Some of you may have noticed flags being flown at half-staff today. This is in honor of Peace Officers who have died in the line of duty. Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day and this week is Police Week.

From Wikipedia:


Link to Presidential Proclamation

JUST A COP
The funeral line was long,
There's an awful lot of cars,
Folks came out of the restaraunts,
They came out of the bars.
The workers at the construction sites
All let their hammers drop.
Someone asked,"what is this all for?"
And they said,"Aw, just a cop."
Some chuckled at the passing cars.
Some shed a silent tear
Some people said,"It's stupid.
All these policemen are here."
"How come they are not out fighting crime?"
"Or in the doughnut shop?"
"Sure is a lot of trouble,
For someone who's just a cop."
They blocked the intersections,
They blocked the interstate.
People yelled and cursed,
"Damn, it's gonna make me late!"
"This is really ridiculous!"
"They're makin' us all stop!"
"It seems they are sure wastin' time,
On someone who's just a cop."
Into the cemetery now,
The slow procession comes,
The woeful Taps are slowly played.
There's loud saluted from guns.
The graveyard workers shake their heads
"This service is a flop."
"There's lots of good words wasted,
On someone who's just a cop."
Yeah, just a cop to most folks.
Did his duty every day.
Trying to protect us,
Till they took his life away.
And when he got to heaven,
St. Peter put him at the top.
An Angel asked him,
"Who was that?"
And he said,"Aw, just a cop."

Be careful out there, boys.

I didn't know that, thanks to all the LEO's out there. Les

We had a small ceremony complete with Honor Guard. It's always a somber moment.

Thank you for posting that.

Thanks for the poem . Just sent it to my Nephew .

I went to Washington DC a few years ago. During this time. The Peace Officer Memorial is a site to see. With all the Departments Honor Guard. Bagpipes playing.

When you read a name of someone you know engraved onto that cement wall, it will bring a tear.

Have a good day.

I've done the NH Memorial, and keep promising myself a trip to DC again.

Stangely enough, I don't think I want to go during THE Memorial. It's something that I want to do with just the boy and I.

Remembering the fallen isn't something reserved for a special day.

George

"Remembering the fallen isn't something reserved for a special day."

True.

Excuse me. but I think I will pass on peace Officer's week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MdAQWhc8tg

What, exactly, does this have to do with the PO's Memorial?

Nothing you can post takes away from the sacrifice of those that have died in the line of duty.

Please, do us all a favor and continue to pass. We don't want you around anyway.

George

Feel free.

_________________________________

Still looking at some back up time while out on parole, ain't ya'?

That's an asinine thing to post on this thread.

You are not we, you represent ONE opinion-yours, and yours alone.
Since you asked, I will tell you what it has to do with the PO Memorial.
The video shows the police chasing a suspect, the suspect goes prone, puts his hands behind his head and surrenders, several police who have guns trained on the subject close in,
a policeman runs up to the suspect and KICKS HIM FULL FORCE IN THE HEAD, he appears to be OUT, 3 policeman pounce on him, cuff him while one THRUSTS his baton into his torso REPEATEDLY. After this, the policemen HIGH 5 EACH OTHER. All of this recorded from a helicopter (a good example of the need to videotape all law enforcement/governement activity in order to bring their activity to the light of day-we have the technology, we should employ it as a check against abuses, we should not be eavesdropping on the citizenry).

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
Since you asked-a policeman is a SERVANT of the public. Does this look like service to you? A policeman does not have the right to abuse people in his job. If you want to be an outlaw, be an outlaw, but don't put a badge on and beat the crap out of people uneccessarily under the color of authority. The video shows an attitude that I believe is rampant among police at many levels.
A great many 2nd amendmendt supporters here and in other forums/venues believe we are witnessing the rise of a Police State, where presently the government, and therefore the police, who are the armed branch of the government are PRESENTLY violating citizens in numerous ways, including our 2nd amendmendt rights, we have been violated by illegal searches in our cars for several decades during traffic stops, which the Supreme Court recently declared Unconstitutional (again), every sane citizen has known this, it doesn't take a law degree to figure that out.
Get into a domestic dispute (alleged)? The police take your guns, Refuse to register your guns (Unconstitutional)? The police take your guns, etc., etc., etc.
And what is the excuse police most often reply, "I was just following orders."
Well sorry, but "I was just following orders" doesn't cut it, you violate someone's Constitutional rights and you are acting on your own, you bear full responsibility. You break into the wrong persons house and point a gun at a citizen he has a right to shoot you in defense of his life, too many cases like this have happened and the police walk away-BS-citizens demand an end to this.
There are several threads on 24 right now re: H. S. Precision with Lon Horiuchi, FBI sniper who killed Vickie Weaver, representing the co., no doubt to their law enforcement clientele, now you tell me-why would Lon Horiuchi be a selling point to law enforcement (if you read the threads here he sure isn't to most 2nd amendment supporters)? Might that be because many share the same general apathetic cold-blooded mindset as Lon Horiuchi toward the people they are honor-bound to SERVE? (He was PROMOTED for his actions)
When I see law enforcement standing up for the Constitution and REFUSING to take part in lawlessness like this THEN I will celebrate their service, I will NOT celebrate their totalitarian COMPLICITY.

What does what happened to that gang-banger, who raced through city streets at 85 MPH, eluding police officers and while throwing contraband out his window and then, after crashing his car into another citizen's car before bailing, have anything to do with a fallen officer's memorial?

The gang-banger will get his due as will the LEO. But to point out this instance, as the premise for your posts above, borders on the absurd and pathetically lame.

I called a few of my co-workers and I stand by my "we" statement.

As far as the rest of your post goes, you quickly pointed out that my opinion is only that. Yet, at the same time, you choose to lump all LEOs together. You can't have it both ways.

I've said it before and, apparently, I need to reiterate my standpiont: nobody hates rogue cops worse than I do (normally I would use "good cops" in place of the "I" but I don't want to offend your delicate sensibilities again).

I'm pro-gun and pro-Constitution. I don't engage in "outlaw" behavior and hide behind a badge nor would I tolerate it from those who work with/under me.

Again, all this has NOTHING to do with the Memorial. Save your venom for other LEO-bashing threads. There are plenty of 'em.

George

Well stated.

Thanks George

well said george

That's why he's a boss.

Here is another story on another thread that typifies the Police State mentality going on in our country,
Read the log provided on their website how the arrests unfolded, we clearly live in a police state, cops are not authorized to jerk people around like this, I applaud the man that refused to submit to an illegal arrest, this is what we should all be doing, this man is a hero in my book

scroll down to the account:

http://motorhomediaries.com/

If these folks were wrongly done, that's why we have a civil process in our court system.

ZEN,
you need better heros.

Dink

The ankle bracelet zeN wears gives him that special outlook!

My thanks to all who honorably serve others in whatever capacity that might be. Since peace officers are those cited for recognition at this time, my special thanks to them.

Sorry I'm late to the thread, I've been fishing. Thank all of you for the kind words.

Following up on the story of police abuse (see the earlier post, the suspect who while surrendering, his hands clasped behind his head, prone, where multiple policeman rushes up to him with guns drawn and one kicks him full force in the face, while another attacks him with his baton while he is apparently unconscious),
In sundays paper the story reports that the police responded to this incident with
"We were afraid he had a gun, and we feared for our safety" (paraphrased), the old "We feared for our safety" BS excuse that cops have been using for years to justify getting away with this crap, this is going to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars in the legal wrangling which is sure to follow. I will be posting the developments of this case and other stories as they unfold.
It is beyond pathetic that this kind of behavior can be justified by cops, here on this forum, and in response to the public outcry over this, to ask people to pay homage to cops while this kind of attitude is prevalent among cops, even more so the OFFICIAL response from the LA police makes the average American puke!

"It's beyond pathetic that this kind of behavior is justified by cops here on this forum"

You need to back your azz up, dipstick. Show me where anyone here stated that this behavior was justified? If the officers of LAPD have done wrong, that's why we have a criminal and civil court system in this country.

Here you go zeN.

This will help you with your outlook on like.

People on this Form do not condone Rogue LEO, Excessive Force.

This was started, in respect and remembrance of those LEO that lost their life in the line of duty.

If you wish to bash rouge LEO, start your on thread. I think you like to use this one because you are a Troll. If you would start your on thread it would probably, just die off. Nobody cares for people Hijacking their thread. So start your own.
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I thought I was done with this thread. I was wrong.



I never thought I would quote myself, but I will for those who are slow, blind or have an agenda:



Who has an attitude? Who is setting up the us vs. them in yet another thread? It's not the cops!

George

Keep those pics to yourself!

That little girl is creepin' me out.

George

She's saying "Pretend you don't hear them and they'll go away."

grin

OK then, if you claim you abhor rogue cop behavior, I would like to know how many of the cops on 24 subscribe to, and more to the point PRACTISE the principles of sheriff Richard Mack, that is if you care to come out of hiding, and if you are not ashamed of the work you do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJgPuNAh60

Trying to get in some more stupidity before the short school bus shows up, I see!

Don't forget your helmet, wingnut!

Many of us have identified ourselves so we're obviously not hiding. I'm fairly certain none of us are ashamed of the job we do.

My statements and beliefs speak for themselves. I'm not here to justify why I do what I do to anybody. I've given enough info. here that if anybody really wanted to find out exactly who I am and where I work they could do so. If a person was so inclined, they could then follow up with the people who employ me.

Believe it or not, the opinion of someone who lives across the country in regards to how I do my job means nothing to me. Different story for the people around here.

George

I'm sure in truth MANY policemen lurk on this and other forums where these discussions take place, and don't identify themselves, for a variety of reasons, they are the listening post of the government, both formally (as in police activities HS that most probably listens in) and informally, which is why a lot of people fear expressing their opinions about LE.
Since you are a cop you DO have to justify how you do your job, and the fact that you do not care about opinions of the public posted on a public forum does not suprise me, that's really the point, now isn't it,
it also does not suprise me that of all the cops on this channel, very few (if at all) are willing to come forward and wholeheartedly openly support the principles outlined by Sheriff Richard Mack-that speaks VOLUMES about the mind-set of police in general

You're not big on reading comprehension, are you?

I said:


I singled out the fact that YOUR opinion means nothing to me. You are correct, I do have to justify my actions to the public. I don't, however, need to justify them to you.



A few days ago you informed me that I COULDN'T speak for the police community. Now you're saying that I do. Like many of your kind (see, I can do it to) you're arguing yourself in circles and not making any sense.

TRH and I may not agree on a lot of things, but at least he argues his standpoints coherently.

George