You're a ******* idiot, sure there's bad ones, but there's good ones too that save people's lives everyday and put their own lives in danger. So stop bitching and be glad there are people who have taken sworn oaths to protect YOU. ....so ungrateful.

You might want to check what you think is a fact before writing that much about it. I don't know about Florida, but this incident happened in Texas, so we'll use the laws of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 546 - subchapter A clearly states that emergency vehicles are exempt from certain transportation laws under certain conditions (that's why their license plates read "exempt"). If an officer wants, he/she can run a red light WITHOUT turning on their lights. Also as a side note, most of the time when they do that that are being dispatched to a call so they begin to run code. Often another officer is in the area of the call and tells others to stop code. Often they are going to a call that isn't serious enough to run full code all the way there but they feel they need to blow a light or stop sign, they have the right to. Another point you brought up was the searching of your vehicle. It's called a consent search. All you have to do is say no and they cant search anything. Also, now that another law has passed, even if you are arrested officers cannot search your vehicle. If they tow your vehicle they take an inventory of it, but unless you give consent they cant even open compartments such as your console, glove box, and even your trunk. They can only search your console or glove box if you give consent to search. Your next interesting point-having officers ask the subject to step out of their vehicle on a traffic stop before making the initial approach. Louisiana uses this technique, and since they have used it, they have more officers injured or killed in traffic stops than Texas (consider the difference in size and population of the two states). The problem with this technique is that when an officer does encounter the occasional "shooter", and they have asked them to step out of the car, the officer puts himself at a disadvantage because he cannot unholster his weapon. Even if he does manage to unholster, he still has to exit the vehicle to make a clean shot. Next, "crime prevention" is merely a tactic. It's a plan or idea. No one can just prevent crime from happening. There must be things set in place first. Simply an officer patrolling is crime prevention. I hate to use the "what if" scenario but what if this person was in fact dealing drugs and someone called in suspicious activity in this park, after-hours? That would just be more drugs and more drug money out on the streets. The officer that was dispatched was "preventing crime" by responding to the call. THAT is crime prevention. Another point you made was that they are called "police officers" and not "peace officers". The Texas Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure refers to "cops" as "law enforcement officers", "police officers", "peace officers", and "public servants"- all of which refer to the same. The next few lines in this will be a poem. A poem written by an inmate that my father arrested. He just so happened to have tremendous respect for police officers. He, unlike you, is one of the few. "He Knows HE knows-whenever a law enforcement officer puts on the uniform to leave home, he may not return. The family knows this too. HE knows-the average citizen does not consciously think of this. They think of him as the "Cop" on the coffee break or the "Cop" with the radar gun. HE knows-the next speeding car, the next disturbance call, the next silent alarm may be his last. So the officer does his best to exercise caution and protect himself. HE knows-if any officer is too obvious in his caution he may be labeled as overly-aggressive or rude. HE knows-a police officer walks a fine line from which he had best not stumble. HE knows the chance he is taking, but is still willing to do it. Willing because he couldn't afford to go to law school or medical school, but he still wants to help people, to do some good with his life the best way he can. HE knows-when a citizen is threatened with danger, he calls the "Cop" off the coffee break or the "Cop" with the radar gun - who suddenly becomes the "protector", as a part of the thin blue line. HE knows-even though the citizen now looks to the officer as a guardian angel - he still does not consciously realize that this officer will die for him if necessary, until it happens; and it does happen - far too often, but HE knows. if an officer survives, it will be said he was "just doing his job". Nothing special according to some, but HE knows. See now, a police officer who was slain in the line of duty, as he reaches the Pearly Gates and talks to Saint Peter the conversation may go like this: "What have you done that you enter the Kingdom of the Lord?" The officer might say, "I tried to make a difference with my life. I served the people and protected them; I answered the call and did my best. Now I have died and left my loved ones but, given the choice, i would not have had it any other way. Now sir, go tell the Lord I am here, for HE knows all about it." -written by Rick Beasley, April 15, 1990" So next time you want to argue and give the cops a hard time, think about how nervous he is compared to you. You can clearly see all of his weapons, but he can't always see yours. Respect officers, because you never know when you will need protection and crime prevention.

@ 85 Thanks to Rick Beasley there's a new light shining on the cops. Cool

What the ****, guess you had a bad day

Seriously, two years later and literally about fifteen sentences in, and I'm in awe of how lit I must have been that night writing that lovely little piece. And it wasn't moderated or thumbs-d(r)owned! Crazy.