In the midst of all the cop bashing going on... - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Displaced Flames fan · 07-26-2009, 10:42 AM

I would like to remind everyone that the majority of law enforcement officers are solid citizens who take pride in their jobs and protecting their communities. They get paid peanuts and risk everything.

Last night, in Montrose, Colorado, my cousin was shot and killed while answering a domestic dispute call.

This is not meant to be a statement against anything that has been said by anyone in any of those threads, but it is real easy to forget the good that is done by law enforcement and the price they pay when these things start rolling like they have been the last couple of weeks.

metallicat · 07-26-2009, 10:43 AM

My sincere condolences DDF, what a terrible tragedy. Unfortunately it happens all too often to police officers.

Dion · 07-26-2009, 10:46 AM

Condolaces DFF. What a horrible tragedy.

transplant99 · 07-26-2009, 10:50 AM

Yikes.

Sorry to hear this my friend.

Sincere condolences to your family.

Displaced Flames fan · 07-26-2009, 10:50 AM

Thanks guys, but I'm more concerned with the attitude people have developled against cops. I knew David a little as a young kid, haven't seen him in probably 8 years. The distances between our families kept us from being close.

Still, he is family.

They've updated the report now and evidently he's the only officer to pass to this point. I hope the other guys pull through.

http://www.kjct8.com/global/story.asp?s=10791167

jolinar of malkshor · 07-26-2009, 10:59 AM

Sorry to hear DFF. It is very sad when we lose a member in the line of duty. I am part of our honor guard for my agency and it is always very somber whenever I attend any kind of memorial service or remembrance day event and it always brings home the danger of the job.

I hope his family will be ok financially and I am sure they have good support from the rest of your family.

missdpuck · 07-26-2009, 11:10 AM

Terrible to hear DFF.

Ford Prefect · 07-26-2009, 11:12 AM

Condolences. One of the best cops I ever knew was stabbed to death breaking up a bar dispute. The risk they take every time they go on shift is not appreciated enough by the public.

rubecube · 07-26-2009, 01:00 PM

Sorry to hear that, Dis. I remember talking to a couple of officers a few years ago, and they told me they'd almost rather get called to a murder scene than a domestic dispute. Domestics are apparently the worst calls to take.

Winsor_Pilates · 07-26-2009, 01:05 PM

Terrible news. You are absolutely right about the majority of cops and we are lucky to have so many great people willing to serve the community.

Bobblehead · 07-26-2009, 01:18 PM

I think policing is a really difficult profession. Are there some bad apples - for sure, there are in all professions. But I really doubt they start out that way. These are the men and women who are sent in to clean up all the crap of society. In their daily jobs they see the worst of human nature. Most of the time the general public only see these people when they are getting a ticket. But these are real people who at some point got into their profession because they wanted to make things better.

In my job I had to try and fix tax filing mistakes. Sometimes it was my company, sometimes it was Canada Revenue, sometimes it was the members themselves. It is tough when clients scream at you and you know it was their own mistake. Some people don't want to take responsibility. Then I think about police who need to deal with things like that x10 on an almost daily basis. People being almost afraid of them, people telling them to solve some "real" crimes.

I'm sure there are rewarding moments, but there is a lot of dealing with the bottom of the barrel, too.

And I'm sure some officers can have bad days and push back too far. They shouldn't get a free pass. But all police officers shouldn't be condemned for the mistakes of a few, either.

And when it comes down to it, police are our neighbours, relatives and classmates.

rubecube · 07-26-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

But these are real people who at some point got into their profession because they wanted to make things better.

I don't mean to be a dick, but that's not entirely true. I know a number of people who got into either the military or police force due to the fact that a lot of other opportunities were closed off to them. I would also hazard a guess that this is even more true in the U.S., where some of the standards for recruitment aren't nearly as high. This is why you'll often see a high number of recruitment/enlistment in the poorer areas of the country.

Displaced Flames fan · 07-26-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecube

I don't mean to be a dick, but that's not entirely true. I know a number of people who got into either the military or police force due to the fact that a lot of other opportunities were closed off to them. I would also hazard a guess that this is even more true in the U.S., where some of the standards for recruitment aren't nearly as high. This is why you'll often see a high number of recruitment/enlistment in the poorer areas of the country.

Additionally, I think it's a natural place for sadistic, power hungry bullies to gravitate to.

jolinar of malkshor · 07-26-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecube

I don't mean to be a dick, but that's not entirely true. I know a number of people who got into either the military or police force due to the fact that a lot of other opportunities were closed off to them. I would also hazard a guess that this is even more true in the U.S., where some of the standards for recruitment aren't nearly as high. This is why you'll often see a high number of recruitment/enlistment in the poorer areas of the country.

I would disagree with this statement as far as Canadian Police is concerned. In many cases you need a degree or equivalent experience to join most of the major police agencies in Canada.

However, like you said, the US is much different and many of the smaller police services pay very little and require very little schooling and entry requirements.

rubecube · 07-26-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Additionally, I think it's a natural place for sadistic, power hungry bullies to gravitate to.

And I've talked to lots of ex-cops who've said that this is why they chose not to be in the force anymore. I have family in the RCMP that have had to transfer on numerous occasions because their superior officers were bullies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

I would disagree with this statement as far as Canadian Police is concerned. In many cases you need a degree or equivalent experience to join most of the major police agencies in Canada.

However, like you said, the US is much different and many of the smaller police services pay very little and require very little schooling and entry requirements.

Yeah, that's the point I was trying to make but didn't make it clear enough. I think that's also why we see more "incidents" in the U.S.

Tower · 07-26-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I would like to remind everyone that the majority of law enforcement officers are solid citizens who take pride in their jobs and protecting their communities. They get paid peanuts and risk everything.

Last night, in Montrose, Colorado, my cousin was shot and killed while answering a domestic dispute call.

This is not meant to be a statement against anything that has been said by anyone in any of those threads, but it is real easy to forget the good that is done by law enforcement and the price they pay when these things start rolling like they have been the last couple of weeks.

I am so sorry to hear about your family's loss. If your cousin presents himself in the same good standing as how you project yourself on this forum, I'm sure he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

With my greatest condolences,

Tower