Cops

[Tom Joad]

Cops is one of the most interesting shows on TV, imo. Some things I've noticed:
1. Male criminals rarely wear shirts. Why? I know not. Even though profiling is illegal, maybe cops should just go looking for men wearing no shirts?
2. If a person gets pulled over and then, when asked a question repeats the question back to the officer before answering, their answer is probably a lie. Methinks repeating the question is their half-brain kicking into gear to come up with an acceptable (lie) answer.
3. I've never seen someone get away on the show. Do they just cut those scenes out to discourage would-be crooks?

[Vegas]

They only show what gets ratings.

[Tom Joad]

They only show what gets ratings.

Probably. I've never seen an episode in STL. I'd like to see one, though, as I'm sure one has been filmed.

[LSU]

Probably. I've never seen an episode in STL. I'd like to see one, though, as I'm sure one has been filmed.



I've seen a few in NOLA for Mardi Gras. They play tough for the camera. I've seen people do a lot worse with cops around in NOLA on your average weekend than what they show people getting arrested for on Cops.

[Tom Joad]

I've also always wondered how many nights they have to film to get one show's worth of footage.

A cop just said, "What are you high on, Angel?" To which Angel replied, "I'm high on life." :)

[pnkpanther]

profiling isnt illegal

and when did it become such a dirty word?

[Jiddy78]

profiling isnt illegal

and when did it become such a dirty word?

"Would you like to profile, pnky?"



Sounds dirty to me.

[Tom Joad]

profiling isnt illegal

and when did it become such a dirty word?


Any police officer who admitted to profiling would probably be sued for civil rights violations or something.

[pnkpanther]

Any police officer who admitted to profiling would probably be sued for civil rights violations or something.


so the law enforcement officers who's title is profiler is in trouble?


if the police arent profling, they should be

[Tom Joad]

so the law enforcement officers who's title is profiler is in trouble?


if the police arent profling, they should be

They can profile based on if someone looks suspicious, but I mean pulling over every African American person because they are in a wealthy section of town or people driving through an area known to have a lot of drugs.

[pnkpanther]

They can profile based on if someone looks suspicious, but I mean pulling over every African American person because they are in a wealthy section of town or people driving through an area known to have a lot of drugs.

true, but African AMerican or Hispanic CAN be part of the profile, just CANT be part of the profile, the majority of gangs are filled by ethnic groups, they just are. The black communityshouldnt get pissed at the people harrasing them, get pissed at the people giving their community a bad rap.

There is still racisim, some blacks get a bad rap for only being black, i'll admit. but there are many people not doing them any favor's.

i worked at liqour store, black's made up 10% of our customer base roughly, but about 3/4 of our shoplifter's....so i should follow an equal amount little old ladies as young black males?

[Tom Joad]

i worked at liqour store, black's made up 10% of our customer base roughly, but about 3/4 of our shoplifter's....so i should follow an equal amount little old ladies as young black males?

I would never assume that someone is in their to shoplift. If they start acting in a suspicious manner then I'd pay closer attention.

[LSU]

I would never assume that someone is in their to shoplift. If they start acting in a suspicious manner then I'd pay closer attention.



Which is why when I used to steal shit, I'd not do anything suspicious.

[Tom Joad]

Which is why when I used to steal shit, I'd not do anything suspicious.

All the time you see people on TV who would get away with stealing stuff if they didn't act nervous and didn't look around all the time.

[LSU]

All the time you see people on TV who would get away with stealing stuff if they didn't act nervous and didn't look around all the time.


Probably the reason I never got caught.

[Tom Joad]

Probably the reason I never got caught.

Or, maybe you weren't profiled.

[LSU]

Or, maybe you weren't profiled.



Which is something that cannot be proven, so...maybe it's because I was so cute that nobody wanted to bust me.

[LSU]

Or, maybe you weren't profiled.



I was between 10 and 14 or so and it was in a town where there was at most 1 person that wasn't white.


Kinda hard to do any profiling in that cracker bowl.

[pnkpanther]

I would never assume that someone is in their to shoplift. If they start acting in a suspicious manner then I'd pay closer attention.

didnt assume at all, just followed them more closely

maybe not an individual, but a group, as that was also a large % of shop-lifters (we could find many after the fact via video tape)..typically black, way it is. I didnt harrass every black customer, it was typically younger blacks as well...

there white kids i followed around too, i still remember one group trying to steal a bottle of malibu.

[Tom Joad]

Which is something that cannot be proven, so...maybe it's because I was so cute that nobody wanted to bust me.

Probably not. Were so cute? Your life of crime need not end. You could always hide things in the baby carriage next time you go to the store.

[LSU]

didnt assume at all, just followed them more closely

maybe not an individual, but a group, as that was also a large % of shop-lifters (we could find many after the fact via video tape)..typically black, way it is. I didnt harrass every black customer, it was typically younger blacks as well...

there white kids i followed around too, i still remember one group trying to steal a bottle of malibu.


No wonder white kids get such a bad rap. Pansies.

[Tom Joad]

didnt assume at all, just followed them more closely


Why follow them more closely, then? It's because you thought it more likely that they'd try to steal than other customers. I think that's what "assume" means.

[pnkpanther]

No wonder white kids get such a bad rap. Pansies.

no kidding, we all laughed, the four of them ended up buying a liter of malibu


sissies

[LSU]

Probably not. Were so cute? Your life of crime need not end. You could always hide things in the baby carriage next time you go to the store.


Nah, my life of crime left me years ago. I've been crime free longer than crime filled at this point.

[pnkpanther]

Why follow them more closely, then? It's because you thought it more likely that they'd try to steal than other customers. I think that's what "assume" means.



they are more likely to steal then other customers

they made up the minority of our customer base (wwas in white subarb) but majority of our shop-lifters.

young males always more supicious period, groups that huddle in back or corners of store raise eyebrows, or people wearing clothes too big for weather...

lot of things too look for, but young black males that showed up in groups of 3-4 were far and away or most common shoplifters, so guess what got a little more attention..blacks in groups of 3-4 between 21-25.

do you fish?

Do you go where the fish are? or do you equally fish the lake?

[pnkpanther]

and they werent harrased meanly asked to leave or inspected...

we simply would ask

"can i help you find anything" (or something to that extent) a few times and follow up...you wouldnt be in their shadow for god sakes...and yes, some items got stolen at a higher rate, so you'd watch those closer too

so places thats just considered good customer service, and the ones who were legit never saw problem...

[Tom Joad]

they are more likely to steal then other customers

they made up the minority of our customer base (wwas in white subarb) but majority of our shop-lifters.

young males always more supicious period, groups that huddle in back or corners of store raise eyebrows, or people wearing clothes too big for weather...

lot of things too look for, but young black males that showed up in groups of 3-4 were far and away or most common shoplifters, so guess what got a little more attention..blacks in groups of 3-4 between 21-25.

do you fish?

Do you go where the fish are? or do you equally fish the lake?


I'm sure what you are arguing is the truth but that is still profiling. However, you were an employee of a private establishment which, I would bet, is held to a different standard than public servants.

[pnkpanther]

I'm sure what you are arguing is the truth but that is still profiling. However, you were an employee of a private establishment which, I would bet, is held to a different standard than public servants.

but cops do same thing, and they can...

again, they cant just randomly pull over black people, but they can target black groups meet criteria, i see no problem (or hispanic)

and i'm sure there is abuse, which sucks...

the root of the problem is two fold

Young Black and Hispanic males commit crimes at a higher rates then anyother group

People natrually distrust those who are different.

I consider myself open minded, but even i'm nto perfect.

[swordfish]

I used to drive a 1985 Cutlass Supreme 2 door. Gold with 14 inch wheels. I only had the car because my aunt gave me the body for free and I got a motor for $350. I drove it for about 4 years and only had about $800 in it after new tires.

The cops would profile me any time I was out past dark. Every time I drove this car to go out with friends I would get pulled over. I have even watched cops see the car, then pull across the street and wait for me to leave a gas station. Then pull me over and say I do not have license plate light. Every single time they check license, registration, insurance and always let me go with no citations. One time the cop told me that I had bright lights on. This was humorous since I knew I had low beams on. He gave me a breathalyzer , I blew .00 and he said oh sorry and got in his car and left me standing in the street holding my license.

I cannot think of one single thing that a cop has ever done for me. I have been broke down on the highway and watch the bastards drive right by. They wont spend the time of day unless they think they can harass or step on your rights. I happened to turn down an alley in another town near my hometown one night. I drive up on two guys arguing, in seconds one man is on fire from head to toe. I got out of the car and eventually got him down on the ground and the fire put out. When the cops showed up they treat me like a criminal. Never asking what happened only if I was buying drugs. A correction officer showed up later and gets on the news for "hometown hero". I personally watched the whole thing. The man died and the States Attorney never even contacted me. This town is slightly racist and it shows.

I was at a friend's house one day when the police entered his home with force without a warrant. They said someone told them there was a fight there and they had to right to come in. I just laughed at the cop. I followed him outside and stood in the yard , refused to go inside until after the cops left. The officer told me that if I did not go inside he would arrest me for public nuisance. I told him that I was on private property, not causing any commotion, not even making any sound, and that I can sit here all night and your not going to do a thing except drive away right now. He left.

I always refuse a search on principle. They always ask why I refuse and if I have something. I always tell them I refuse because it is my right to refuse and if they have a case they need to contact a judge and get the warrant, otherwise I am going on my way. They always let me go.

I will not totally bash the law. I know a few good cops. But overall

Fuck the Police.

They were all pussies in school and feel big with a gun. They can still get an ass whoopin, even with the gun.

[Vegas]

I saw a bad case of racial profiling one time. I was with a couple of college buddies on a mission to buy some electronic parts for a class project one of whom is black. We went to a Radio Shack and when the guy working there saw the black guy he freaked. We were looking for parts in 3 different sections of the store at the same time and the guy was following the black guy and watched his every move. My other friend and I could have stolen anything we wanted in that store and he wouldn't have noticed a thing. It was a real eye opener for me. My black friend was able to laugh about it after we left. I didn't think it was funny. I still don't almost 30 years later.

[Tom Joad]

When my brother was in high school, he used to get pulled over because his car is souped up. The cop would come to the window and, once noticing that my brother was wearing a dress shirt and tie (he works at a hotel), would seemingly change their demeanor from accusatory to questioning (from "kids shouldn't be out so late" to "are you coming home from work?"). My brother probably got pulled over five times with similar results.

[Hotpapa666]

My dad used to be a cop and everytime Cops would come on he would say, I don't understand why any city would let them film their police in action. There are a lot of bad cops out there and it just takes one slip up and the city is in for a major scandal and law suit. I'm pretty surprised it hasn't happened yet.

[Nixon's Head]

My dad used to be a cop and everytime Cops would come on he would say, I don't understand why any city would let them film their police in action. There are a lot of bad cops out there and it just takes one slip up and the city is in for a major scandal and law suit. I'm pretty surprised it hasn't happened yet.The beauty of editing.

[IBC]

One of my good friends is black. A few weeks ago we went into an outdoor store on our lunch break. Each of the three employees walked up to me one time each to ask if I needed halp, they didn't even talk to my friend. Not profiling, but an example of under the radar racism if you ask me.

[pnkpanther]

some call it profiling, i call it using demographics

[pnkpanther]

I saw a bad case of racial profiling one time. I was with a couple of college buddies on a mission to buy some electronic parts for a class project one of whom is black. We went to a Radio Shack and when the guy working there saw the black guy he freaked. We were looking for parts in 3 different sections of the store at the same time and the guy was following the black guy and watched his every move. My other friend and I could have stolen anything we wanted in that store and he wouldn't have noticed a thing. It was a real eye opener for me. My black friend was able to laugh about it after we left. I didn't think it was funny. I still don't almost 30 years later.

while i'll admit stuff like that sucks and should stop, black community has to address why young black males are more prone to commiting crimes

[IBC]

while i'll admit stuff like that sucks and should stop, black community has to address why young black males are more prone to commiting crimes

Poverty? I am very surprised at your views here Pnky.

[Tom Joad]

while i'll admit stuff like that sucks and should stop, black community has to address why young black males are more prone to commiting crimes


When, in areas of high poverty, many of the the male role models in your neighborhood are criminals (drug dealers and pimps) it's no wonder why young black males may be more likely to commit crimes.

[pnkpanther]

When, in areas of high poverty, many of the the male role models in your neighborhood are criminals (drug dealers and pimps) it's no wonder why young black males may be more likely to commit crimes.

no doubt that's an issue, and i fully agree

[pnkpanther]

Poverty? I am very surprised at your views here Pnky.

clearly, being poor and inner city is a leading contributor/indicator.



but when one demographic group has such high rates of crime, to pretend it isnt there is just wishfull thinking.

[IBC]

clearly, being poor and inner city is a leading contributor/indicator.



but when one demographic group has such high rates of crime, to pretend it isnt there is just wishfull thinking.

When one demographic group has such high rates of poverty and incarceration, it is obvious what will happen. It certainly is there.

[Vegas]

When one demographic group has such high rates of poverty and incarceration, it is obvious what will happen. It certainly is there.

So what is your proposed solution?

[pnkpanther]

When one demographic group has such high rates of poverty and incarceration, it is obvious what will happen. It certainly is there.

so we should just hold them scott free?

i realize there are many social injustices, but i'm not going to parade around like we dont have a problem with violent young inner city males

and the black/hispanci community need to acknolwedge problem, not start rap videos that say dont snitch it's not cool

[IBC]

So what is your proposed solution?

Education reform, redistribution of income from the super-rich to services in high crime areas, less prison for minor drug offenders, more minority involvement in politics and government to name a few.

[IBC]

so we should just hold them scott free?

i realize there are many social injustices, but i'm not going to parade around like we dont have a problem with violent young inner city males

and the black/hispanci community need to acknolwedge problem, not start rap videos that say dont snitch it's not cool

Ok, but that is not the solution to the problem, just part of it.

[pnkpanther]

Ok, but that is not the solution to the problem, just part of it.

clearly


but it is a problem and there is nothing wrong with admitting it

[IBC]

clearly


but it is a problem and there is nothing wrong with admitting it

Agreed. The changing of the culture of violence is a problem, as is the us vs. them mentality. Inclusion is needed bad. http://img.search.com/1/15/Senate_budget_committee.JPG

[LSU]

Maybe another problem is giving them pre-made excuses for the behavior they have, rather than calling for responsible behavior.

"It's not their fault, they're poor."
"It's not their fault, they're uneducated."
"It's not their fault, they're treated unfairly."

et cetera.


I'm not saying that's not an issue, but people keep making excuses for the problems, and in a way act as enablers by making them think their actions are justified to an extent.

Just another way to look at it.

[IBC]

Maybe another problem is giving them pre-made excuses for the behavior they have, rather than calling for responsible behavior.

"It's not their fault, they're poor."
"It's not their fault, they're uneducated."
"It's not their fault, they're treated unfairly."

et cetera.


I'm not saying that's not an issue, but people keep making excuses for the problems, and in a way act as enablers by making them think their actions are justified to an extent.

Just another way to look at it.
I can agree with that too, and it is not something I say when working in low income areas. But to ignore that as a cause of crime is ignorant. Inclusion in society has long been lacking.

[LSU]

I can agree with that too, and it is not something I say when working in low income areas. But to ignore that as a cause of crime is ignorant. Inclusion in society has long been lacking.


Ah yes, the survival instinct.

[IBC]

Ah yes, the survival instinct.
Not so much that, but a defeatist attitude (enabling you called it) will not help them escape their present situation.

[Tom Joad]

Maybe another problem is giving them pre-made excuses for the behavior they have, rather than calling for responsible behavior.

"It's not their fault, they're poor."
"It's not their fault, they're uneducated."
"It's not their fault, they're treated unfairly."

et cetera.


I'm not saying that's not an issue, but people keep making excuses for the problems, and in a way act as enablers by making them think their actions are justified to an extent.

Just another way to look at it.

Responsibility is important, but so is being proactive rather than reactive.

[Vegas]

Education reform, redistribution of income from the super-rich to services in high crime areas, less prison for minor drug offenders, more minority involvement in politics and government to name a few.

I can agree with that minus the redistribution of income, which has been a miserable failure everywhere it's been tried. Giving money to poor people creates more demand for poor people. I'm more for ensuring more opportunity.