Rule 9 was amended a few weeks ago in response to increased posting intended solely to make LEOs look bad. In all candor, the change has been problematic to administer and strict enforcement requires the deleting of threads that are valuable learning tools for citizens, CHLs and LEOs. After careful consideration, a consensus was reached among the Moderators and Rule 9 has been amended to drop the requirement the LEO posts either deal with the poster's personal experience or a Texas CHL holder. The Rule is pretty close to the prior wording, but we did make it clear that the post/thread must have legitimate educational value. (See the Rule below.)
There are a small number of Members, both new and old, that clearly hate COPs and want to express their feelings here on the Forum. It's not going to happen. All posts that are intended solely to make COPs look bad will be deleted and if we have to delete more than one or two by the same person, that person will be banned. We will no longer deprive Members of legitimate LEO discussions in an attempt to stop the "I hate COPs" crowd.
I'll extend the same warning to the COP apologists to feel compelled to defend a LEO regardless how unlawful and/or reprehensible their conduct. Your posts also will be deleted. We want rational discussions, not emotional diatribes.
Chas.
Forum Rule 9 wrote:9. Blatant, global, or rampant law enforcement bashing is prohibited. Discussions of specific identifiable events presented factually are fine, but only as long as they have legitimate educational value. Posts made solely to show law enforcement in a negative light are prohibited.
That's a good change Charles Police officers are human and have faults and flaws like all of us. Many, in fact, the majority, are decent, respectable people who are trying to do one of the most difficult jobs out there. To try to paint all LEO's sd good or bad is akin to painting all gun owners as good or bad based on the actions of one individual.
"To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Texas and Louisiana CHL Instructor, NRA Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection and Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor
Yeah, I think it is a good change too. I will say this: I have participated in some threads which were highly critical of.....not so much an individual cop....but rather specific types of LE behavior which are very detrimental to community relations. For instance, I have been critical of "no-knock" warrants, or arbitrarily shooting an innocent person's dog (particularly when the dog is not a true threat), or the general trend toward militarization of police forces. I want good law enforcement. I think it is critical to the peace and order of society. I want well-trained cops, and I want them to be very well-paid so that they will stay in their jobs and over the years add to the general font of wisdom in their departments. I think those things are absolutely critical to good policing with good community relations. It helps even more if the officers live in the communities they police.....but that's not necessary if all the other pieces fall into place.
I take the point of view that we can be highly critical of bad policy, without being nasty about the individual cops who have to enforce the laws of the communities in which they work. A good big part of these kinds of problems do NOT necessarily reside with just the departments. They have a boss. His/Her title is "Mayor". If the Mayor is an ass when it comes to law enforcement and justice, then there is some probability that his/her attitude will run downhill and taint the PD. It is a FAR more complex issue than the haters understand.
The cops are just enforcing the laws.....the good ones along with the bad ones. They can being a great deal of humanity and compassion to bear in the execution of their jobs. The extent to which they do that is partly due to the quality of the recruits, but it is more due to the cultural tone set by department management and city government. When you add the word "government" into the mix, then the community's voters also become responsible for the police culture, because they elect the city council and mayor, who in turn hire the chief, who in turn hires the officers.
Interestingly, I just watched the old 1970s movie "The New Centurions" a week ago or so (Stacey Keach, George C. Scott, and others), and it was an amazing difference how cops were portrayed back then compared to now. The cops in this movie were by no means perfect. The protagonist (Keach) becomes a drunk. His mentor (Scott) commits suicide. The divorce rate is high, etc., etc., etc. But, they also knew that they had to live among the people they policed. You don't fart in the bed, and then pull the covers over your own head. It was a really cool movie to watch. I probably hadn't seen it since it first came out, and I remember reading the book before the movie came out.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
I too agree with this change and appreciate it. I have too many family members and friends that are cops to hate them or want to make them look bad. I also, as does my cop friends and family, believe in holding cops to a high standard. It is one of the professions that demands the utmost in integrity.
I was really disappointed when I posted a link about a guy, that happened to be a cop, had a .22 in laying loose in the floorboard of his car and it fell out and shoot him when it hit the ground. The post was 100% pointing out the danger from negligence and I said nothing about him being a cop. I don't know if it was deleted or just didn't post.
Nonetheless, thanks for the change.
Note: Me sharing a link and information published by others does not constitute my endorsement, agreement, disagreement, my opinion or publishing by me. If you do not like what is contained at a link I share, take it up with the author or publisher of the content.
The Annoyed Man wrote:Interestingly, I just watched the old 1970s movie "The New Centurions" a week ago or so (Stacey Keach, George C. Scott, and others), and it was an amazing difference how cops were portrayed back then compared to now. The cops in this movie were by no means perfect. The protagonist (Keach) becomes a drunk. His mentor (Scott) commits suicide. The divorce rate is high, etc., etc., etc. But, they also knew that they had to live among the people they policed. You don't fart in the bed, and then pull the covers over your own head. It was a really cool movie to watch. I probably hadn't seen it since it first came out, and I remember reading the book before the movie came out.
The New Centurions is a great movie. It is based on the novel written by former LAPD officer Joseph Wambaugh. It is a novel, part fact and part fiction. I have read most of his novels. I believe that how cops were portrayed "back then" compared to now is an interesting topic that merits a thread of its own.
To Chas & the mods, y'all have again proven to be thoughtful, adaptable, and flexible toward the end of improving discussion while holding a firm line against blatant incivility.
MoJo wrote:That's a good change Charles Police officers are human and have faults and flaws like all of us. Many, in fact, the majority, are decent, respectable people who are trying to do one of the most difficult jobs out there. To try to paint all LEO's sd good or bad is akin to painting all gun owners as good or bad based on the actions of one individual.
Agreed.
I will say I like that the Mods/board are taking great pains to keep this board from turning into a cop hate (or inversely police worship) board. Thats not what the Board is about.
Police officers are human and have faults and flaws like all of us. Many, in fact, the majority, are decent, respectable people who are trying to do one of the most difficult jobs out there. To try to paint all LEO's sd good or bad is akin to painting all gun owners as good or bad based on the actions of one individual. 
