Alphecca

I'm astonished that a police chief can say, straight faced, that "the police will protect you." He must be secure in knowing there's no possibility of the city losing a lawsuit based on lack of police protection.

Oakland is where, about ten years ago, they passed a law prohibiting anyone from standing within twelve feet of a person conducting a transaction at an ATM. Somehow that was to prevent robberies at ATMs. Stupid me, my first thought was that it instantly created a new class of criminal, poor schmucks that stood, say, ten feet from the machine.

My second thought was surprise that ATM robbers could only operate within twelve feet of the machine. "Damn," the would be robber is thinking, "I'd love to rob that dude, but how can I do it as long as he's at the ATM?"

The chief's comments were job protection for his boys (and girls.) If "ordinary people" start shooting perps there won't be as many perps for the cops to spend time looking for, and they won't need as many cops. So just stand by and get beat up and robbed, so the cops will have something to do.

You know, 10 years ago I never would have considered making a comment like that about the police. But over the past decade the actions and public positions taken by police across the country have caused an almost complete reversal of my attitude toward them. The police are not my friend, and do not have my interest at heart. If they protect me it is coincidental, and not their primary purpose. I want to puke when I see the "Protect and Serve" signs on local patrol cars, because mostly what they do is protect themselves and serve their own purposes.

How have we come to this?

"I want to puke when I see the "Protect and Serve" signs on local patrol cars, because mostly what they do is protect themselves and serve their own purposes.

How have we come to this?"

One word: Unions.