I've been a police officer for almost 12 years, all of it in West Virginia. Before that I spent 4 years in the U.S. Chair Force from 1990 tp 1994. I've been somewhat of a gun nut my whole life. Of these three things I've always been proud of, the only thing that surpasses that is my son.

About three years ago I started frequenting sites such as this one, I made no qualms about my profession then at the various sites; I'm proud to be a cop, I was when i worked in a town of 500, and still am in a county of 67,000. I always will be because i know what I'm about.

In the time I've checked out sites like this I've noted an increasing reference to ALL police officers as "jack booted thugs" and similar disparaging terms. Now I see we're being threatened (as a group) with death due to the alleged actions of a few people working in a deadly, unorganized, and constantly evolving environment. I'm referring to the gun ssue in New Orleans. Out of all of the outrage and debate it has caused I still don't know what orders were issued to those folks. I know that martial law was not enacted but past that I've no idea. With that in mind I refuse to pass judgement on what did or didn't happen there regarding that particular issue. I certainly don't hold to the idea of going into homes and taking guns away from people lawfully possessing them. I did see a video clip of an older female who was involved in some sort of a scuffle with police down there. I've "heard" that it was due to the fact that she didn't want to give it up when ordered. As I write this I don't know if that's true or not. I'm not defending those guys if this was all over her not complying with the order. For all I do know she may not have even been in her own home, she may have been suffering from dementia or some similar malady and was being disarmed because she thought the coast guard patrolling the neighborhood were Cuban invaders. I just simply don't have enough information to say. There may be plenty of people commenting on this and other incidents down there who do know exactly what's going on, those folks are well qualified to comment.  Generally speaking though I'm pretty sure that aside from incidents where people have good information most of what's heard on these forums are from people who have a huge chip on their shoulders about law enforcement in general, seeing us as just one step below those infamous black helicopters.

Somehow I feel in the minority because I have a few cardinal rules about commenting on what other cops do or do not do;

If I wasn't there and don't have all of the information I won't pass judgement or otherwise comment on what another officer does.That's not to say I don't comment and call "wrong" a "wrong". I appreciate it when the courtesy is extended to me sometimes looks are deceiving and off the cuff comments are more often than not wrong.

We're supposed to take individuals and their behavior case by case and person by person. So I'll take this opportunity to respond to everyone who feels that the violations reportedly occurring to honest. lawful gun owners in N.O. to hide behind their keyboards and spout off about how all police officers are just coiled like a spring for any opportunity to unjustly deprive people of their 2A rights and how these acts have justified them to kill me or shoot me or try to shoot me when they see me coming; You've well crossed the line, I have far more important things to do at work than to worry about you sitting there with your gun. if I come to your house I will have a reason, if you ambush me like a cowardly little turd then you're bought and paid for, my friends will fill their tag that day. Otherwise once you give me a reason I will "stop the threat" and you will wish you'd just let me ask you if you'd seen the missing child from down the street since that's all I was there for anyway. When I stop your car and notice an uncased firearm after 1900 hrs. I will take it and check the serial number, if it's stolen I will confiscate it and return it to its rightful owner, I will also arrest you for receiving stolen property. No, the uncased gun law isn't a "new" antigun law in WV. it's been around forever and it's purpose is to curb "spotlighting" deer. I'll check the gun just like I'll check other property in plain view that's illegal to possess in certain circumstances.  If you want to fight me then go ahead, you won't be getting a cherry, if you want to try to shoot me go ahead. I doubt you will do either one. You'll be face to face with a grown man who has a gun too, not sitting behind your keyboard using what could be a terrible incident related to one police dept. as an excuse to say what's really been on your mind for years. When it's all said and done you just don't like police officers. You wish the 2A would extend to speeding, and other crimes as well. Maybe you have a reason to not like us. More than likely you just have an active fantasy life .

I like guns,I like talking to folks who like guns. I like people to have as many guns as they like, so long as they don't steal them or forego other responsibilities to obtain them. I don't like the idea of a domestic violence civil order suspending the rights of a person to possess guns, there are lots of stuff I don't like about the law of the land. I don't like lots of other stuff too. I'm coming to hate folks who threaten me and the guys I work with anonymously for absolutely no reason. I hate it so much I can't sit around and continue to take it. I realize that this'll probably get me kicked off here, right after I joined up too! All in all it's worth it I'm sick of going on sites to look around ask for advice,  and occasionally answer a question when I know the answer then instead have to read tons of posts from people who generalize to meet their own needs, and when that doesn't work just make stuff up, then last of all threaten what's probably the most pro gun group of professionals with death due to the (evidently) unconstitutional actions of one department in the midst of what was otherwise a national tragedy and chinese firedrill of epic proportions.  I do hope everyone noticed that I did not uphold any violations of 2A rights which may have occured. I hope this means you won't shoot me now...

I'm sorry to all the regular people who had to read this but I had to vent. Since this is probably my last post here I'd like to say I enjoyed reading the valid information here and would like to remain but I cannot tolerate cowards and morons so due to those few I probably will not be staying.  

I hope you will reconsider. You are exactly the type of person who should be here.

And I'm sorry about the idiots.

I too hope you reconsider.  Just stay out of General Deiscussion.  There's too much info to be mined from this place.  Hang out here, or in your Hometown forum, or in the actual gun-related forums.  Most of the wingnuts in GD should be taken with a (very large) grain of salt.

C'mon...stay a while

What Striker said, Bro...

I always check BOTS 1st and last...

Leave GD for the

PM inbound for you.

+1 on everything already said.

Stick around.  Ignore the general asshattery, fire back at hte trolls, and hang out in BOTS.  We need all the backup we can get.

NorCal

I will try to keep this up to the standards of this particular forum. You have the right and the position to notice that others in your profession are not handling their duties in a lawful way. Your post comes very near apologizing for unlawful actions.  If their behavior is repugnant to you, then just say so. Do not join the blue wall and say the tired line of " We don't know all the facts" and then run from the situation. This statement of ignorance is usually followed by a long period of silence.  This line and the "just following orders" line is really used up and way past tired.  
Second.  You have freely admitted to unconstitutional actions.  Which part of shall not be infringed is confusing you? I can certainly give you references and resource material if you need it. I would reccomend going back and looking at some actual court decisions......Miller 1936 is a good starting point.  We need more decent cops, but with crap coming through the media every day where we see officers screwing up big time, it is not so easy to assume that the entire profession has not screwed the pooch.  Or someones wife...see Fort Worth's latest about the cop caught on Cheaters the TV show.
Your threats of violence are horrifying considering the number of "wrong" address breaking and enterings that have been performed by the police.  I think if you are just looking for a missing little girl, as you used as and exmple, then you should consider NOT entering a house with a threat of violence.
I do not wish to shove blame on you, becuse I do not know you or your history, BUT I think that you should rethink carefully some of your statements.  You may get approval from other police and you may have others that agree with you, BUT your threats of violence are just as wrong as the so-called cop-killers on this board.  There are several cops on this board that have proved that they are not friends of gun owners, We don't need another cop of that side.

Quoted: We need more decent cops, but with crap coming through the media every day where we see officers screwing up big time, it is not so easy to assume that the entire profession has not screwed the pooch.  Or someones wife...see Fort Worth's latest about the cop caught on Cheaters the TV show.

What about all the lawyers and other folks of different professions on there.   Do you get on thier boards and complain too?

Quoted:Your threats of violence are horrifying considering the number of "wrong" address breaking and enterings that have been performed by the police.

 
Do you have any numbers to back that up?

Quoted:I think if you are just looking for a missing little girl, as you used as and exmple, then you should consider NOT entering a house with a threat of violence.

  Re-read his example.  He was referring to being ambushed while looking for a missing child.

Quoted:BUT your threats of violence are just as wrong as the so-called cop-killers on this board.

Re-read again.  He was referring to reacting to threats on the job.  His threats are not idle ramblings, like come of the anti-police posters here. The people who threaten to kill police here are not likely to go thru w/ it.  They are rambling behind the "curtain" of the internet.  His threats are credible.  You attempt to kill a police officer, you will suffer the consequences.  You fight the police, they will fight back.  

So, what did the police do to you personally to piss you off?

Answers. No I do not get on other boards and complain. I have a lawyer friend that I call names to his face.  But it is very diferent because lawyers do not offer me violence.  That is the main turning point of this discussion. The police enforce laws with the threat of violence.  And the threat part of that is getting thinner and thinner. Now is is just compliance IMMIDIATELY of get lit up.
Numbers...how about one. That is too much. Fort worth writer shot siiting on couch..it happened right down the street from me.  Also for the other side of the argument, less that 3 miles from my place is where Officer Aubrey Hawkins was  shot down like a dog. As I passed his memorial paque on Friday, I sent a few kind thoughts his way.
You are absolutely correct about the ambush. I went back and  reread it and it is not the threat to break and enter and kill that it seems to be if you quickly read through it. BUT once again, it is  a threat that seems somehow out of place unless he thinks the Civilians on here are all meth heads waiting to booby trap the popo....that is what generalization gets you.
Threats on the job...Yes I understand that better than on my first reading...but  the threats from BOTH sides are bad and will lead to a bad situation. We had an example here in Texas where an old guy that wasn't real tight had problems with the local cops...back and forth and so on....then a guy who didnt' know this stopped him and boom gunfire and dead people. I think we should try not to rachet stuff like this up and  defuse this before we get out  of control. We have had several police officers come right out and  talk about this situation,  several of them made their opinions very clear and were thanked, THEY did not put in references or threats to make their point.

Sorry I din't address your last question ....Nothing. I worked with Police officers and police captains for the last 5 yrears and had the best job of my life so far.  Unfortunately they were all old school and had similar opinions about  the public police interactions.

Quoted: We had an example here in Texas where an old guy that wasn't real tight had problems with the local cops...back and forth and so on....then a guy who didnt' know this stopped him and boom gunfire and dead people..

I'm actually in Denton, where'when did this incident take place?  Not disupting your claim at all, just haven't heard of it and now my interest is peaked.

Communication is desperately needed between LEO's and the rest of us. Not all LEO's that shoot a dog or make a life altering mistake on the job are JBT's just as not all citizens who question police activities are Cop Bashers. One thing I think we can all agree on is that the seperation between "us and them" is getting to a critical point. I for one would very much like to see it racheted down on both sides. The fact that we cant seem to communicate even here on a "Gun Board" is not good.