Fraternal Order of Police President: Anti-Police Protests Discouraging Applicants

[JoeBags7277 734]

Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Wenjian Liu. Rafael Ramos.

These are just a few of the lives that have been claimed by officer-civilian shootings over the last three years. What happened during these incidents can be disputed — the fact that they’ve had an enormous impact on this nation cannot.

Though officer attacks and ambushes are rare, the effect of high-profile civilian deaths has drawn attention to the public perception of those working in law enforcement.

Amid all the tension, including an overwhelming amount of anti-police protests, is the desire to work in law enforcement diminishing?

Former Rapid City Police Chief Steve Allender says he believes those who yearn to become police officers cannot be discouraged by the perceived national crisis.

“Police officers serve their communities because of an illogical commitment to public service. If prospective police employees are aimed at a career in policing, the national tension will not dissuade them. For current police officers, the national tension will likely solidify their commitment to the profession,” Allender told CBS St.Louis.

National President of the Fraternal Order of Police Chuck Canterbury takes a different stance. In addition to the general loss of officers considering law enforcement as a career, Canterbury says the pool of applicants has shifted.

“The recent events in many cities protesting law enforcement have also discouraged applicants because they know even if they do the right thing in a split-second decision that the media and others will spend years second-guessing them and many just feel that type of stress is not worth the meager salaries and reduction in benefits,” Canterbury explains. “Many cities are reducing the minimum standards to attract candidates and there is a general lack of applicants who have higher education or experience that is commensurate with the profession.”

A 2014 Reason-Rupe National Survey found that 50 percent of Americans don’t think police are generally held accountable for misconduct. Forty-one percent said they believe cases of misconduct have increased over the last decade.

Even among those experienced with police enforcement, opinions vary on how things have evolved over time. What the majority of those in the field can agree on is that something needs to be done to move forward in an effective and positive way.

“From the police perspective, I think what becomes overlooked is that politeness, professionalism, and empathy toward the public are not just some touchy-feely liberal concept used to coddle bad guys or mollify a hostile public. No, these qualities are essential characteristics of good policing. Police officers, given their authority and general job security, often don’t have to be polite. Cops are not fired for being rude. But the rudeness of one officer isn’t just harmful to the member of the public at the receiving end. Bad policing is harmful to all police officers,” Peter Moskos, a former Baltimore police officer and associate professor in the department of law and police science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told CBS St. Louis.

At its core, both retired and active police officers feel community engagement is a key component to bridging the gap between the public perception of policing and the reality of policing.

“Police agencies must engage the communities they serve as public servants, not public rule enforcers. The legislative branch does not have the ability to pass laws, or eliminate them at a rate fast enough to keep up with the changing demands of society. Police officers must adapt to the role of community problem solvers,” Allender says.

Another crucial aspect is the engagement of community stakeholders and active dialogues between civic groups and the general public.

“We need to get back to the basics of policing. In policing our cities, we need to have beat officers who interact with all citizens and not just those having the worst day of their life,” Moskos told CBS St. Louis. “It’s the ability to talk to people — be those people criminals, victims, or just citizens going about their day — that is the most important skill of the job.”

http://truthvoice.com/2015/03/fraternal-order-of-police-president-anti-police-protests-discouraging-applicants/

[AURaptor 1,122]

Keep making cops out to be a pariah on society, and glorifying the thugs in society, things will end up ... wrong.

[AUUSN 823]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

[cooltigger21 0]

It sure ins't helping matters any.

[Mikey 16,577]

I never thought I wanted to be in law enforcement. However, in a similar vein, I often thought I'd be a good middle school or high school teacher if the situation warranted. The way things have developed over the past 20 years or so, I would not touch teaching with a long, long pole and I don't understand why anybody would want to be a cop either.

In both jobs it's "You're wrong, the hoodlum is right" and persecution is sure to follow any incident.

[AUUSN 823]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/22/officer-assists-woman-at-10k-end-goes-viral/25199035/

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Weagle1787.....I'm supposed to be the only one who starts racial related threads here.

[DKW 86 7,419]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

[alexava 6,973]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

i agree about the tax. Sending multiple officers was the only option. the offender made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Weagle1787.....I'm supposed to be the only one who starts racial related threads here. :drippingsarcasm7pa:/>

You and cole are cute. Boys being boys...

[JoeBags7277 734]

http://www.usatoday....viral/25199035/

So cool how a guy happened to be right there with professional camera equipment.

[TheBlueVue 177]

http://www.usatoday....viral/25199035/

So cool how a guy happened to be right there with professional camera equipment.

So are you implying this was staged maybe or somebody tipped him about this so he'd capture it and get it out or what? Not sure what your point is.

Of course! Cops = bad......thugs = good. as far as making cops tax collectors, here's a better idea. How bout obeying the parking and speeding laws. After all the hoo-rah about the police and their racist practices in Ferguson all Holder's much ballyhoed investigation yielded was that blacks were getting too many tickets for parking and moving violations. Woe is me...the racism is terribly unbearable and warranted burning down half the town.! :-\

[DKW 86 7,419]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

i agree about the tax. Sending multiple officers was the only option. the offender made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

But it was over a penny ante tax. They should have just ignored the law.

[alexava 6,973]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

i agree about the tax. Sending multiple officers was the only option. the offender made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

But it was over a penny ante tax. They should have just ignored the law.

you can't ignore the law when you are called by merchants who are abiding by the law and paying the required taxes and losing business to the bootlegger.

[DKW 86 7,419]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

i agree about the tax. Sending multiple officers was the only option. the offender made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

But it was over a penny ante tax. They should have just ignored the law.

you can't ignore the law when you are called by merchants who are abiding by the law and paying the required taxes and losing business to the bootlegger.

Alex, we are talking about almost nothing in taxes and i doubt that the merchants could really have cared less.

[cooltigger21 0]

Stop making cops 'tax' collectors for greedy cities.

The cig tax collector law in NYC is likely the singularly stupidest waste of time and money i have heard of. Sending multiple police to enforce a penny ante tax collection rule?

And oh gezz, guess what? IT ENDED BADLY...

i agree about the tax. Sending multiple officers was the only option. the offender made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

But it was over a penny ante tax. They should have just ignored the law.

you can't ignore the law when you are called by merchants who are abiding by the law and paying the required taxes and losing business to the bootlegger.

Alex, we are talking about almost nothing in taxes and i doubt that the merchants could really have cared less.

The merchants were the ones that called the police about Garner. He was taking away business from them because he would sell singles and not charge taxes.

[DKW 86 7,419]

And the cost of a man's life was what? $.20 a loosie?

[cooltigger21 0]

And the cost of a man's life was what? $.20 a loosie?

I didn't say it was a good law. I seriously doubt anyone expected things to turn out the way they did. It's a stupid thing I'll grant you. I don't think merchants make a lot of money off of cigarettes. Cigs are like gas. They get people into the store and they buy other stuff that makes them more money. Talk to the state and city governments in New York for having the ridiculous taxes in the first place. These people go through all the trouble and expense to set up a business and then operate it within the law and then other people come in and operate outside the law taking away their customers and hurting their business.

[alexava 6,973]

And the cost of a man's life was what? $.20 a loosie?

the man was a ticking time bomb. He caused the police to take him forcefully. His health was not up for it. It was suicide not murder. They tried to do it the easy way. He plainly said he wasn't going to jail. That was all clearly explained and confirmed by video. Case closed.

[tgr4lfe 220]

I was a police officer from 1997-2002, got out after first child was born and having been shot in the line of duty 2 years prior and still dealing with PTSD. Been in public safety ever since, either emergency mgmt and campus security (as close to being LE as possible w/o being). I've been debating for the past couple of years about getting back into it. It is a lot different now than when I was in it before.

Most of you, have NO IDEA how difficult of a job it is, you arm chair QB question an officers actions/reactions before knowing the FULL story. Many of you assume that every LEO is the same as another, most you (you know who you are) think all LEO are crooked/racists bastards. You either don't or won't take the time to really see and know what an officer does, deals with, etc. An officer is not just an officer enforcing law, they wear many hats, social worker, fire fighter, EMT, counselor, babysitter (executive protection details), etc. Things can go from zero to 110 mph at the blink of an eye. I wish I could find the video I saw on policeone.com of 3 officers getting a guy out of a car, directing him to the back of his car, within a split second this guy reaches in his pocket and pulls out a gun firing at least one shot at one of the officers, I don't know if he was hit or not. What many of you MUST realize is that a large percentage of the time, officers do NOT know who they are contacting or if that person is armed or out to hurt them for whatever reason!! Of course, some of you might not even care. I challenge you to watch and read the article that someone posted a few weeks ago about the black leaders who participated in LEO training scenarios. I challenge to go do a ride along.

In my heart, I want to be out there with my brothers in blue, more so to help them and help protect them, to catch bad guys, but people have made that job extremely difficult, b/c they expect LEOs to be perfect, all the time. Mistakes are going to happen, b/c police are human. I think a vast majority of the time LEOs get it right, b/c many live and breath their jobs, so they might train on their own time, not getting paid to do it, but b/c they want to make sure they go home to their family, which fortunately for me, was the case for me, I trained a LOT, I did everything right the night I was shot, and had God watching after me, but many aren't that fortunate. This is an extremely stressful, emotionally taxing, physically draining job. You don't know stress and all until you've dealt with or been on case where a child has been a victim. So, as much as my heart longs to be back out there, my logical side says why put your family through that emotional trauma, wondering everytime you go to work if you will come home at the end of watch. I can completely understand that it is affecting retention rates and new employees to LE as many might question getting into it b/c of the added stress of really having to watch your back, not just from the criminal element, but also from those in society who just hate police. My thing is, I wonder who those people will call when someone is breaking into their house and threatening their family?? Those responding officers better drive the speed limit to get there to help them, you know police can't speed to calls.

[JoeBags7277 734]

How weird it is that the "conservatives" are vigorously defending excessive taxation. I guess the police state is the third rail of modern conservatism- that sad shell of its former self.

[WarTim 3,456]

Weagle1787.....I'm supposed to be the only one who starts racial related threads here. :drippingsarcasm7pa:/>

L O L !!! Sad thing is those poor souls are the FiRST to call 911 for help when things go bad. And the cops always answer the call to protect and serve....Always.......

[WarTim 3,456]

I was a police officer from 1997-2002, got out after first child was born and having been shot in the line of duty 2 years prior and still dealing with PTSD. Been in public safety ever since, either emergency mgmt and campus security (as close to being LE as possible w/o being). I've been debating for the past couple of years about getting back into it. It is a lot different now than when I was in it before.

Most of you, have NO IDEA how difficult of a job it is, you arm chair QB question an officers actions/reactions before knowing the FULL story. Many of you assume that every LEO is the same as another, most you (you know who you are) think all LEO are crooked/racists bastards. You either don't or won't take the time to really see and know what an officer does, deals with, etc. An officer is not just an officer enforcing law, they wear many hats, social worker, fire fighter, EMT, counselor, babysitter (executive protection details), etc. Things can go from zero to 110 mph at the blink of an eye. I wish I could find the video I saw on policeone.com of 3 officers getting a guy out of a car, directing him to the back of his car, within a split second this guy reaches in his pocket and pulls out a gun firing at least one shot at one of the officers, I don't know if he was hit or not. What many of you MUST realize is that a large percentage of the time, officers do NOT know who they are contacting or if that person is armed or out to hurt them for whatever reason!! Of course, some of you might not even care. I challenge you to watch and read the article that someone posted a few weeks ago about the black leaders who participated in LEO training scenarios. I challenge to go do a ride along.

In my heart, I want to be out there with my brothers in blue, more so to help them and help protect them, to catch bad guys, but people have made that job extremely difficult, b/c they expect LEOs to be perfect, all the time. Mistakes are going to happen, b/c police are human. I think a vast majority of the time LEOs get it right, b/c many live and breath their jobs, so they might train on their own time, not getting paid to do it, but b/c they want to make sure they go home to their family, which fortunately for me, was the case for me, I trained a LOT, I did everything right the night I was shot, and had God watching after me, but many aren't that fortunate. This is an extremely stressful, emotionally taxing, physically draining job. You don't know stress and all until you've dealt with or been on case where a child has been a victim. So, as much as my heart longs to be back out there, my logical side says why put your family through that emotional trauma, wondering everytime you go to work if you will come home at the end of watch. I can completely understand that it is affecting retention rates and new employees to LE as many might question getting into it b/c of the added stress of really having to watch your back, not just from the criminal element, but also from those in society who just hate police. My thing is, I wonder who those people will call when someone is breaking into their house and threatening their family?? Those responding officers better drive the speed limit to get there to help them, you know police can't speed to calls.

THANK YOU for your service to society. May God Bless. All the best in your future whatever you decide to do.

[JoeBags7277 734]

I was a police officer from 1997-2002, got out after first child was born and having been shot in the line of duty 2 years prior and still dealing with PTSD. Been in public safety ever since, either emergency mgmt and campus security (as close to being LE as possible w/o being). I've been debating for the past couple of years about getting back into it. It is a lot different now than when I was in it before.

Most of you, have NO IDEA how difficult of a job it is, you arm chair QB question an officers actions/reactions before knowing the FULL story. Many of you assume that every LEO is the same as another, most you (you know who you are) think all LEO are crooked/racists bastards. You either don't or won't take the time to really see and know what an officer does, deals with, etc. An officer is not just an officer enforcing law, they wear many hats, social worker, fire fighter, EMT, counselor, babysitter (executive protection details), etc. Things can go from zero to 110 mph at the blink of an eye. I wish I could find the video I saw on policeone.com of 3 officers getting a guy out of a car, directing him to the back of his car, within a split second this guy reaches in his pocket and pulls out a gun firing at least one shot at one of the officers, I don't know if he was hit or not. What many of you MUST realize is that a large percentage of the time, officers do NOT know who they are contacting or if that person is armed or out to hurt them for whatever reason!! Of course, some of you might not even care. I challenge you to watch and read the article that someone posted a few weeks ago about the black leaders who participated in LEO training scenarios. I challenge to go do a ride along.

In my heart, I want to be out there with my brothers in blue, more so to help them and help protect them, to catch bad guys, but people have made that job extremely difficult, b/c they expect LEOs to be perfect, all the time. Mistakes are going to happen, b/c police are human. I think a vast majority of the time LEOs get it right, b/c many live and breath their jobs, so they might train on their own time, not getting paid to do it, but b/c they want to make sure they go home to their family, which fortunately for me, was the case for me, I trained a LOT, I did everything right the night I was shot, and had God watching after me, but many aren't that fortunate. This is an extremely stressful, emotionally taxing, physically draining job. You don't know stress and all until you've dealt with or been on case where a child has been a victim. So, as much as my heart longs to be back out there, my logical side says why put your family through that emotional trauma, wondering everytime you go to work if you will come home at the end of watch. I can completely understand that it is affecting retention rates and new employees to LE as many might question getting into it b/c of the added stress of really having to watch your back, not just from the criminal element, but also from those in society who just hate police. My thing is, I wonder who those people will call when someone is breaking into their house and threatening their family?? Those responding officers better drive the speed limit to get there to help them, you know police can't speed to calls.

Yeah, about that...

http://thefreethough...lice-propaganda

For all that talk about "making it home", it has NEVER been safer to be a police officer in this country. Line of duty deaths are at their lowest levels since the 19th century, despite a slight uptick last year. Statistically, commercial fishermen, garbagemen, and truck drivers all have a more dangerous job, and they're not allowed to put those around them in more danger in order to mitigate that danger. In a few years barring tragedy, my home county will celebrate 100 years since an officer was murdered in the line of duty. It can be a dangerous job, and there are crazy people out there, but overstating the threat teaches officers to approach every scenario as if it could be their last, which only makes life worse for everyone.

I don't call them, and likely never will, unless not doing so opens me up to criminal liability- for example, if I've shot and killed a burglar. That being said, I cannot choose to not pay for their "services", and am prohibited from seeking out other more efficient services, so why should I not be alllowed to call them?

[cooltigger21 0]

How weird it is that the "conservatives" are vigorously defending excessive taxation. I guess the police state is the third rail of modern conservatism- that sad shell of its former self.

Who is defending excessive taxation. We conseevatives were pointing out the ridiculous high taxes put I'm place by the state and city of New York. Tobacco taxes are a favorite of the left. Evil big tobacco and all that jazz. What I find ironic is that they want these taxes to pay for children's health care programs. Well you need smokers to buy the stuff and pay taxes to fund these programs. Rather ironic. Back to the garner case. The merchants were having to add that tax on things they sold and couldn't sell loosies. Until such time as the tax is repealed them the merchants should expect to not have their business taken away by people like garner.