Why should I trust LEO's?

[crazyyankee]

I have a question for all the LEO's out there. Now as a law abiding citizen of this State why would I trust LEOs? The reasons that I wouldn't trust them are as follows;

The State police are there to uphold the laws and protect the citizens of the State, but when our thieving Gov. was speeding down the highway who was driving? Now I know they may have had special training and such, but isn't it still breaking the law? If Dale Earnhart Jr. was caught driving that fast down the turnpike, would he not be busted for speeding?

In recent event NY Gov. is caught solicitating prostitutes, but his State Police escort did nothing. I would understand if this was a one time deal, but this scumbag spent over $80,000 in the last 6 to 10 years and yet the LEOs around him did nothing. I understand that it is their job to protect him, so why didn't they protect him from himself? LEOs try to protect us from ourselves all the time and are there to uphold law and order.

I'm begining to think they should be charged with "aiding and abetting".
What would have happened if the Gov decided to shoot or stab someone, would they still keep their mouths shut?

Also in recent events an upper level officer is caught protecting a prostitution ring. Now he is being charged, why not those around these corrupt politicians?


I know not all LEOs are breaking the laws, but those that are protecting our politicians are suppose to be the best and brightest and it seems they are just as corrupt as the scumbags they protect. So I'm to assume it dosen't trickle down to the local level, yea right... Assuming makes an ASSof U & ME

So I ask again

Why should I trust LEOs?

[LittleRedToyota]

it is no more fair to judge all LEOs by the actions or inactions of individual LEOs than it is to judge all gun owners by the actions or inactions of individual gun owners.

my philosophy when dealing with someone i don't know (LEO or not) is...

respect the person unless they give you a reason not to respect them, but don't trust them until you have good reason to think you can trust them.

[TaurusGuy]

There are good and bad people in all lines of work just as in regular life. I have known some cops that were great guys both on and off duty. At the same time, I have had dealings with some terribly underhanded lying cops...so when I was younger, yeah, I hated cops because of the few bad that I had dealt with. As I got older, I realized...not everyone is bad and to judge all based on some is not the way to live.

[crazyyankee]

I understand that, my question is more hypothetical(sp) then anything. But I really would like to know how and why the supposedly best and brightest officers allow crimes to be committed over and over?

To any others that may respond, I am not against LEOs. I want to know why they aren't being charged with a crime also, if it was me they would throw the book at me.


I've seen dirty dealing all my life with the local LEOs in 2 counties and I'm not some young pup... Why do we stand for the double standard?

[Philadelphia]

Originally Posted by crazyyankee

Why should I trust LEOs?

Trust them to do what? In what context?

Trust them not to hassle you if you choose to open carry? (some will, some won't)

Trust them to run toward instead of away from gunfire and catch bad guys most of us would very much prefer not to be anywhere near? (most would).

Trust them to come to your aid when you've got trouble? (most would).

Trust them to enforce the laws equally for all with perfect justice? (is that reasonable to ask? -- what do those words even mean unless you have a judge on your hip every day?)

. . .

I'd say most see themselves as professionals, do their best to act as professionals, and try to do what they think is best and right, even if it's not always best and right.

The guy driving the gov was trying to get him there fast and thought that even though he knows driving fast is dangerous, he could handle it. Well he was mistaken. Not a bad man, not untrustworthy, just mistaken.

etc.

[ChamberedRound]

IMHO, there's a reason why not to trust LEOs, but it has nothing to do with the corrupt actions of a few. It has to do with the simple principle on which our nation was founded: government is not to be trusted, hence the need for the people to always question and oversee what government does. LEOs are agents of the government, and as such we should not implicitly trust them. We can be cordial to them, we can respect them, but do not believe they have your best interests at heart; they work for the government, not the people.

[crazyyankee]

Originally Posted by Philadelphia

Trust them to do what? In what context?

Trust them not to hassle you if you choose to open carry? (some will, some won't)

Trust them to run toward instead of away from gunfire and catch bad guys most of us would very much prefer not to be anywhere near? (most would).

Trust them to come to your aid when you've got trouble? (most would).

Trust them to enforce the laws equally for all with perfect justice? (is that reasonable to ask? -- what do those words even mean unless you have a judge on your hip every day?)

. . .

I'd say most see themselves as professionals, do their best to act as professionals, and try to do what they think is best and right, even if it's not always best and right.

The guy driving the gov was trying to get him there fast and thought that even though he knows driving fast is dangerous, he could handle it. Well he was mistaken. Not a bad man, not untrustworthy, just mistaken.

etc.

I used to race motorcycles does that mean I can speed down the highway safely? No it doesn't .. When a Hellam Twp cop showed up at my home responding to an accident even though he was off duty and drunk and I mean sloppy drunk with his wife and kid in the car, what did the chief (at that time) do, nothing sent him on his way not even making someone else drive....

How do I know they will go after the criminals? I don't, I'm suppose to trust them.

Why?

[crazyyankee]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

IMHO, there's a reason why not to trust LEOs, but it has nothing to do with the corrupt actions of a few. It has to do with the simple principle on which our nation was founded: government is not to be trusted, hence the need for the people to always question and oversee what government does. LEOs are agents of the government, and as such we should not implicitly trust them. We can be cordial to them, we can respect them, but do not believe they have your best interests at heart; they work for the government, not the people.

Now that is the best answer I've seen so far...

in short;
be cordial, but trust few

[Philadelphia]

Originally Posted by crazyyankee

I used to race motorcycles does that mean I can speed down the highway safely? No it doesn't .. When a Hellam Twp cop showed up at my home responding to an accident even though he was off duty and drunk and I mean sloppy drunk with his wife and kid in the car, what did the chief (at that time) do, nothing sent him on his way not even making someone else drive....

How do I know they will go after the criminals? I don't, I'm suppose to trust them.

Why?

You're highlighting why it's really important for cops to be treated same as the citizens they serve if they commit crimes. Same means they get the same crap, as well as the same benefit of the doubt.

If they always get off or ignore problems in their own ranks, it promotes contempt for the law and law enforcement, and makes them all look like a bunch of lawless boneheads. By the same token, I would not hold them to a any higher standard. If a cop commits a crime he should get prosecuted and sentenced same as anyone else. Not let off and not burned at the stake either.

[crazyyankee]

Originally Posted by Philadelphia

If a cop commits a crime he should get prosecuted and sentenced same as anyone else. Not let off and not burned at the stake either.

I agree with that and am not asking that they be prosecuted and sentenced to a higher standard, just that they be held at the same standard the I would be held at. Which by reading some of the other threads isn't happening.


You are correct it when you say it breeds contempt, it has in me after all these years of watching LEOs and politicians who always seem to be "above the law"