Trouble With The Police And Your Pipe

[BROBS]

Don't forget the skilled trades, buddy. I'm a machinist myself. You can't just walk in and do that. There is on the job training if you are lucky, but we're talking years at low pay to get marketable skills. I personally got on entry level like that, but also took some college courses to become proficient more quickly. Good move, I would not have survived the downsizings in the Great Recession otherwise.

I guess by factory work I mean skilled trades lumped in that as well. My Grandfather started as a welder at John Deere before WW2.. Then welded when he came back.. then moved up the chain in the metal foundry until he was higher up. To the point where at the end of his career there he was giving tours to visitors etc.

So I have great respect for factory work, skilled trades, etc. I simply meant that you can start at these with no "skill" yet.. however I don't think that methodology works for something like a police officer. Unless you are going to have them ride around for a year or two with another one and do nothing but observe.

 

[olkofri]

We don't respect our blue collar workers, and tell our youth the only way to be successful is to go to college.

Where they are turned into angry marxist drones, who then turn round and attack the honest workers. Yes, I've seen it happen.

College degrees aren't worth much anymore.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

however that would explain my cherry red ass..... ?

Nah, you gotta get some antibiotics for that.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

We really do need every kind to make the world spin..

 

[olkofri]

here are the qualifications for our department in town.. pretty laughable honestly.

Qualifications

• A U.S. citizen and be willing to comply with the City's residency policy; live within 10 miles of the Department Headquarters.
• At least 18 years of age by the application deadline.
• Able to read, write, and understand the English language.
• High school graduate/G.E.D. by application deadline.
• 20/100 vision in both eyes correctable to 20/20; normal color vision.
• Normal hearing.
• No alcohol or drug dependency.
• Current valid driver's license and satisfactory driving record.
• No felony convictions.
• Legally able to possess firearms.
• Not, by any reason of conscience or belief, be opposed to the use of force when necessary.
• To view the State of Iowa minimum police officer qualifications, including physical fitness standards visit the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

Those aren't unreasonable, really, at least for 'troopers'. When I applied to join the Canadian Royal Navy the requirements were similar. Why would you need a college degree and/or a Ph.D. to patrol the streets?

College degrees were required to be an officer. Also reasonable.

 

[davek]

To speak to the copper thing...

Having a bad back, I found the best way to keep it limber was to walk around the block every morning before I began my day. Since I started work early and went to the gym first, we are talking about 4 in the morning.

In the couple of decades that I did that, I had a cop pull up and question me three times.

Two of the officers were friendly and professional, the other was a dick.

I think that's just about indicative of the percentage of bad cops.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

To speak to the copper thing...

Having a bad back, I found the best way to keep it limber was to walk around the block every morning before I began my day. Since I started work early and went to the gym first, we are talking about 4 in the morning.

In the couple of decades that I did that, I had a cop pull up and question me three times.

Two of the officers were friendly and professional, the other was a dick.

I think that's just about indicative of the percentage of bad cops.

All three were dicks.. You were taking a walk, on the street your tax dollars helped maintain.

 

[BROBS]

Those aren't unreasonable, really, at least for 'troopers'. When I applied to join the Canadian Royal Navy the requirements were similar. Why would you need a college degree and/or a Ph.D. to patrol the streets?

College degrees were required to be an officer. Also reasonable.

18 years old? These kids haven't even had a sip of legal alcohol yet.
The army/military is one thing... they get extensive training and aren't allowed to do shit.
They have babysitters.

 

[davek]

So I have great respect for factory work, skilled trades, etc. I simply meant that you can start at these with no "skill" yet.. however I don't think that methodology works for something like a police officer. Unless you are going to have them ride around for a year or two with another one and do nothing but observe.

Not to beat a dead horse, but someone machining for a year or two wouldn't be considered all that "trained".

When I first got my start, I couldn't even spell CNC.

When I did I spelled it backwards.

 

[olkofri]

18 years old? These kids haven't even had a sip of legal alcohol yet.
The army/military is one thing... they get extensive training and aren't allowed to do shit.
They have babysitters.

That's what I mean the problem is with the laws, not the blokes paid to enforce them.

Police departments vary much by location, but here they do get training as well. Dunno how long, but I'd not be surprised to find out it's as extensive as the military (10 weeks for Basic training). Even the mounties don't train for too long (26-week training program).

What they're doing is not nuclear science. You don't need months or years of training to be a guard, basically. Though I reckon you'd need several weeks of classroom sessions just to learn how to navigate the current legal environment which is a minefield.

For different departments in the police (detective, CIS, &c.), I'd reckon there are more training programs and times and further requirements.

 

[didimauw]

A couple years ago I got pulled over for a tail light being out, on my work lunch break. I was smoking a cigarette, and as he looked at my id, here asked me if I smoked tobacco. I looked at him strangely, and said yes. He then proceeded to ask me what kind. So I told him cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.

I looked down at my pipe in the cup holder and said " oh you mean this?" He nodded. I told him he could smell it if he wanted to.

He put his entire nose in the bowl, took a long deep smell, and gave it back. He thanked me for being so polite and easy to work with. Told me about my tail light and sent me on my way.

 

[olkofri]

He put his entire nose in the bowl, took a long deep smell, and gave it back.

You know? I think I'm gonna carry a plastic container with tobacco in my car permanently: not to smoke, but for situations like this one. I normally pack the pipe at home and take nothing but the pipe and a tamper with me outside. The pipe should be self-evident, but guess a bit of extra 'evidence of not-wrongdoing' can't hurt.

 

[mikey517]

well it's obvious who is a cop here. lol

Well....he ain't the only one!

 

[canucklehead]

You know? I think I'm gonna carry a plastic container with tobacco in my car permanently: not to smoke, but for situations like this one. I normally pack the pipe at home and take nothing but the pipe and a tamper with me outside. The pipe should be self-evident, but guess a bit of extra 'evidence of not-wrongdoing' can't hurt.

I usually have a Smokingpipes baggie with the nicotine warning sticker on it and about a half oz of something like 1Q in my van just for that. In emergencies I suppose you could even smoke it if you had to.

 

[PipesRock]

I won't foolishly try to change opinions here. On the job 35 years because of what I saw the Secret Service and cops do for President Reagan in 1981. I wanted that dedication to service to jump in front of a bullet to save others. I've made positive differences in peoples lives, both to victims and those I arrested. I wasn't bullied in school. I'm not an idiot on a power trip and in my 35 years I met very, VERY few idiots on power trips in uniform.

Bad cops are a fraction of a percent of police officers. Yet we consistently spend time discussing them and giving them huge amounts of our attention which over time distorts perceptions of reality.

Admittedly officers coming off like a dick are a higher percentage largely because of their training before and after joining their department (look up Trooper Coates video or others) officers are inundated with this training out of necessity. In recent years the increasing lack of respect for law and order also contributes to that perception.

Perceiving a cop as a dick doesn't make the cop bad. Quite frankly it doesn't even make him a dick.

-Rock

 

[chopper]

Ha!
I live in the Seattle area. Here, pipe tobacco is a rigorously regulated substance, difficult to buy at times, illegal to import and heavily taxed. It is generally unlawful to smoke it any place in public or near near the general population.
Locoweed on the other hand is widely available at well stocked retail stores.. People strolling down the street, blunts in hand, get no special attention.
Soon we may be forced to fill Swisher Sweets with Capstan Blue just to blend in with the general population.

I'm all for the relaxation of laws on the green stuff [which I use for chronic nerve pain] but that's ridiculous.

There's "heavily taxed" and then there's 'ludicrously taxed'.
Here in Nanny State Australia 50 grams of tobacco is over $110 [$120 for a 50g pouch of Amphora]

 

[BROBS]

So if my dad trained me to be a dick that’s fine?
I apologize if my post is or seemed ignorant. Yes it’s a small percentage that are “bad” or have other issues. I also rarely make a post thats 100% serious or not exaggerated in my opinion. I respect those who serve and protect us and without them we’d be lost.

Only a tiny percentage of Catholic Priests have abused people, and the same percentage in the Boy Scouts. But look at what it’s done to both as an organization. The same thing is happening now with our police forces and if it continues they will lose more respect.

I don’t know the answer and I don’t know if it’s to go to a more European style of policing, or so something else entirely.

There shouldn’t be people out there who fear the police without reason, and right now there are many. How to change that? I have no clue.

 

[BROBS]

nope still goes on .. Chicago PD is the absolute worst at it.

the problem is that as a job it attracts nerd-losers who in high school got ripped on or bullied.
They then do the same thing to those who they police as "payback" for getting swirlies.

ever notice half the last names are things like "PENISHEIMER" or Officer "COLON". etc

I would also like to say I said it attracts this. Not that all officers are like this by any means. And over half is an obvious exaggeration so I apologize for that.

 

[chopper]

It is funny this got brought up. I was sitting on the front porch last week smoking an Al Pascia Curvy, which kind of looks like a weed pipe anyway, because the HVAC guys were busy in the backyard near my normal smoking spot. As I sat there puffing away to take a short break from work, some lady - Karen or Becky or whomever - was driving by, saw me and slowed down - jaw agape. I guess she thought I was brazenly roking the ganja in broad daylight.

I like to think she went to bed a little disturbed that night.

Cops are reasonably relaxed here in Oz but something similar happened to me while puffing on my pipe outside a mates house.

A male cop was driving past in a van with four very young female cops, just as I rested my pipe in my lap while seated at a small table.
He stopped the van and sat staring for several minutes while they all gawked at me.

Not that I had anything to worry about but I really don't like being pegged like that by a van full of coppers so eventually I yell out "What?" with a shrug of my shoulders.

The male cop yells out "What are you hiding there?"
By this point I was rather irritated so I stormed up to the van giving him a mouthful, saying that it was obvious why at his age he was still a low ranking constable because he was unable to differentiate between someone minding their own business and an actual crime in progress.

Then when I said if he was trying to impress the young female coppers [most of whom I could then see were probationary police] then he was failing miserably, the female cops all burst out laughing.
"Now piss off before I call your Sgt. you moron."

Poor bugger went bright red not knowing how to respond as I went back to my chair while mumbling unkind words.

 

[davek]

I won't foolishly try to change opinions here. On the job 35 years because of what I saw the Secret Service and cops do for President Reagan in 1981. I wanted that dedication to service to jump in front of a bullet to save others. I've made positive differences in peoples lives, both to victims and those I arrested. I wasn't bullied in school. I'm not an idiot on a power trip and in my 35 years I met very, VERY few idiots on power trips in uniform.

Bad cops are a fraction of a percent of police officers. Yet we consistently spend time discussing them and giving them huge amounts of our attention which over time distorts perceptions of reality.

Admittedly officers coming off like a dick are a higher percentage largely because of their training before and after joining their department (look up Trooper Coates video or others) officers are inundated with this training out of necessity. In recent years the increasing lack of respect for law and order also contributes to that perception.

Perceiving a cop as a dick doesn't make the cop bad. Quite frankly it doesn't even make him a dick.

-Rock

A third of the people I meet in life are dicks. That percentage needs to be better for police officers since they are allowed to shoot you.

I may have been exaggerating when I implied one third. I do know I've met a few who there is no question were wound a bit tight. I know lots of folks who have a worse assessment than I do and I tell them that you will generally be fine with a cop if you treat them with respect and make them feel safe.

As to the cop who was a dick to me while I was on my morning walk. My old sneakers which I slipped on to take my walk were rubbing and starting a blister. I took them off and was carrying them. Everyone leaves their porch light on in my neighborhood and it is well lit.

Pulling up, he asked what I was doing. (the other two, nicer, cops said "can I help you", and "hello" respectively) When I said, "I live right up the road on ****** Drive sir, and I walk around the block in the morning to stretch my back." Yes, I said it just like that. The other two cops had been so nice that I didn't expect anything more than to explain myself.

"You expect me to believe you are taking a walk with your shoes in your hand. Get in the car."

(while complying) "Well sir, they were starting a blister and I had to take them off."

"Riiight. And you expect me to believe that?"

"Well sir, Iive right up on ***** like I said. If you want to pull on up there I'll let myself in and get my wallet. You will be able to see I live there. (He had not asked for ID)

"This isn't a damn taxi service. You know what time it is?"

"Yes sir, I start work at 6 and I go to the gym first."

"So you decided to walk without your shoes."

You get the picture. His tone was pretty aggressive and in your face. I live in a nice neighborhood.

So anyway, I don't want to quantify how many bad cops there are. I will just say that, yes, most are decent and professional, but there is at least a little more than a fraction of a percent who are not.