Is there anything which can be done to change this negative perseption of the police force.

Question

Is there anything which can be done to change this negative perseption of the police force.

Answer 1

Nope, criminals will complain forever.  The crappy part is that some people listen.

The media puts every "bad cop" video or story they can into mass production immediately...but you hear very little of the literally millions of the other daily police contacts that go smoothly.  "Bad" news gets better ratings.

Answer 2

The problem is some departments and police officers bring it upon themselves.  Although many agencies are changing for the better it comes too little too late.  Society has already placed a stigma on " The Police."  Police departments are now equiping video cameras in squad cars that run all the time. Some have gps locators to track the squad cars where they go.  Hotlines are in place to complain about individual officers.  Better highering practices with more requirements are in place.  Lets not forget the average citizen who has that wonderful camera / video phone.  

It will take some time before people can trust the police.  Unfortunatly officers who are doing a great job and are doing what they are supposed to get lumped into the rest of those who are corrupt.

Answer 3

I think the modern era of "Sousveillance" (people watching the watchers) this are improving in some ways and getting worse in others. There are cruiser dash cameras, security cameras, and the ever-present camera phones of every citizen, police are scrutinized back.  In some ways, this can also be a bad thing, as even the tiniest mistake is plastered over the entire world's screens.  This can lump police together, and sometimes video DOES lie.  Example, the UCLA taser incident.  The young man, who has a history of mental illness and near-mindless aggression due to it, laid down on the ground deliberately just to be an a*****e.  They did not shoot him and make him fall over, they were just poking him to make him stand up.  You can't tell from the video.

This compounded that the media largely ignores cops that do a really good job.  Like the one officer who ran up to a burning car loaded with illegal explosives and dragged the criminal driver to safely before it exploded.  Or the many others who talk a armed suspect into laying down their gun and surrendering without making any threats.

I think another thing that contributes to the negative perception of the police is the legal system.  Even if you are an innocent person, if I were to dig real deep into your life, I will always find something illegal that you can be arrested for.  Nobody looks good under a microscope.  Because police are the symbol of criminal law in action, this fear permeates everyone.  You can be minding your own business and a policeman will come up to you, most people freak automatically "Oh ___, did I do something wrong and didn't realize it?" when all he wants is to ask if the starbucks is open yet.

Answer 4

There will always be those who disfavor law enforcement officers no matter what. Some of the issue is due to peer pressure and some due to misfortunate incidents where perceived and actual bad confrontations occur with officers.

Media doesn't help when reporting the "sensationalized" stories that prompt shock or anger.

Having been in law enforcement for over 30 years, I've seen good and bad in EVERY walk of life and profession. LEO's are not exempt.

Where law enforcement image hurts the most is one tarnished badge hurts all of us when some consider "one bad cop...all bad cops!"

LEO's are humans subject to error just as anyone else. Our only problem is we suffer the consequences almost daily if we make snap decisions that can alter our own lives as well as others!

Answer 5

Well, a lot of people have bad experiences with the police.

I don't like the police because once when I was in college I was working at this job and some keys went missing. The manager called the police on me and told them I stole the keys (even though I didn't). The police believed her right away and treated me like c**p. When they put the handcuffs on me they kept slamming me into walls and banging me into things "by accident".

3 weeks later the manager found her keys underneath the sink. I sued her for filing false charges. And got a $40,000 settlement.

All the time I was being arrested I thought to myself "aren't I innocent until proven guilty?" And i kept thinking "what grounds are they arresting me on?" For all they knew a dog could have swallowed the keys. They treated me like c**p though, calling me names and telling me I was going to jail for 3 years minimum if I didn't confess.

Answer 6

Perception is what is perceived by the perceiver.

Answer 7

Hopefully,yes.

The coppers themselves,

the actual good ones can let people/the public see how they do  their job.

Maybe 1 day we won't have to worry or even think that a person's bad just because of their occupation,we will know them/coppers for what they have done as a person and not "lump" them into 1 category.

EDIT:

The reason why people have a very bad perception of coppers is because

sometimes,not always,

but most coppers tend to "lump" the public into 1 category also...the criminal category!

Coppers think if you don't like the police,

you MUST be a criminal or have been in some sort of trouble to think bad about the coppers!

They/coppers can be just like US/the public and be too judgmental!