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texanjoker wrote: Part of the problem I see is that people jump on the anti LEO bandwagon with no facts. We have an anonymous person claiming this through an attorney with no supporting evidence. Everybody takes the bait and it spreads like a fire. Where is the arrest report or affidavit? While it may have happened, it may not and could be a typical ploy to play a case in the media.

I see people jump on sensationalized political views with no facts all the time, so perhaps it can happen with the LEO bandwagon also.. But it happens on both sides - for and against.

Personally, it's not a bandwagon issue. It's that one or two police officers in twenty years that really do a number on you. Regardless of if you get to look down the barrel of their gun, get locked up for something you didn't do, or just get to experience the completely unchecked power of law enforcement that is the initial default, it'll take all doubts away about how much damage a few bad apples can do...

I can't imagine being a minority dealing with an organization like the LAPD, where it wasn't one officer you had to contend with, but an entire "gang".

The reality is that LEOs are the initial line of law enforcement. They are often the judge and jury. You can get justice under the following circumstances:
1) You've got to be able to afford it, win or lose.
2) There needs to be witnesses or some for of documentation such as video / audio. If it's you against a LEO, it's not a tie.. It's you're done.
3) You have a relatively clean record.

IF you're missing any one of those things, you're very disadvantaged. And lets face it, you're not innocent until guilty. You're a criminal until you can afford the kind of defense that results in a not-guilty verdict or an attorney that can talk some common sense into a prosecuting attorney.

I respect law enforcement. I don't think all LEOs are bad. I think the vast majority are good.
However, I *fear* law enforcement tremendously. I recognize that the public is disadvantaged and I need to be very careful about asserting my rights if I don't want to spend a fortune.

I think LEOs should be better paid. They should also be much better qualified and pass some serious psychological screening that the majority of the public shouldn't be able to pass. They should have a rock stable temperament. Trust me, not all fall into this category... From experience.

2firfun50 wrote: My first thought on the meaning of a POP arrest isn't quite the same as the Wiki info if you what I mean.

Sorry, it's a semi-internal Law Enforcement term. It means "irritated Police".

It's used for a range of things.. Anything from a valid arrest that wouldn't have occurred until an officer got offended to an invalid arrest on a "typical" low bar charge like disturbing the peace.

That's how I read it. It was a POP arrest. The corresponding charge may or may not be valid, but shame on the media for not at least mentioning it.