Great Read for all I salute the men and women of Law Enforcement

[kpplus2]

December 7, 2014
By Lt Daniel Furseth, DeForest, Wisconsin Police Department
Today, I stopped caring about my fellow man. I stopped caring about my community, my neighbors, and those I serve. I stopped caring today because a once noble profession has become despised, hated, distrusted, and mostly unwanted.
I stopped caring today because parents refuse to teach their kids right from wrong and blame us when they are caught breaking the law. I stopped caring today because parents tell their little kids to be good or “the police will take you away” embedding a fear from year one. Moms hate us in their schools because we frighten them and remind them of the evil that lurks in the world.
They would rather we stay unseen, but close by if needed, but readily available to “fix their kid.” I stopped caring today because we work to keep our streets safe from mayhem in the form of reckless, drunk, high, or speeding drivers, only to be hated for it, yet hated even more because we didn’t catch the drunk before he killed someone they may know.
Nevertheless, we are just another tool used by government to generate “revenue.” I stopped caring today because Liberals hate the police as we carry guns, scare kids, and take away their drugs. We always kill innocent people with unjust violence. We are called bullies for using a Taser during a fight, but are condemned further for not first tasing the guy who pulls a gun on us.
And if we do have to shoot, we are asked “why didn’t you just shoot the gun out of their hand?” And when one of us is killed by the countless attacks that do happen (but are rarely reported in the mainstream media) the haters say, “Its just part of the job.” I stopped caring today because Conservatives hate us as we are “the Government.” We try to take away their guns, freedoms, and liberty at every turn.
We represent a “Police State” where “jackbooted badge-wearing thugs” randomly attack innocent people without cause or concern for constitutional rights. We are Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rodney King all rolled into one lone police officer stopping to help change an old lady’s tire. I stopped caring today as no one wants us around, but instantly demands answers, results, arrests, when a crime takes place.
If a crime isn’t solved within the allocated 60 minutes it takes CSI on television, we are inept, incompetent, or covering something up. If we do get “lucky” it was just that and everyone with a Facebook account can post wonderful comments of how “they” would solve the case and how “we” are not nearly as clever.
I stopped caring today because a video of a cop six states away, from a department that you never heard of, screws up and forgets his oath of honor, thus firing up an internet lynch-mob of cop haters even though 99% of us work twice as hard not to end up in the news and to still be “the good guys.” We are “militarized” because we wear body armor and kevlar helmets when shots are fired or rocks thrown at us and carry scary looking rifles even though everyone knows that they are easier to shoot and are more accurate than a handgun or a shotgun.
I stopped caring today because the culture of today’s instantly connected youth is only there to take and never give back. To never accept responsibility for ones actions, but to blame everyone else instead of themselves. To ask “what is in it for me?” versus “what can I do for you?”
To idolize gangsters, thugs, sexually promiscuous behavior, and criminals over hard work, dedication, and achievement. To argue that getting stoned should be a right, yet getting a job or an education is a hassle. To steal verus earn. To hate versus help. Yes, I stopped caring today. But tomorrow, I will put my uniform back on and I will care

[sue]

You are amazing. Thank you all.

[mirjo]

Career choices are exactly that: choices.

While I completely and totally respect members of law enforcement, fire/rescue, military, teachers, healthcare workers etc, the reality is they chose their profession. Am I grateful for the things they do, that I can't, of course, but find it irritating to read these things that are meant to tug at peoples heart strings and works on many.

How about a shout out to those unsung heroes who clean public restrooms--you never see them complaining about how disrespected they are or writing sappy letters for sympathy about all the nasty duty they clean in the course of a day. If anyone deserves a raise, it's these folks! You can bet They didn't CHOOSE that low paying career because it was a calling since they were 5.

I'm sorry Mr. Police Officer from Wisconsin, thank you for your service, I respect your choice and agree with a lot of what you say; however when you put your uniform back on and go to work tomorrow, you are choosing to do that. When I go to work tomorrow and use the clean restroom, I know the person who did it didn't really have as much of a choice about his job, but still does it with pride, knowing the possibility of the the mess he may face later. 

[rod anode]

except for when I get a ticket when my lisecne plate is dirty,there are just too many stupid laws .....well I guess stupid people also that make them

[kpplus2]

Career choices are exactly that: choices.

While I completely and totally respect members of law enforcement, fire/rescue, military, teachers, healthcare workers etc, the reality is they chose their profession. Am I grateful for the things they do, that I can't, of course, but find it irritating to read these things that are meant to tug at peoples heart strings and works on many.

How about a shout out to those unsung heroes who clean public restrooms--you never see them complaining about how disrespected they are or writing sappy letters for sympathy about all the nasty duty they clean in the course of a day. If anyone deserves a raise, it's these folks! You can bet They didn't CHOOSE that low paying career because it was a calling since they were 5.

I'm sorry Mr. Police Officer from Wisconsin, thank you for your service, I respect your choice and agree with a lot of what you say; however when you put your uniform back on and go to work tomorrow, you are choosing to do that. When I go to work tomorrow and use the clean restroom, I know the person who did it didn't really have as much of a choice about his job, but still does it with pride, knowing the possibility of the the mess he may face later. 

Mirjo Do you choose to drive? if you do it would be sad if you were killed in a car accident? but if I used your logic it was your choice to drive, but if you choose to clean bathrooms I believe it's a relatively consistent safe job everyday and I don't see a large cultural national shift in attitude with bathroom cleaners. (maybe their is and I've missed it). I'm not hear to change your mind or attitude and I don't think  "these things that are meant to tug at peoples heart strings" I believe it's a perspective that shows some of the dark things that happen in this profession in relationship to the recent national negative attention toward law enforcement.

[mirjo]

What's being discussed here is that people who choose law enforcement do exactly that--choose to do it. Some people who work for cleaning services likely do so because they need a job and possibly would rather do something else. I just think it's self serving to  go on about how tough and dangerous your job is, but you still do it anyway. The point is what? To say "pat me on the back for doing this?" It's understood it's a tough & dangerous job. We all know there are loonies out there. If someone doesn't know that, they have to live under a rock.

Those who do choose to clean professionally (or whatever) are not out there  saying how tough their jobs are, how under appreciated they are, but they do it anyway so corporate America can have clean floors to walk on. Just because I don't agree with these things that I feel are sappy and self serving, doesn't mean I don't have any genuine appreciation for what these groups do. I get it, completely. On board all the way.

I was an EMT for a number of years, up at all hours, all kinds of weather, all manner of situations. I did it because I wanted to. Period. I was on plenty of calls with grateful patients who gave lots of accolades and thank you's to us for coming out for them. The response was often: "No problem, it's what we do." It was the truth. The thanks was appreciated, certainly--but it was what we did. And did it with or w/o recognition.

Everyone who does something like this, does so for a reason-- they get some thing out of it personally or they wouldn't do it. Firefighters get a charge out of fighting a fire, soldiers get the same kind of thrill, Cops & EMTs get a rush when the tones drop and they're off to the next call. There is an innate altruistic nature to people who do these things. If there wasn't a basic desire to help people, then they wouldn't do it, because they're not great jobs! They'd be wall street bankers, who are noted to be rather self serving, greedy, and rich. US presidents seem to like them a lot.
 
I find it very sad that ignorant crazies gun down innocent people because they think they're proving something.  Regardless of the unnecessary violence and what the Ferguson police force did for cops everywhere. It would have been better w/o the last line, which is close to pure bs.

[Thor]

I'm sorry Mirjo; what exactly did the Ferguson Police force "do to cops everywhere"?

[mirjo]

Really? Not going down this slippery slope here. Neither of us were there and have no right to be a Monday Morning quaterback. it was a ridiculous tragedy all the way around. I have no idea what the circumstances were leading up to the death of the brown kid, but all that ensued before and after SHOULD NOT have happened.period. Is there a reason ever to completely unload a weopon into someone or something, for that matter? That's what I mean by what Ferguson did for cops everywhere. Now there are vigilante's running around shooting police officer's who had nothing to do with that event There are a lot of racist attitudes in this country, we may not see it here, but it's there. It exits on both sides of the fence.

[Thor]

Funny how you state you are "not going down that slippery slope here" and then proceed to make your statement about "all that ensued before and after SHOULD NOT have happened. Period".
Do you know if Officer Wilson completely unloaded his weapon?
Your comment on racism.... are you implying that Officer Wilson is racist, or is that just a broad brush statement?

[mirjo]

What I am saying is the official autopsy report showed six GSW on this kid. Unless I have been misinformed, the last I knew six is the number of rounds a service revolver holds. Do they hold more now? Six shots is excessive, under pretty much any circumstance. Maybe you don't think it is, but I do.

I wasn't implying anything regarding racism and you know that. I was plainly stating it exists. My statement was in clear no frills English when I wrote it.

 

There are a lot of racist attitudes in this country, we may not see it here, but it's there. It exits on both sides of the fence.

So I don't understand the confusion. I have no idea whether or not Wilson is racist. Are you? I don't know that either. And I don't really care.

[Thor]

Yea, the service revolver went out in the mid 80's.

6 rounds on a target is not excessive, if the target is still a threat. Once a situation has deteriorated to the point of deadly force, the threat should be eliminated.

Am I racist.... no.

Was race involved in this.... yes, Officer Wilson was white and Brown was black. That is it.

Micheal Brown is responsible for Michael Brown's death.

Al Sharpton and the rest of the race baiters did more to "cops everywhere" than the Ferguson PD.

[mirjo]

Well clearly, I feel the police had a little more responsibility in this matter than they took. I'm not saying the kid was an innocent boyscout of a lad, caught in  the crossfire, nor am I saying the rioting that took place was the right thing to do. What I have said is no one was right and no one wins, it's a tragedy that has set back race relations a lot in this country--because here we are miles away, weren't there to witness any of it and have very different opinions. there are vigilantes out there gunning down innocent cops, because they think that's somehow an answer. We don't agree and we won't agree and you're right, I should have stopped at saying nothing, when I said I was going to say nothing, knowing that we don't agree. It's all good, we're allowed to have different opinions. I appreciate that about you, it means you're not a simpering wet noodle!