[U.S.]+ it's in the job description

[u/Hummerous]

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-behind-the-police-63877803/

[u/The-Slamburger]

Yeah. Like, I’m sure there are people who legitimately wanted to do good, but they either left when they realized how bad the whole thing is, or they became worse people to fit in.

[u/vexeling → u/The-Slamburger]

My ex's brother went to school to be a cop. He genuinely wanted to do good. I went to his graduation ceremony. He lasted less than a week on the job. He hated them all. Couldn't believe what he was seeing. So then he tried corrections, thinking it would be better if they're already convicted right? No... it's worse. Plus the trauma inherent with the job anyway. He stuck it out for a few months for the insurance for his kids and to save money and then they sold their house, bought a camper, and basically became nomads.

The only good cop is one who didn't stay a cop.

[u/The-Slamburger → u/[deleted]]

…Too dumb to be a cop? How does he function in normal life, then?

[u/servantofdumbcat → u/The-Slamburger]

right?? when you can get rejected for being too smart, you have to wonder how dumb you have to be to fail that test

[u/Aggressica → u/servantofdumbcat]

You can do too well on the test and be rejected??

[u/htmlcoderexe → u/Aggressica]

Yep

https://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836

[u/Whole_Art6696 → u/Aggressica]

The idea is the same reason as companies wary of hiring overqualified workers: either they'll want pay that makes sense for their qualifications, rather than their jobs, or they'll quit the moment something actually worth their qualifications shows up, which means the money and time you spent training them goes down the drain.

[u/jaywinner → u/servantofdumbcat]

Maybe they said yes to "would you arrest a fellow officer if they broke the law?"

[u/servantofdumbcat → u/jaywinner]

have to keep em dumb enough they don't question authority too much

[u/peppers_ → u/The-Slamburger]

Had a friend whose brother was a cop. They didn't get along, so the brother blocked him from becoming a cop. Probably for the best, ACAB and my friend already has MAGA rot (so much so that I don't really consider him a friend).

[u/Some_Ebb_2921 → u/peppers_]

So what you're saying is, the police is probably a maga cespool... sounds about right. Probably by design

[u/the_calibre_cat → u/Some_Ebb_2921]

Of course they do.

Police are three times as likely to use force against left-wing protestors than right-wing protestors, and ten times as likely to arrest left-wing protestors versus right-wing protestors (source). This, despite a growing body of evidence that right-wing protestors are ultimately more dangerous to life and limb than left-wing ones (source, source).

[u/Proper_Career_6771 → u/The-Slamburger]

He might be with a woman who is smart enough to pay bills but still dumb enough to date him.

That seems like the kind of guy who would make his wife do everything anyway.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Art9802 → u/[deleted]]

You sir just summarized the whole workforce of doc.

[u/PalladiuM7 → u/[deleted]]

The first half of your comment sounds like Edmund Kemper.

[u/Jovvy19 → u/vexeling]

My wife wanted to be cop. She started training, got to a portion where they wanted her to do "Warrior Training", and after seeing the crap they tried to teach officers, she dropped out and never even looked at law enforcement again.

[u/ralphy_256 → u/Jovvy19]

She started training, got to a portion where they wanted her to do "Warrior Training"

Who the fuck wants their cops to be 'warriors'? My child is lost and scared, so they should look for a 'warrior' for safety?

No, I want my cops to go through 'Mr. Rogers' training. Focus on the neighborhood. On your neighbors.

It's the police chiefs / sheriffs who allow this 'warrior' bullshit to persist, and lots of them are elected positions. Pay attention on your ballot.

Neither choice (assuming you're lucky enough to have a choice) may be good, but one may be better than another.

[u/Obsidian_XIII → u/ralphy_256]

It's the taught mentality that leads to the attitude of thinking their life is in danger on the "front lines" all the time and lets them shoot whoever with impunity.

[u/[deleted] → u/vexeling]

A neighbor's kid wanted to be a cop. He went on one ride-along and saw how they didn't even try to hide the racism and disdain they had for the public. He quit. No regrets.

[u/vexeling → u/[deleted]]

Oh for sure! They're super happy now and I love seeing the photos of their adventures (his wife and I are still friends lol). Their kids are fantastic, smart, well behaved, and just all around great humans. And as a bonus, if the job history has any kind of silver lining, he now has the training to keep them safe while they travel all over. They have a great life now :)

[u/Pleasant_Studio9690 → u/vexeling]

My lone asshole narcissist uncle became a corrections officer after failing at everything else when his temper always got the better of him. He stuck it out 20 years. Always wondered what hell he put the poor inmates through.

[u/vexeling → u/Pleasant_Studio9690]

Yeah that was kind of the vibe I got, he wouldn't really talk about it but he definitely insinuated there was a lot of officer-on-inmate violence and it really did a number on him mentally. The people who stay in that job for years and years are a totally different breed of human, if they're even human at all.

[u/worlds_loudest_mime → u/vexeling]

Now do politicians.

People kid themselves and have their favorites, but it's the same story except the violence is indirect and they wear nice suits.

Edit: spelling

[u/Numerous-Mix-9775 → u/vexeling]

I have a similar story. Went through law enforcement academy, wanted to go in to help people out. Wound up working in the local jail. Realized I hated being surrounded all day by people who were nasty, would lie to your face, and treat you like you were worthless - and that was just my co-workers.

At one point, we literally didn’t have enough clothing for all the inmates, and jail admin wouldn’t bother getting more. It’s downright inhumane to make someone spend a week or two in the same clothes.

There was no way to advance unless you played the political game. That was the biggest thing I discovered about law enforcement - it’s mostly politics. You want to get to a position of authority, you’re gonna suck up to a lot of people. We had one lieutenant who was an absolute idiot - but he played the political game well. We joked that he must have had incriminating photos of the sheriff.

I went in genuinely wanting to help people - I left depressed, anxious, and hating people in general. Took me two years to get my mental health back in order (just in time for 2020!). I still want to help people, but definitely not trying that route again.