Is America a Police state?

[The Wizard]

Police continue to harass citizens who record them | Washington Examiner
[youtube]jdxMjjTu44s[/youtube]
Police told to arrest innocent people to meet targets - YouTube

Your thoughts about recording the acts of public 'servants'?
Has anyone had a bad experience with law enforcement?

This thread is something else. I had to stop watching the videos before I thought I warped into a carnival freak show of horror parallel universe. Only in dense cities like LA or St. Louis or something have I ever encountered rookies or officers that didn't quite fit the mold of sane or reasonable. Always cases of mistaken identity of course. The last time I was in the Bay area, CA. I awoke at about 2 am with 3 officers pointing their guns at my face and screaming. They all looked over like they were on drugs- all zombified looking with dark pitted eyes... And, I was almost shot. They didn't knock or anything. Just busted the door down like a bunch of morons. Swat teamed their self to the place I was sleeping and then came about an inch to blowing my head clean off...

Why? Here is why. A paranoid neighbor called the station saying a burglar was in the house. I was actually remodeling the place for the owner and crashed there for the night. You know that is amazing! One phone call+ one more thing going wrong= equals GAME OVER! When I heard them storm in I almost jumped up to get behind the door with a stick, but something told me not to do anything. That would of surely sent me to the great beyond as well... Unbelievable the state of things these days.... Because those guys didn't even look sane or sober for that matter. I played Mr. Stupid, of course, because I wasn't sure what they were capable of at that point. "Duh, jee wiz guys.. you're just doing your job, bla, bla"...and after asking me for the 30 (literally) time if there was any guns or drugs in the house they finally left...

I never found out who called them that night. I was going to tell them that their amount of nosiness just literally about killed someone, literally. And, not even an apology. But, thank goodness, these kinds of problems I just don't have anymore because I got sick of the freak show and moved into a country setting. In the boonies everyone knows everyone, so a lot of that paranoia or "attack the stranger" and all the other whatnot stuff seems far less...in my experience.

I'm going to be reasonable and just state "Look at all the videos. What further reason should anyone ever need to favor surveillance or keep all the idiots in check? Why does this bother them in the first place? Is probably my number one question...

 

[maninthewilderness]

Yes, the United States is a police state.
And the police become more militarized each day.

And Obama has used drones to assassinate U.S. citizens; with no serving of a warrant, no arrest, no formal accusations of crimes, no chance of legal representation, no reading of Constitutional Rights, no jury of one's peers, no proof of guilt, and no legal recourse.

Just a drone with explosives.

Obama is no better than a mob boss putting "a hit" out on someone.
The military, the intelligence agencies, and various policing agencies are his assassins.

 

[Revoltingest]

Cops opposing free speech...
Somers Man Fights Back After Pro-Gun Sign Removed From Lawn « CBS New York

 

[Awoon]

Yes, the United States is a police state.
And the police become more militarized each day.

And Obama has used drones to assassinate U.S. citizens; with no serving of a warrant, no arrest, no formal accusations of crimes, no chance of legal representation, no reading of Constitutional Rights, no jury of one's peers, no proof of guilt, and no legal recourse.

Just a drone with explosives.

Obama is no better than a mob boss putting "a hit" out on someone.
The military, the intelligence agencies, and various policing agencies are his assassins.

Or no better then Republicans?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yes, the United States is a police state.
And the police become more militarized each day.

And Obama has used drones to assassinate U.S. citizens; with no serving of a warrant, no arrest, no formal accusations of crimes, no chance of legal representation, no reading of Constitutional Rights, no jury of one's peers, no proof of guilt, and no legal recourse.

Just a drone with explosives.

Obama is no better than a mob boss putting "a hit" out on someone.
The military, the intelligence agencies, and various policing agencies are his assassins.

And no one before him has? Our intelligence agencies have been kidnapping, beating, threatening, black mailing, assassinating, and the one thing they have on the mob, they have been overthrowing democratically elected leaders and propping up puppet dictator regimes for at least several decades now.

 

[oldbadger]

This thread is something else. I had to stop watching the videos before I thought I warped into a carnival freak show of horror parallel universe. Only in dense cities like LA or St. Louis or something have I ever encountered rookies or officers that didn't quite fit the mold of sane or reasonable. Always cases of mistaken identity of course. The last time I was in the Bay area, CA. I awoke at about 2 am with 3 officers pointing their guns at my face and screaming. They all looked over like they were on drugs- all zombified looking with dark pitted eyes... And, I was almost shot. They didn't knock or anything. Just busted the door down like a bunch of morons. Swat teamed their self to the place I was sleeping and then came about an inch to blowing my head clean off...

Why? Here is why. A paranoid neighbor called the station saying a burglar was in the house. I was actually remodeling the place for the owner and crashed there for the night. You know that is amazing! One phone call+ one more thing going wrong= equals GAME OVER! When I heard them storm in I almost jumped up to get behind the door with a stick, but something told me not to do anything. That would of surely sent me to the great beyond as well... Unbelievable the state of things these days.... Because those guys didn't even look sane or sober for that matter. I played Mr. Stupid, of course, because I wasn't sure what they were capable of at that point. "Duh, jee wiz guys.. you're just doing your job, bla, bla"...and after asking me for the 30 (literally) time if there was any guns or drugs in the house they finally left...

I never found out who called them that night. I was going to tell them that their amount of nosiness just literally about killed someone, literally. And, not even an apology. But, thank goodness, these kinds of problems I just don't have anymore because I got sick of the freak show and moved into a country setting. In the boonies everyone knows everyone, so a lot of that paranoia or "attack the stranger" and all the other whatnot stuff seems far less...in my experience.

I'm going to be reasonable and just state "Look at all the videos. What further reason should anyone ever need to favor surveillance or keep all the idiots in check? Why does this bother them in the first place? Is probably my number one question...

How shocking for you........
You had such a bad time!
The clues are always present...........:biglaugh:
I need to ask questions:-
Was this the situation....?I awoke at about 2 am with 3 officers pointing their guns at my face and screaming.

......or this....?I heard them storm in I almost jumped up to get behind the door with a stick, but something told me not to do anything. :biglaugh:

And, I was almost shot. How dreadful..... 'in the penumbra you clearly saw their trigger fingers, stretched tight and white from pressure upon the trigger that would at any second blow your life into nothingness....':biglaugh:


I played Mr. Stupid, of course,......No..... did you?:biglaugh:

If any Law Enforcement officer sees your post, they probably will pin it up in their Police Department.... to give them joy................

Thankyou..... for cheering up my morning so.....:biglaugh:

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I'm glad I live out in the middle of no where, where if there is a cop that drives by it is only because someone called them or an ambulance. I'm also a familiar face/car to most of the sheriffs in the area, so there have been a couple times I've been pulled over just so they could let me know a lights out and they didn't even check my lisence. I'm also on a first name basis with a couple of them, and have delivered the paper to some of them.
But I go to one particular city and I get nervous just seeing a cop because they are dicks, and most of them deserve it every last time someone calls them a pig. I've known people who have been slammed against their cars and searched, verbally harassed, one friend was called a whore and the pig insisted she had a needle and that he found one (even though the didn't), one threatened to take me jail because I was defending myself in the one fight I've been in, I've also known a few women who have been taken into custody because of their depo-shot needle.
I'd say I'd rather go to the other town, where the only thing that happened the one time I got caught not wearing my seat belt was the cop hollered at me (while he was in his car), gestured at his belt, and let we both kept going our way after I put it on. But in that town in another county it's ok if a piggy wants to tase an elderly man with Alzheimer's (even without knowing about the Alzheimer's, seriously with the ******* hell is up with tasing someone who is old?).
And from what I've heard about New York, I think I'd prefer dealing with the super-small town cop around here with a big-city attitude who thinks he's really being all ************ about serving justice for not approving speeding ticket pre-trial diversionary programs.

How shocking for you........
You had such a bad time!
The clues are always present...........:biglaugh:
I need to ask questions:-
Was this the situation....?I awoke at about 2 am with 3 officers pointing their guns at my face and screaming.

......or this....?I heard them storm in I almost jumped up to get behind the door with a stick, but something told me not to do anything. :biglaugh:

And, I was almost shot. How dreadful..... 'in the penumbra you clearly saw their trigger fingers, stretched tight and white from pressure upon the trigger that would at any second blow your life into nothingness....':biglaugh:


I played Mr. Stupid, of course,......No..... did you?:biglaugh:

If any Law Enforcement officer sees your post, they probably will pin it up in their Police Department.... to give them joy................

Thankyou..... for cheering up my morning so.....:biglaugh:

One of my friends was driving around, with a friend who is Spanish. She was pulled over, both of them searched, harassed, threatened with arrest, my friend called many very dirty and offensive names, the pigs claimed they found a syringe, drugs, paraphernalia, tossed my friends stuff that was in the car all over the place, and indeed the police made quite the scene just because they thought for sure my friend's friend was some wanted guy from Mexico who has been peddling drugs. If anyone reads his post, or mine, or any of the other stories here (we actually did at one point in time have a member who was an office in Australia) and they are law enforcement I hope it genuinely bothers them that any precinct would tolerate any such filth serving on the force. Such a position should be filled by people of noble character, as they put their lives on the line every day, but within it exist a very large cesspool that is occupied with bullies on a power trip.

 

[The Wizard]

How shocking for you........
You had such a bad time!
The clues are always present...........:biglaugh:
I need to ask questions:-
Was this the situation....?I awoke at about 2 am with 3 officers pointing their guns at my face and screaming.

......or this....?I heard them storm in I almost jumped up to get behind the door with a stick, but something told me not to do anything. :biglaugh:

And, I was almost shot. How dreadful..... 'in the penumbra you clearly saw their trigger fingers, stretched tight and white from pressure upon the trigger that would at any second blow your life into nothingness....':biglaugh:


I played Mr. Stupid, of course,......No..... did you?:biglaugh:

If any Law Enforcement officer sees your post, they probably will pin it up in their Police Department.... to give them joy................

Thankyou..... for cheering up my morning so.....:biglaugh:

Yes, no problem Mr. Badge. See, I was still waking up and gathering my senses when it all happened. I had a couple beers earlier that night as well, thankfully. I had to act that way because they looked like they were on drugs, not following protocol and all reared up for action. It was a simple hostility or over charged testosterone disengagement maneuver. And, I've heard enough horror stories, prior. I knew that they were supposed to at least knock, but didn't, so I did not even know they were officers until they entered the room I was sleeping in. So, you see how that could of easily became a Game Over scenario? I "guessed" that it was some oddball batch and hoped I wasn't actually going to be robbed by a street gang. However (wink), how do you suppose that situation would give others of that profession joy? I didn't get that part. Please explain...

 

[maninthewilderness]

Or no better then Republicans?

So, just because you dislike the Republicans, you are willing to let Obama and the Democrats murder U.S. citizens without being trialed and convicted?!?!?

And no one before him has?

Who, before Obama, has used drones to assassinate U.S. citizens?

Please name them and their victims.

 

[Twilight Hue]

So, just because you dislike the Republicans, you are willing to let Obama and the Democrats murder U.S. citizens without being trialed and convicted?!?!?


Who, before Obama, has used drones to assassinate U.S. citizens?

Please name them and their victims.

Just curious. Is there a list of assassinated citizens? Thats my question as well.

 

[maninthewilderness]

Just curious. Is there a list of assassinated citizens? Thats my question as well.

You can start here...

https://www.google.com/search?q=U.S...0&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8


https://www.google.com/search?q=how...0&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

 

[oldbadger]

Yes, no problem Mr. Badge. See, I was still waking up and gathering my senses when it all happened. I had a couple beers earlier that night as well, thankfully. I had to act that way because they looked like they were on drugs, not following protocol and all reared up for action. It was a simple hostility or over charged testosterone disengagement maneuver. And, I've heard enough horror stories, prior. I knew that they were supposed to at least knock, but didn't, so I did not even know they were officers until they entered the room I was sleeping in. So, you see how that could of easily became a Game Over scenario? I "guessed" that it was some oddball batch and hoped I wasn't actually going to be robbed by a street gang. However (wink), how do you suppose that situation would give others of that profession joy? I didn't get that part. Please explain...

Thanks for your reply.

It was just that in one sentence you wrote that you woke up with the guns in your face. In another sentence you wrote how you were thinking of going behind a door to face them (whatever)....
The Police often get these contradictions in statements, and that did look like a classic.

I worked for many years as a solicitor's detective, process server and spent most of my last two working decades training commercial detectives, security operatives, retail investigators etc. I also wrote for our National Security Magazine mostly about 'training'. I often worked for Defence Solicitors........

Over the years I witnessed many bad mistakes by Police, some were infuriating. But slowly I came to understand how easy it was for these to happen. I could forgive many:-
I was arresting a posh lady thief once, and she was fighting like a maniac. When the cops arrived they grabbed me, cuffed me, threw me back-first over a police car, and one kneed me in the crutch to keep me quiet. One of my colleagues rushed over and told the cops who I was (I couldn't talk). When they asked 'where is the thief, then?' my colleague pointed a hundred yards down the road at the fleeing woman, who turned out to be an airline company director's wife .....

I was often mistaken for the thief in street struggles with thieves, because I dressed down. The police were always red with embarrassment when my statements were read out to Courts.

And so, over the years, I wised up...... I increased my speed of mind and communication. They saved me many times.

But I never forgave bully cops. On three occasions I saw Cops beating people who I had arrested, and I had to pull them off and defend my detainees..... my duty. I always reported them. Can't stand bullies whoever they are.

 

[The Wizard]

Thanks for your reply.

It was just that in one sentence you wrote that you woke up with the guns in your face. In another sentence you wrote how you were thinking of going behind a door to face them (whatever)....
The Police often get these contradictions in statements, and that did look like a classic.

I worked for many years as a solicitor's detective, process server and spent most of my last two working decades training commercial detectives, security operatives, retail investigators etc. I also wrote for our National Security Magazine mostly about 'training'. I often worked for Defence Solicitors........

Over the years I witnessed many bad mistakes by Police, some were infuriating. But slowly I came to understand how easy it was for these to happen. I could forgive many:-
I was arresting a posh lady thief once, and she was fighting like a maniac. When the cops arrived they grabbed me, cuffed me, threw me back-first over a police car, and one kneed me in the crutch to keep me quiet. One of my colleagues rushed over and told the cops who I was (I couldn't talk). When they asked 'where is the thief, then?' my colleague pointed a hundred yards down the road at the fleeing woman, who turned out to be an airline company director's wife .....

I was often mistaken for the thief in street struggles with thieves, because I dressed down. The police were always red with embarrassment when my statements were read out to Courts.

And so, over the years, I wised up...... I increased my speed of mind and communication. They saved me many times.

But I never forgave bully cops. On three occasions I saw Cops beating people who I had arrested, and I had to pull them off and defend my detainees..... my duty. I always reported them. Can't stand bullies whoever they are.

Oh, I see...I think what you could of missed is the fact it takes me about 15 seconds to completely gather my brain and senses from sleeping. I am very, very glad I did have a few beers that night, so I was not in any type of crisp clear state to go flying out of bed like a ninja in defense mode towards a broom or vacuum cleaner when I heard the door break in.

But, yes, mistakes happen and especially those new guys that don't seem to be quite all there or forget their own proper protocols, who seem to put their self in big doodoo and make everyone else look bad. Once those fellows ran my ID and realized I was there on permission and not a homeless vagrant, like some ridiculous neighbor caller stated, they got nervous. I think that's why the started with their extra ordinary redundant questions and probably even checked the mattress to see if I ripped off the tag, anything to correct their issue... It is a funny story. Of course, it wasn't at the time. I make humor of it myself. One thing I learned from it was the power of adrenaline or survival mode, like how the baseball freezes in mid air for the famous batter.

For about 3 seconds everything just froze and I was so focused I could literally see the capillaries of each finger on the trigger hearing the pumping blood and gauging the amount of pressure being squeezed with Reemo Williams episodes playing in the back of my mind... lol. Your profession sounds like quite an adventure...

 

[oldbadger]

The UK news today announced that a Police Chief has voiced his opinion that class A drugs should be legalised, and available on prescription. He further believes that these drugs, such as heroine and cocaine should be de-criminalized.

A few weeks ago a thread on that very issue failed to attract much interest at all.

Many posts on this thread have mentioned body, vehicle, home and other property invasions by police, looking (mostly) for drugs. If drugs were legalised such searches would be cut to a mere nothing by comparison with now, policing costs would reduce significantly, community policing would increase positively and Revolting's suggestion that police numbers be reduced and training increased could actually happen.

The cost? Yes... there's a cost... always is. It would take time to stabilise, just as it probably did when alcohol was decriminalized in the US, but the benefits...... wow.!!

So, my suggestion is: if you hate all this body, property, vehicle invasion, and want most of the criminals to be without a cause...... get interested...get voting! Get writing! I don't think many police want to be burdened with this either.

What do you think?

 

[Reverend Rick]

What do you think?

I think by and large most police are good folks. That said, no one is perfect, so everyone including the police violate laws some times.

Cops have an us vs them mentality and knowing they themselves are not perfect look upon us civilians as even worse so we are all guilty of something in their mind.

Working a high risk job, they are naturally suspicious borderline paranoid. If they do come across a perfectly legal person, it is most likely frustrating for them going against their mindset. They cannot ever be wrong, they are the law.

My biggest problem is the blue line and they protect the worst among them, can't rat my brother in blue, no one will have my back ever again if I cross that line.

 

[Revoltingest]

My biggest problem is the blue line and they protect the worst among them, can't rat my brother in blue, no one will have my back ever again if I cross that line.

This is an issue which might corrupt most cops into the not "good folk" category.
Even if they won't do evil deeds themselves, a great many (majority?) will cover up for their cohorts doing them.
To actively enable evil is to be evil.
As for police work being a high risk job, unless one works dangerous under cover jobs, it's not even in the top 10.
Fisherman, loggers, pilots, trash collectors, construction workers, farmers, truckers & miners have it worse.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-of-the-most-dangerous-jobs-in-the-u-s--191643548.html

 

[s2a]

Police continue to harass citizens who record them | Washington Examiner
[youtube]jdxMjjTu44s[/youtube]
Police told to arrest innocent people to meet targets - YouTube

Your thoughts about recording the acts of public 'servants'?
Has anyone had a bad experience with law enforcement?

No, but that is hardly a measure of whatever some may qualify as a "police state".

 

[Revoltingest]

No, but that is hardly a measure of whatever some may qualify as a "police state".

Of course, the issue of pervasive abusive/oppressive law enforcement is not resolved by a single example.
You'll find others listed in the thread.

 

[s2a]

Of course, the issue of pervasive abusive/oppressive law enforcement is not resolved by a single example.
You'll find others listed in the thread.

I admit I may have missed more compelling exampled comparisons provided within this thread or others...

So, to simplify the of the OP inquiry "Is America a Police state?", I would only ask... compared to what/with another contemporary example?

Seriously.

I submit that we do not live within a "Police State" by any relevant comparative examples TODAY, but my head still hurts a bit from that fall off the wagon of "the world that should be ideally, but does not exist"... with turnips.

Ow.

Just saying...

 

[Revoltingest]

I admit I may have missed more compelling exampled comparisons provided within this thread or others...
So, to simplify the of the OP inquiry "Is America a Police state?", I would only ask... compared to what/with another contemporary example?

No need to over-analyze the a question.
Just looking for answers & commentary.

I submit that we do not live within a "Police State" by any relevant comparative examples TODAY, but my head still hurts a bit from that fall off the wagon of "the world that should be ideally, but does not exist"... with turnips.

There we go!
See how easy that was?