• LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I totally believe police sincerely think they can tell based on experience, but it’s false confidence.

    Story time: One night on my way home I was pulled over for a broken taillight, which I truthfully told the officer I wasn’t aware of. After taking another look she gave me a warning but said, with a little lilt in her voice, “Lotta dust in there, looks like it’s been broken for a while… surprised you haven’t noticed it.” As if she “knew” I was lying, because cops have heard it all before.

    I really wanted to unload on her that I was on my way home from working at my job and then taking my shift sitting in the hospital room keeping my 10-year-old daughter company until she fell asleep. She had been undergoing cancer treatments for the last 2 months. So excuse the hell outta me but there were a lot of things I’d missed lately. Like Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And apparently a broken taillight. I’ll get to it when I get to it but I can’t make any promises.

    That smirky little accusing tone of voice still sticks with me after 20 years. So fuck your smug-ass attitude, Officer I Know What I Know, because no you sure as fucking hell didn’t.

    • pinkystew@reddthat.com
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      2 days ago

      Bad people shouldn’t be in positions of power. Why aren’t we protected from this? We’re being abused and no one is stopping it. I want to send a message somehow.

      • LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Not sure what send a message means, but for people who want do more than just complain online many communities have citizen oversight committees. There’s a National Association for Citizen Oversight of Law Enforcement that provides guidance - https://www.nacole.org/

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Officer threatened to slam my dad on the ground in front of us all for telling him politely to have a nice day.

      Officer screamed at us in high school when we called for help because someone was beating up our friend then did nothing.

      • A Phlaming Phoenix@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Officer pulled me out of my car, threw me over the his, wrenched my hands up behind my back… Because my registration was out of date.