HFA WP member thrown in back of police car for no reason.

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Tell me, honestly, RainSong. Doesn't it seem like the USA is getting a little more like a police state every day? I hear lots of stories like the one here, on a basis of frequency that is extremely unsettling. I hear of police handling people with undue violence over things that might have gotten a mere verbal warning before. And to be perfectly honest, I am afraid of cops. If one hundred cops did nothing but nice things for one hundred days, I would still fear them. I have had more unpleasantness from them than kindness.

But you make a good point, nevertheless. Peace.

This post strikes a cord with me... poor girl...

From my experience, police are very good people, at least where I live. It took a while to recognize that. There is just one that acts like an as*hole, I think he is bipolar, so he is not a "real" bad person, he is probably sick and does not know that he is doing harm with his "mood swing" behaviour... I got my first real words of encouragement from a detective, when I was at the lowest point in my life, after domestic violence... It really was the first time ever when someone knew how to say it (because he said it from his heart) and it stuck to my mind and it built me up instantly. I also became good "friends" of some sort with a high rank person in police and from time to time, I stop by and tell him the good news about my life and he is genuinely happy for me and my daughter. A true gentleman!! ! I also told him that my daughter and I have autism (he told me that he did not know anything about AS) and I encouraged him to read a little about it and maybe educate the police in my town about the behaviour of high functioning autistic people and the temper tantrums that could be confused with disorderly conduct. I also laughed many times with him about cultural sensitivity when police deals with foreigners (I am a foreigner in US)...foreign people would rather amputate one of their fingers (OK, I am exagerating ) than deal with police, it is a cultural thing, in other countries but US police only deals with VERY bad situations, they are not officers of peace, so dealing with police is extremely difficult for most foreigners...

I really feel bad that the girl was put in the back of the police car, it is not a good feeling for anyone, specially for someone with autism, it could be the trigger of a major meltdown... But please share with her my experience and my opinion that it was probably more of a bad incident and maybe the officer was just trying to do his job and he didn't have any idea about her having AS and he probably has NO IDEA about high functioning autism. The way I would deal with the incident would be not to make a complaint, but go and talk with the police Chief and explain to him what happened and try to have a meeting with the officer and explain to him the basics about autism (that they probably know already because so many young children have severe autism) and the basics about high functioning autism. I know it sounds like I am Mary Poppins, but I had to do that myself and it worked. With no hurt feelings against one officer that really did something to me that could have cost me everything.

Wow, that's what 9/11 got security to do...look for suspicious people...that's extreme paranoia, but I guess...after the horrible things that happened in US, it's understandable...still a bad experience for you, I am sorry...

Very good decission!! ! But still talk to the police Chief about the incident, she might be pleasantly surprised by the understanding she might get and maybe create an easier environment for other autistics in her town.

Very good attitude and wisdom!! ! Ver good post!! ! I think just like you. I see police officers as officers of peace in US, not abusers of power. And yes, every field has it's bad apples, but not so many that we should call them bad names. I feel safe where I live and I appreciate the fact that they are putting their lives in danger so I can live like a princess here...

I was going to post as well; there are some really good police officers. I doubt one's profession defines their way of being. There is one I knew who had a big heart and would do anything for anyone. This does not detract from the fact that there is injustice sometimes done by police. But this is true of every profession.

I hope this member will be able to get over that traumatic incident.

Honestly? No, I don't believe so.

Yes, there are many such stories that inevitably circle, but that's because of the drama behind these stories. People, especially in this country, like sensation; they like drama, they like tragedy, they like train wrecks. And nothing screams sensation more than wrong done by someone who's supposed to hold up good and protect all the time. It's the same kind of fascination that people have with fallen angels; they were supposed to be perfectly good, but they weren't.

Every so often, the media seizes onto a topic that promotes viewing. I remember a few years back, the big thing was kidnapping, especially by strangers. There were so many ordinary people who were afraid that their children were in so much danger that year (more so than usual), because there were so many stories about it. In all actuality, there were actually less kidnappings, including those perpetrated by strangers, that year than the previous and following years. The media just happened to make a big deal out of it that time and people never looked any further.

In all honesty, statistically, you are in more danger from friends, family members, and acquaintances - in other words, someone you know, even if you've only known them for an hour or so. Next comes strangers. Police are last.

Another problem falls into what laws are enforced. Police, after all, don't make the laws; they enforce them, but they were not the ones who sat down and wrote them. People seem to forget that though, and if they don't like a law - they deem it unfair or absurd or something for whatever reason (and you're never going to please anyone, especially with laws) - they complain about it. They lash out against things they decide aren't right, even if they are right or have a purpose, and they set up those they see as wronging them to look worse than usual.

To go with that, people enjoy conspiracy theories. The government, the police officers, the judges, the pharmacies, the doctors, the lawyers, the businessmen, the plumber, whoever and everyone, they're all out to get the average citizen. They're not really out to do this, but to hear people talk, everyone who is even remotely associated with any of those jobs is evil. Police are just another one that people love to suspect.

And people don't remember the good, they remember the bad. Who was responsible for eventually apprehending Elizabeth Smart's kidnappers? Very few people know, much less remember the names. But who were the officers who screwed up the O.J. Simpson crime scene? A lot of people will be able to name at least one. The negative sticks around so much longer than the positive. People don't care about feel good stories about people who are supposed to do that anyway - it's their job, why should we care? We take it for granted. But when they do something wrong, we're all over them.

Crimes committed by law enforcement officials are investigated. Besides the internal detecting (there are police officers who investigate others, especially in large cities) and the consequences that can stem from that (up to and including dismissal from the force), criminal charges can and have been brought up against them. They are by no means exempt from the laws. There were quite a lot of officers punished this past year in the LAPD, and if anything, they're the ones that most people will point at as an example of racism and corruption. They get in trouble for that, just like normal people would.

And a lot of charges do get brought up against officers. After all, no one is actually guilty, no matter how much evidence there is against them. It's always the police's fault. They planted the drugs, they made the counterfeit money, they planted fingerprints on the murder weapon that was foolishly left at the scene of the original crime. The person who is being arrested can resist arrest, but they'll cry foul the moment the police restrain them. And the person who is throwing furniture and threatening them will cry foul if the police use force to subdue him/her. Only the cops are ever guilty to a lot of people.

Finally, many times overturned/wrongful convictions are blamed on the investigating police officers. And, of course, there are times when it is indeed the police's fault, just as some officers truly do horrible things. But many times it's actually the fault of incompetent lawyers*, junk science, and eyewitnesses, who despite being notoriously unreliable (can we say Kirk Bloodsworth?), are still allowed in court.

Yes, there are incidents where the police have been clearly in the wrong. However, there are also many cases when they are just the opposite, and no one notices.

I'm sorry you've had bad experiences with them. It sucks when such happens, especially as it's not supposed to.

(My obsession has been crime for years, just FYI and all. It probably shows.)



Thank you. Peace is a good thing.

And thanks, cerasela.

*A interesting, slightly off topic thing (sorry, obsession talking):



274, Dead Reckoning, Michael Baden, M.D., and Marion Roach

And a quote from a prosecutor who not only wrongly convicted Kirk Bloodsworth twice but still won't admit that he's innocent, despite evidence that he is, a confession from someone else, and the absolute unpredictabilities of eyewitness, especially children.



Honestly, I would be more concerned with the judicial system than the police.

I sadly agree.
I have been stopped by the police on numerous occassions and being asked if I were ok...asked what I was doing etc. I have heard stories of others with AS who have been stopped by the police for no apparent reason.

Once I was even grabbed by the police officers and dragged into the police car because they suspected that I was a "wandering schizophrenic". They took me to the station, asked me my name, address etc. My mother came and picked me up from the station a few hours later. She explained that I am NOT schizophrenic and my "odd behaviors" are caused by my AS.

Bleh...sometimes I really dislike the way that the law works.

I've never been randomly stopped by cops...

Do not discount the fact that police officer often like to play games. People have told me about being ordered to lie down on pavement, which is not a sane request when temperatures are moderate, and then being thrown on the pavement and battered for being hesitant to comply. I would hesitate too when I knew that the pavement was hot enough to fry eggs on. I have actually seen burns on someone's face from this game.

When you know that they play games, any thought that the police might not be corrupt goes right out the window.

hyperbolic,
could she not get one of those 'autism information cards' that explains her difficulties and differences as well as the bracelet? might help better with informing police if this ever happened again.

lot o busted tail lights, eh?

My brother-in-law is a cop and he is lovely!!

He is the most easy going person ever!!

Helen

Ya I used to think police were just people who were on a power trip and treated me badly everytime they saw me, and my attitude towards them since the rough years of high school and collage has changed alot, I have much more respect for their dangerous job, I realize now they are not out to get me as long as I behave and they are their to serve and protect.

I would much rather live with police then without them.

Up until a couple months ago I had the utmost respect for cops and defended them to the death. Every time I heard a "bad cop" story I would think of it as a one in a million occurrence. Despite my extreme respect for law, I've developed a mistrust and dislike for cops in general. I have had many encounters with police (not once have I been on the wrong side, surprisingly), and I've found little to respect. I've found they're either stupid, corrupt, or both. They uphold their own version of the law, either because they don't think it applies to them or because they think it should be different. The final straw was moving next door to a guy who just finished police academy. He has had 6 speeding tickets this year, thinks it's funny to throw his trash out in front of his house (his words, not mine), and just got a DUI and refused to admit that he was doing anything wrong. Granted, we're friends, but the fact that this guy is going to be out there "protecting and serving" scares the sh*t out of me. And it's not just him, his buddies from the force and the academy are always over and telling me about the burnouts they like to do, doing 90 in a 35 or whatever stupid crap it is they do.

I hate anarchists, I think they're immature little pissants who think everyone should be able to do what they want, and then give it a political label. And I'm not going to call cops "pigs" (nor do I even think of them like that). I think of them as people who aren't especially intelligent (not an opinion but common knowledge - in the military they generally won't let you be an MP/Military Police if you test over a certain - relatively low - number) who were given a badge and a gun and who can't resist the opportunity to treat them like toys/take advantage of them. I don't look at cops with the respect and admiration I once did, just like after working with the military I no longer blindly respect service members (it's terrifying to hear the things they say and think and then realize that so many Americans think of them as heroes because they wear a uniform..."let's just blow up Iran and get it over with" or "f*cking sand n****rs" being OVERWHELMINGLY popular statements and opinions on every base I've been on and among the majority of airmen/soldiers I've worked with). I think we would all be doing ourselves a favor to be wary when dealing with police, and the only way to protect ourselves and keep the government in check is to make sure we enforce our rights.