"Just a Citizen"

[Yentl Marmelstein]

Telling them that you are their boss during an encounter is a good way to take a huge step towards court.

Agreed and I wouldn't advocate this tactic.

Just pointing out the chain of command.

[General Geoff]

Because they serve the community, not you.

By some people trying to insist they are their "employers" is nonsense. As I said before, you are not their employer. If you were, then that would mean you are somehow in charge or can direct them in their day to day work.

Again, you are NOT an employer. The city, town, borough, etc is the employer. You are not in my chain of command. You do not give me orders. You are not someone I go to looking for guidance or instruction, etc.

You are NOT the employer of police, fire, EMS, refuse collectors, mayor, council, secretary, etc........or any one else that works for a municipality.

I never said or implied that I am personally the employer of the police. I said the collective "We" are. I stand by my statement.

And just as the cashier at the local Wal Mart doesn't look to Wal Mart's shareholders for guidance or instruction, they are nevertheless that cashier's employer.

[Mr.FiredUp]

I never said or implied that I am personally the employer of the police. I said the collective "We" are. I stand by my statement.

And just as the cashier at the local Wal Mart doesn't look to Wal Mart's shareholders for guidance or instruction, they are nevertheless that cashier's employer.

I understand your point here. I do, however, have to disagree.

The cashier is not "employed" by the shareholder. The shareholder holds financial stock in the company and voices their opinion on how the company should run and holds the power to remove the monetary affirmation they have from the company if they do not listen. The shareholder has power over the company but the cashier is still employed by the local Wal Mart, not the shareholder.

It's the same thing with public servants. Take a cop for example... They are employed by the local government, municipality, state, etc. "We" (voting citizens) are "shareholders" (our vote is the financial stock) in the government that employs the cop. If we don't like the way things are being done in the "company", (whatever government agency that employs the cop) we remove our "monetary affirmation" (our vote) and take it elsewhere.

So, while we do have the power to change things in the cop's employment hierarchy, we are not their "boss" or "superior".

As far as the "are you a cop" question, my response is as follows...

Person: Are you a cop?
Me: No, I own a fireplace company in Littlestown. Why do you ask? Are you a cop?