their flaws, but almost all have a crazy passion for "the job" as it should be.
Policing is a profession where you just can't "opt out" when shit gets real. You're obligated to deal with society at its worst, when "shit goes down", and you can't just walk away and say "Naw, I'm out, this could go bad for me." That's just not an option. So even the best officers, with the best of intentions, get worn down by the job. We in the RCMP family just this week had an officer take his own life, presumably due to PTSD, or depression. That shit hits all of us hard, and me because of the issues with PTSD that my brother has had, and still deals with, from his time in the army.
None of the above is to defend those true pieces of shit who wear the uniform who need to be drummed out with extreme prejudice. I can't really articulate my disgust for those corrupt or poisonous officers who are the real disgraces to the uniform, but all I can say is that when we gather around the coffee shop on break, those
really bad apples are subject to the same scorn as the subjects we investigate. I hope you can take my word on that.
All that being said, I'm glad I'm over being the "Online Police Defender" that I was 8 years ago. Y'all here are cool, even when I disagree with you, and I hope you feel we can discuss police shit back and forth. But GAF? "We need more Christopher Dorners"? Even if that fucker got banned, that place is fucked. Nothing worth discussing on that forum on this topic.
