I admire the good police officers who do their job every single day, just like I admire the good teachers, doctors, lawn care workers etc.., but my personal experience is that too many police officers would rather throw their authority around rather than rectifying a situation.
A couple of months ago I was running wind sprints, of all things, in a small grassy field behind the gym I work out in everyday. There is a wooded area very close to where I was running.
I was recovering from a sprint when a police car pulled up. The cop got out and said, "I noticed you back here by the woods. What have you got going on back here".
I rolled my eyes and said, "Uh DUH, I'm running sprints".
He said, "Don't get an attitude with me". I laughed and said, "Officer, I'm dressed in gym clothes, running shoes, and I'm breathing hard. I work out at the gym and then I run sprints back here".
He asked, "Anybody in that gym who can verify your identity"?
I'm like "Everybody in that gym can verify my identity. Let's go in and ask them".
He said, "Excuse me sir but I'm giving the orders here".
I shook my head in disbelief at this Barney Fife wanna be, but I kept my head and said, "Officer, I'm just running sprints".
The idiot replied, "OK, well I'm gonna LET YOU GO, but I think you need to consider running somewhere else".
Now why exactly was he going to LET ME GO"? And why did I need to run somewhere else?
I was minding my own business, trying to get in shape, and this clown thinks I'm a suspicious character, and even when he knew I wasn't he had to be the big bad cop rather than just saying "Good day sir"..
Sorry, with witness accounts so detailed, I believe the witnesses. I don't trust most cops in situations like I just saw described.
Can't help it. They've done it to themselves.
sip