Slandering Police

[Scooter79]

Why is it that we get members on here (and on nearly every other car forum. SC forum is the worst of all) criticising police for doing their job. I read posts all the time about how police are arseholes because someone got defected for their car being only an inch off the ground. How police 'harassed' someone by following them. How someone was supposedly 'forced' to participate in a street race against an unmarked cop car and then getting busted for it.

I'd like to see these people criticise the police to their face when their car is stolen or their house is broken into. Who you going to call then? Sadly there seems to be an attitude of Us vs Them. I remember 18 months ago when the local cops organised a car show in the local area with prizes and different categories, and most idiots made stupid statements like "They're only trying to get us all together and lock us in the gates so they can defect us."On another car forum you got whole threads about police bashing. Thankfully we have better moderators on JC.

Simple fact is if you car is legal you have nothing to worry about. If you don't break the road laws for your particular state you'll have nothing to worry about (ignorance is no excuse. Make an effort to look up regulations on your states traffic authority website). If you do get pulled up by the cops don't be a tool or smart arse and you won't have anything to worry about.

I have my flame suit on so go nuts.

[one_and_only2004]

Personally i have no problem with the police, i respect that they have a job do do just as i have. A while back i was harassed by a cop nearly every week. He'd "randomly" pull me over for a breath test, then walk back and sit in his car for 15mins checking my license on the computer - happened twice in one week, though i do have a bit of a colourful driving record so maybe it just took him a few goes to read through the whole of it... Fortunately he moved to another district. Generally they're nice people but as it goes with anything, there's always a few arseholes

[tommo82]

I'd like to see these people criticise the police to their face when their car is stolen or their house is broken into. Who you going to call then?

Sadly, no one.

I don't accuse police of being arseholes or harrassing people, but I also doubt their ability to respond to actual crime. Around my area we've got alot of problems with violent refugee gangs and other crimes (people breaking into cars, etc). Whilst I don't expect the police to be able to respond to every incident - I would expect some level of investigation especially when patterns develop.

Every time I've reported something it is never followed up. In one of the examples above I believe the Police are too frightened to touch the criminals in question - for fear or reprimand (racial hatred, etc) - and find it easier to just pretend it never happened.

Then I see enormous police resources being diverted to things like pulling over P platers, etc while the real crime goes unsolved. Maybe it's a resource/area allocation issue? Maybe it's the issue I noted above.

I don't disrepect Police; their role is understandably difficult (at times). Either way, I personally would not rely on Police in any situation. Every time I've needed them, they have been completely ineffective.

[soop]

I'll say most of them are arse holes.
while on my red P's I got pulled over 2days out of every week for "RBT's" . There was nothing outstanding/illegal about the car I drove either, other than a red P plate.
The way I was spoken to by just about every police officer left a bad taste in my mouth I can tell you.
They expect to be shown respect but treat motorists like sh*t.
I've no doubt that there is good officers around, but the majority ruin it for the good ones.
My opinion anyway.

[danja]

I don't mind the police - all my encounters with them have been quite reasonable.

Obviously there are times when they're on your side because you're the victim (my house got broken into once) and they are your best friend, then there are times when you're the bad guy (speeding tickets etc) and they play a bit of bad cop, simply because of the old adage "give an inch, and they take a mile" - which is fair cop in my book, that's the attitude you have to take if you want to survive in that profession really.

All in all I've been quite happy with them and it is a difficult role to perform, but in NSW at least I think they do as well as anywhere else. It's really when you've been done by them that you'd be bothered to speak out and cause a fuss, which is probably why you hear bad things about them more than good.

[tommo82]

The way I was spoken to by just about every police officer left a bad taste in my mouth I can tell you.
They expect to be shown respect but treat motorists like sh*t.

This is common. There is a tendancy by those (not just police) in lowl-level type roles to have 'power trips' and treat others poorly. I find it's inversely proportional to their rank in an organisation.

Ticket inspectors are often a good example. Act like law enforcement.

[danja]

This is common. There is a tendancy by those (not just police) in lowl-level type roles to have 'power trips' and treat others poorly. I find it's inversely proportional to their rank in an organisation.

Ticket inspectors are often a good example. Act like law enforcement.

I still say it's the "give an inch, take a mile" mentality that drives that attitude, and rightly so I think. I suspect it's a part of the police training (not that I've ever done it) which imparts that mentality on recruits, and perhaps the higher you rise in the ranks, the more you learn to refine it's application in day-to-day situations.

[Troy711]

All police I have ever dealt with have treated me in a respectful manner and I have always done the same in return. Not once have I had a problem with them and still to this day I don't understand why some people feel the need to mouth off at them when they are only doing their job. I mean, if you worked in retail you wouldn't want customers slagging you off just because they don't like you for some pathetic reason. Same goesfor police... they are doing their job and don't need idiots making it more difficult.

[ClairBear]

My brother got pulled over constantly when he was on his P's for pedantic reasons, but was never fined or defected.

When he came off his P's, he was never pulled over again, but drove the same car for another year.

Explain that!

[danja]

My brother got pulled over constantly when he was on his P's for pedantic reasons, but was never fined or defected.

When he came off his P's, he was never pulled over again, but drove the same car for another year.

Explain that!

Police don't just pull you over for fun, if they were pulling him over consistently either his vehicle and/or driving behavior must have fit a particular profile known to break the law. Without knowing him it's impossible to say, but my bet is he either drove like a clown or he drove a clown's car.

[soop]

Same thing happened to me Sashyre.
I've never once been fined for anything. The only excuse i've been given is "RBT".

[Troy711]

I used to drive a blue VL on P plates and never got pulled over. My VL was nothing special (like most VLs lol) but it had a semi-decent paint job, stupid bonnet vent over the airbox (that was put there by the previous owner) loud stereo, black tail lights and wheels.. so a typical P plate car. No issues, but then again I didn't have any traffic infringments either..

[minux]

Hmm, some police are arseholes, but whats the point of saying it on an online forum?

This is why there is an ombudsman, use them.

For the record, I used to drive a 13b Turbo RX2 with a single straight through 3.5 inch exhaust. Was pulled over only once.

I never drove in an environments that i would be hassled,, nor did i drive in a manner where i could be hassled. Most tossers I find who whinge have been at local "hangouts" where most of the people loitering have the brain capacity of a flea.

I do agree with Tommo though, police seem to only be there for traffic related offences now, it is almost impossible to have something done about real crime. I guess there is no money to be made in the real crime area.

[danja]

Same thing happened to me Sashyre.
I've never once been fined for anything. The only excuse i've been given is "RBT".

RBT is a commonly given excuse given when they know/think you've been breaking the law, but don't have any evidence to fine you with, so they pull you over hoping you might be drink driving so at least they can get you for that.

I'll admit I drove alone a couple of times when I was toward the end of my L's and one late night I was speeding down a road, saw a cop car on an adjoining road and put the brakes on to slow down, they obviously realised I was slowing down for them and pulled me over for a "RBT". It's the "we think you're dodgy but can't prove it yet'" action.

My point is that you have to have done something to attract their attention, because random breath tests really aren't all that random.

[vsl67]

Too many times I have come across police officers abusing their position ,and I have had a couple of them removed from duty and reprimanded ,before you say they were only do their job ,I couldnt have done this if they didnt do anything wrong and with help from senior police officers who are sick of the bad image these arsehole give them

But generaly I find about 7 out of 10 police officers to be decent no matter what the curcumstances,but you will always come across arseholes no matter where you work ,and jobs thats give people power seems to attract more than any other job

[soop]

I can honestly say I did nothing illegal.
I don't speed, I was driving down a 4 lane road in the correct lane doing 80km/h.

The only thing out of the ordinary was that I had a big red P stuck to the number plate.
My car had 17" factory wheels on it, and a sports muffler (not loud, not illegal, but not standard.)
Thats it. I fit the bill so I get harrased for no actuall reason?
Seems like a swell use of police resources and a great use of my time/patience. Particularly when the officer carries on like a total prick.

[vsl67]

soop complain about his conduct ,believe me they are required by their job to deal with the public respectfully as long as you didnt give him **** first ,you have a legitimate complaint and if it keeps going file a harassment case

[doms3]

Wankers all of em ,my vp got stolen and when we reported it and everything all the copper said was ,well thats what happens when you own a commodore

[soop]

This was a good 12months ago now.
And it was various officers, some better than others.

Biggest problem with it is, its a massive waste of time and money. Go sort out real issues rather than looking for something thats not there!

[danja]

Well I'm not going to call you a liar without reason, but that has certainly been my, and by 2nd hand account many friends', experience of NSW police. Maybe it's different in Vic, but here, generally speaking, if you get pulled over then you were asking for it.

[soop]

This was in NSW, far north coast.
Sydney coppers get called up once everywhile to make up numbers.
And they're all a pain in the arse. I guess because they don't have to live in the area.

[trentvy]

Having quite a few family members in the job aswell as my dad whos dnoe 28 years in the force. I can sympathize with the police. especially at night clubs or parties etc when there gettin called all the F and C's under the sun. Dad says its funny seeing the younger coppers getting all arcked up about it but the blokes who've been in the force a while just sit back and laugh, 'there just drunk kids havin a bitta fun' says dad. But on the other foot especially with younger blokes or P platers some coppers are just plain ****s, Ill admit sometimes the people are asking for it but some coppers are on a bit of a bloody power trip trying to throw a bit of weight around.

[vsl67]

In QLD ,my area generaly you dont have any hassels driving a modifified car and often get compliments fron the police and some will pull you over for a chat about your car because they like it ,I drove my 455 57 pontiac around for years without incident,as most of them have clubbys ,mustangs,monaros etc themselves, but they dont like ricers as these are nearly always running a muck ,but niether do I

But I have been pulled over and have police officers lie about things before and they will lie ,and reguardless what Police do say ,they do have an unoffical quota of the number of fines they have to issue and arrests and this is looked into when its promotion time ,but again an honest police officer is not looking at scoring browny points when doing their job and they do care about being fare as I have been let off with thing in the past as some of them actually understand things when you explain your circumstances to them , but again you will always come across arsehole too

[Scooter79]

I'll say most of them are arse holes.
while on my red P's I got pulled over 2days out of every week for "RBT's" . There was nothing outstanding/illegal about the car I drove either, other than a red P plate.
The way I was spoken to by just about every police officer left a bad taste in my mouth I can tell you.
They expect to be shown respect but treat motorists like sh*t.
I've no doubt that there is good officers around, but the majority ruin it for the good ones.
My opinion anyway.

All the times I've ever been pulled over for RBT's the cops have been great. I must have been RBT'd five times between new years day and last night all between Sydney and Wollongong.

RBT is a commonly given excuse given when they know/think you've been breaking the law, but don't have any evidence to fine you with, so they pull you over hoping you might be drink driving so at least they can get you for that.....

and why shouldn't they be pulling people over at random. It's pretty simple, if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about. I wish more people got pulled over at random. Increases the chances of getting more idiots off the roads.

Wankers all of em ,my vp got stolen and when we reported it and everything all the copper said was ,well thats what happens when you own a commodore

So that makes 'all of em' wankers? Because you had a bad experience with one? Typical response of a ********. What do you do for a job? Maybe I've had a bad experience with someone in your occupation which will, by default, make you a wanker. By the way, can you really argue with the officers comment?

[nasty1]

you get your good and your bad i guess

ive got many bad and i cant sey to many good except for rbt's

getting pulled over cause the car i was driving lots of them get stolen pffft run a rego check and youl get your answer.not to mention my 40 something yr old uncle was borrowing the car