Wednesday, January 28, 2009

You know, it gets old taking complaints about police, police officers, police departments, police enforcement, police non enforcement, anything related to police that happens, either in our town, local department, or anywhere else for that matter, I have to hear what is wrong with the system. It doesn't matter what it is, I have to hear in a heated tone of voice, what they are doing wrong, what they SHOULD/shouldn't be doing, how they should be doing it/not doing it, when they should/shouldn't, and how they should/shouldn't. Tonight I said I wished I worked at a Circle C so I wouldn't have to take complaints all the time. So, I was told that nothing would be said again against 'your police department'. It just gets old. I don't complain about what mechanics, postmen, or real estate brokers do. I imagine there are scum in all jobs everywhere. I don't complain about carpenters, people who work at GM, or vending machine stockers. I don't complain about trucking companies, teachers, or computer geeks. But, you know what!?! Let anyone in a police department anywhere do anything, and I'm going to hear about it. Don't mistake me, or my intentions. This has nothing to do with right or wrong, did or didn't, or guilt or innocence of police officers/departments/policies. My complaint here is about MY having to take complaints all the time. In my own home! By someone who knows that I have police in my blood, who even helps me collect police things. I used to have to deal with this every time I went to a certain relative's house, until I was 'accosted' at one lunch about how a police chase had gone bad. The tone of the conversation was accusatory. It finally got to me, and I said that I wouldn't begin to try and explain why someone would do what was done any more than I would try to explain why someone went 'postal' and blew away everyone in their post office. That pretty much took care of that house, with some few exceptions lately. I told them that I could only offer what I would/did do in the same situation, not second guess someone elses' motives or good/bad sense. It really steams me. Let someone know that you work at a police department, or that you like police related things, and the first thing that will happen usually is, "Let me tell you what I heard about _________ (Fill in the blank with "police situation, police officer, police department, police policies"). Not good things, just the bad things. I take complaints from the public all day long. Whether or not I am the proper person to take them. I take complaints at home that I try to pass on. I can't even answer right. If I don't take the bait and answer, it just goes on. If I do react and say something it starts an argument. Oh, well. Guess that goes with the territory. I just hate the accusatory, "You oughta' tell them" idea. I think in the future, if anything police related in any way is mentioned, I'll just say, "Ok, whatever you say." Not that this will stop it being accusatory. Whatever.