Do you stand with or against the police?

I come from a policing family. I know there are good and bad cops. Friends and I have had unpleasant experiences with not great to downright bad cops.

I'll say the good cops believe we need police policy and mental health reforms for the protection of everyone.

I support police. Someone has to deal with the worst society has to offer and I'm grateful people step up to that role.

They're literally there to save you because they're getting paid for it, it's their job. And yet I come from a country where the police beats us to death. I don't care about the few good ones, I will always stand against them.

I recognize that the police fulfill a valuable if not necessary function in society, but that doesn't mean I have to like them. People need to realize that the police aren't infallible and that they are working within a system that can be very flawed, which they (police) often overlook or don't seem to appreciate. I think those who believe the police are solely their to "save us" are very naive as that is not what they are doing in most cases. Most of the people that police arrest are just individuals the justice system can use and exploit.

Most of them are bullies behind a badge with a license to kill. It would never occur to me to call the cops. If i couldn't deal with it myself I would just let it go.

Hmmmm
They are an arm of state power

And in reality they are often ineffective in protecting individual citizens and their property

They have no incentive to provide a good or efficient service to the public, and often don’t

But I still believe they are needed to more broadly maintain public order
Which is their main purpose

However I’d like to see a parallel system of private police, where businesses or communities can hire their own police officers, that are fully certified and still have to work within the bounds of the law
You’d get a lot better service and way more accountability that way
If a cop sucked at their job or abused the public, you’d just be able to fire them
Not have them sheltered by police unions and a code of silence.

I think most police services could be privatized in this manner, but I still see the need for a public force to provide services to those too poor to hire their own officers, and to deal with major public order issues or threats, like riots, terrorist attacks, active shooters

A system like this worked for years in San Francisco, but the city police eventually put the brakes on it

Mostly against them. They are needed in some situations. I don't trust them at all tbh.

Always stand with them until they screw up

I support the police in what they do because the majority of it is good and worthwhile. They not only solve and prevent crimes, they save lives. They don't get paid that well and they face physical threat and verbal abuse on a daily basis. Without them, 99% of the public would be victims in waiting and that's regardless of which weapons they may have. They're not perfect and there are clearly too many bad examples but they're necessary if society is to have order.

Against

I support the police. There is bad everything, bad doctors, bad teachers, bad nurses, bad Coaches, bad, dentists, and that list is endless of course. We become basically not a Country without them. I also say this is not a racist Country. Sure there are some racists in all races but we are a Country of all kinds of people and we get along better than one party wants us to believe.

My involvements with the police have been good. They took me to medical services when I needed it, and I can’t say anything bad because I am greatful to them still. I personally have nothing but respect for them. I wouldn’t want their job.

Last time I had to call the cops, It was 3am and some bugger was breaking into my house! The cops didn't arrive til 9am... The Ambulance however arrived in 20 minutes of calling them.

With

Fuck the police. But they are needed.

Against

In theory, yes, but my interactions with them have been hot and cold. Most are kind and professional, but one cop illegally forbade me to drive my car out of a local shopping area, making me have to walk miles home, and another pulled a gun on me for absolutely no reason.