Police Have No Self-Esteem

This is officially my entry into the world of blogging. World! I have a lot to say. For the time being, I'm going to keep my posts focused on a particular sub section of our society, the criminal justice system. Why? There have been many events that have unfolded in the last 3 years that have brought revelation to my life. I'm inclined to believe that these events have been 450 years in the making. You be the judge. 

Has anyone ever had a police officer save them from a crime? Probably not. Has anyone ever had a police officer pull them over for speeding at the absolute worst time (anytime) and treated you like a terrorist? Absolutely. Has anyone ever had a family member or friend with a drug addiction disease thrown into the slammer for his/her non violent crime? Probably. Has anyone ever met a cop that wasn't on a power trip? Maybe. 

If you have a heart attack then the paramedics will hopefully be the first on the scene and get you to the hospital. They do a great job. I have a high esteem for firefighters. They are always in harm's way and save lives as well as property. True Heroes. Paramedics and fire fighters are trained in their profession to save lives. What do cops do? Well the International Union of Police Associations says that a police officer enforces prevailing laws and attempts to prevent crime. The idea of To Protect and Serve is not mentioned. The ONLY job that the police officer has to do is enforce laws with the tools that he/she is given. Guns, batons, pepper spray, handcuffs, and patrol cruisers are the tools. Even though we all have this sort of glamorized view of what the police are supposed to do, when they beat up or shoot that stereotypical black man, they are simply doing their job. Upon further observation one can assume that their sole purpose is to lock people up. We have Miranda rights in order to protect ourselves from these gang members. Imagine if Firemen had to read Miranda rights before they performed their duty. 

In order to be a police officer it takes a certain type of man or woman. I believe that the psychological profile of a cop and a hardened criminal are nearly identical. This is not cop bashing. I am merely trying to show the police officer in the correct light. Gang members typically are disenfranchised youth that band together to protect themselves against society as a whole. This includes, police, judges, teachers, parents or any authority figure that they perceive. The gang then becomes their family and they adopt the rules, regulations, traditions, and culture of the gang. Once these mores are instilled the full fledged member must prove himself on a constant basis. This usually leads to prison or death. The police officer was a child that was not necessarily disenfranchised but he was definitely shunned by his peers growing up. He might have been in athletics but was rarely a star. The police officer never got a scholarship to college for academics or for athletics so he joined the military. In the military, the police officer experiences for the first time in his life-Brotherhood. The cop does not enjoy the rigors and danger of the military so he decides to embark in a career in the civilian alternative. The local Police Department. Brotherhood to the police officer is the same exact brotherhood that a gang member experiences. A cop will lie, shoot, rob, and steal for his brother and often do, just like a gang member will. He must prove himself to his brothers.

When faced with this realization the cops says, "I'm just doing my job." We all know very well that the War on Drugs is a failed experiment. The average cop can never admit this. Why? Because if he/she admits that it is a failure then his entire life work is up in smoke. The thousands of people that he had arrested, charged, and ultimately ruined their life for simple, non violent violations was all for nothing. Working with and befriending confidential informants, snitches, and junkies, was all for nothing. The cop faced with the idea that what he is doing is not needed. He is not needed or wanted. The cop then retreats into his haven of brotherhood and does what he knows. Continuing on the same course, ruining people's lives, dealing with mostly misdemeanor cases, blowing them out of proportion, never admitting fault or wrongdoing-EVER, and holding on to the notion that what he is doing is admirable. 

All cops know but they won't tell. As far as the top ten most dangerous jobs in America, police officers do not make the cut. Behind politicians, and used car salesmen, the police fall right in line as the most distrusted. We all can imagine what happens to man or woman that wakes up every day to find that their work has no real value. They lose their self- esteem, they become withdrawn, and turn to drugs and alcohol. A little known fact is that police have some of the highest incidents of divorce, drug, and alcohol abuse, compared to other sections of society. For the cop that this article is not written for, then just ignore it and keep it moving. However, all the boys in blue that know what time it is. Hello ;)