ltsdd — Hopefully, as more cops get prosecuted for their crimes and as bystanders’ mobile phone videos become more common, the bad cops will be given pause before violently enforcing chickenfeed laws and beating people for not showing enough “respect.” (I thought only the Mafia did that.)

It’s interesting — when I was in a former police state (Poland) a few years ago, I saw someone in an all out screaming match with a traffic cop. After a few minutes, everyone calmed down and went their own way. No one had their face broken or was taken for a “rough ride.” Why does violence and abuse have to be the first resort in this country, not the last? Is it part of the “Western hero” mentality — ride into town, guns out, to clean things up

I don’t dislike all cops. Far from it. But there’s no excuse for being given a public trust and using it as an excuse to hurt people or kill them.