L.A.P.D.

I've had one run in in the last 10 years of being in L.A. with the police department. Actually it was a pleasant exchange which basically amounted to an insane roommate who called the police on me. The cops knew she was out of her mind, and admitted that they were there so she didn't do anything bad to me or herself. They knew she was nuts, and one officer actually told me to have them on speed dial. They couldn't arrest her or detain her. She hadn't done anything. Needless to say, I slept with a knife next to me. Insane people can do insane things because they don't have limitations. Then they can get away with it because of being insane. We really don't have prevention to combat this. And, for the most part, it doesn't make the state money, so fuck you.

I recall in the early to mid-90's L.A.P.D. specifically the Rampart division were busted for being more criminal than criminals. This really set the police back by 20 years. There's never been a culture where the police in Los Angeles were ever fully respected. Yes, there were pockets of sympathy, but for the most part, it's always us against them. And they don't differentiate. The issue is that the attitude when you get questioned by authority is that we have in the back of our minds a mistrust that police are accusing us of something. It's more than likely they're trying to set us up. Pretending to be your friend. Or good cop/bad cop. Even the most honest of us play this game nowadays that we have to outsmart the officer. Especially true when you see how young police look these days. I feel sorry for the police in Los Angeles. The blues use to give you some respect. Kids grow up wanting to fight crime. Like Spiderman. Fuck that. There isn't any money in it, and you probably will develop a drinking problem.

My college girlfriend's dad was Baltimore highway patrol for decades. Eventually he moved on to being a Fed. But he's never pulled his gun. It's funny how people think police are itching to shoot someone. He admitted he NEVER wanted to pull his gun. The old adage is true, if you pull it, you'll more than likely use it. Then imagine at the end of that barrel is a face with eyes and that that person had grown up who has a family. And someone who cared for that person. And people are saying better training is necessary. I don't think there is any type of training to prepare you for a situation where you have to consider whether this person will kill you. Having blues and a shield doesn't make you less scared. And adrenaline will eventually wear off.