Ask Lemmy

Some people just have shitty jobs. That's not a necessarily a judgement of them as an individual, it just a fact that they have a shitty job.

Every perfect rule has only 1 exception.

If you meet another "good one" know that one of em is lying to you.

I've lived in mostly rural areas, so ACAB doesn't apply nearly as much, but one of my two best friends took law classes and became one of those officers that goes door-to-door checking on people. I technically would assume it's like a probation officer type of position, but she's so unathletic and overall physically outside the expectations you'd place on a cop that either A) she's not a parole officer B) they hired her simply because she can run fast or C) they hired her because she's the last person to fulfill the ACAB stereotype on account of how unintimidating she is, and even if I were one of those ACAB types of people, I would never in a million years visualize her as fulfilling anything except the exception to the rule.

How did I react to the news? I just shrugged. If anything, it gave me some comfort that I had a cop friend which would help certain conflicts I could end up in. From a certain point of view, if you're so scared of cops, having a cop friend could be seen as increasing your chances of having the benefit of the doubt should something happen. Wouldn't you want to be friends with the people in power?

I'm not saying which country I live in, but I've only ever had good experiences with cops. They were polite to me and also helpful. It is a profession which can and does attract bad actors and the extent to which people are vetted differs between locations, but not everyone is going to be like that. There are genuinely nice and caring people out there who want to help and protect people!

Those of you who know me here know I have an interest in sovereign citizens. I'm in a make fun of sovcits group on Facebook, and this one guy I talked to a lot added me as a friend, no big deal, but then he messaged me to tell me he's a cop in Australia and that he runs into them while working a lot. I think Australian police are likely of higher quality than American police, but I'm still using filters on FB posts.

One of my cousins is a cop, but I don't believe ACA literally B so given he's generally a good guy I'd like to assume he's a force for good in the department.

I have cops that are friends and they aren't bad as far as I know.

I see some rather extreme responses here and I am pretty radical too but don't let this shit replace your common sense judgement when dealing with people on personal level.

Use common sense.

My brother is a cop, and we're still close despite a mutual understanding that we will become lethal opponents should relevant violence break out in our area (civil war/insurrection/significant rioting).

I think our willingness to do that allows us to overlook our differences until that situation were to arise. I imagine we'd both see that as a defining opportunity for the other to 'defect' and, until then, we can look past associating with a BagGuy^TM

Being a cop doesnt make you an asshole. Nazis were friendly with each other and many even had jewish and foreigner friends. The job is whats the problem and unfortunately its part of a persons identity. Every person has subjectively good and bad sides, you have to decide how heavily each weighs

Is this person a new friend? Or is this person a cop. Getting to know someone and becoming friends with that person is a relationship. Deciding this person is horrid because they are a cop is superficial. And that person will never be your friend, there is no relationship there. Is this person a Human you want to get to know, or a job title you hate.

One of my friends is a veteran. I be sure to tell him my thoughts on his deployment in Afghanistan and I've told him multiple times he deserves his PTSD.

But I still love that man as a human and a friend. We get along together, we laugh, I call him a terrible person, and life continues.

Basically, don't change your beliefs based on who you're with, and it's fine to be friends with a cop. I have other friends who are terrible human beings as well, but they make up for it with other great qualities. If anything, being friends with a PoS is the best way to make them a better person; you really have an opportunity to help society.