[PowerViolence]

I was almost tazed once, it's really brings you back to reality when you see that red dot on your chest. Long story short, I was almost tazed complying with cops orders, and i was arrested. Longer story shorter everything was dropped in a courtroom and one of the 2 cops was suspended.
I understand the escalation of force, but I feel like the tazer is the first response (in my humble experiences), which is wrong. I've been pulled over and been sitting in the passenger seat when a cop walks up to my window with the tazer pointed. Wheres the escalation in that?

[winds-of-change]

My Mom always told us never run from the police. If you did nothing wrong, you have no reason to run and if you DID do something wrong, running will only make it worse.

[IGETEVEN]

Results from obvious STUPIDITY should be painful, as well as attitude adjusting and life changing.

If not, how else would one learn?

[c3shooter]

Without getting into the "some cops should not have a badge" thing- if anyone thinks that a Taser (correct spelling, BTW) is an instrument of torture, allow me 5 minutes with a baton- or even better, the old fashioned #501 Convoy Blackjack. 16 ounces of leather covered lead on the end of a spring. PRIOR to the Taser, and PRIOR to Mace, an LEOs "less lethal" range of response was to slap the snot outa you.

If I had a choice between a Taser shot and getting whupped with a baton, I'd take the Taser. While we we trained to go for ankles, wrists, knees and elbows, anyone that thinks there have not been fatal or disabling strikes with a hitting implement never hear of David and Goliath.

[ArizonaLawman]

Throughout my entire career, I treated EVERYONE like a professional. I was unfailingly polite, right up to the moment that someone was a complete douchetard....then the nice officer went away.

I didn't expect or demand that someone call me "sir". "Officer" was good enough, even "Sarge". Respect the badge, if not the man or woman wearing it. I ALWAYS called adults "sir" or "ma'am", and teens "young sir" or "young miss". I did this for a couple of reasons....number one, if I call you sir or ma'am, it sets the tone for our whole interaction. I give respect, and show that to get that respect, it MUST be a two-way street and hence NOT adversarial. It also showed that you were dealing with a professional, and would be treated as such at all times. I would come down on an officer like a ton of bricks if they were condescending or rude to the general public...you earn your badge, but you must earn respect also.

When dealing with the gang members while on gangs-narcotics, I would call them by their name because I interacted with them A LOT, and it showed that "I know WHO you are, I know WHAT you are, and you are NOT going to get over on me". But even these turds KNEW that I would always do what I said I was going to do...my word on the street was gold. Even the hard core 'bangers knew I wouldn't do them dirty IF they were straight with me. I would overlook a dime bag or a MINOR and I do mean very MINOR parole violation if it would get us some sway or information we deemed critical to a specific case. These relationships made my transition to homicide easier becasue when on a case, I could get info another D with no street relationships couldn't. With all of that...they ALL knew that if they weren't straight with me, or tried running game on me, I would fall on them like the fist of an angry God...but they KNEW it, and therefore knew how to deal with me.

Dealing with kids....I ALWAYS tried to reinforce the "If you're in trouble, find a police officer or fireman" advice we got when we were kids. I used to keep teddy bears and "quiet toys" in the trunk of my cruiser to give to kids when they were scared, or while dealing with their folks.

There are many parts you have to play as a cop...douchebag with a badge is NEVER one of them. Even when you have to be tough as nails, or go to use of force...if you're a pro and always work with integrity...your day will always be shorter than a bad day.

[TekGreg]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

Without getting into the "some cops should not have a badge" thing- if anyone thinks that a Taser (correct spelling, BTW) is an instrument of torture, allow me 5 minutes with a baton- or even better, the old fashioned #501 Convoy Blackjack. 16 ounces of leather covered lead on the end of a spring. PRIOR to the Taser, and PRIOR to Mace, an LEOs "less lethal" range of response was to slap the snot outa you.

If I had a choice between a Taser shot and getting whupped with a baton, I'd take the Taser. While we we trained to go for ankles, wrists, knees and elbows, anyone that thinks there have not been fatal or disabling strikes with a hitting implement never hear of David and Goliath.

C3, absolutely right on the "Taser" spelling - sorry about my post but for some reason my phone's dictionary keeps auto-correcting it wrong! I gotta figure out how to remove words from my dictionary as well - I've only added them until now as has, apparently, my daughter, my wife, my friends...