I am a creature of conditioning. I’ve been spending a quiet morning at my computer, sitting in the dining room where I can look out over the street. Just a moment ago, a police car drew up to the curb, and I immediately rose and went to the window, wondering what was WRONG!!!
Actually, he had pulled over so that a larger vehicle would have room to pass. There was nothing wrong, but that was the first thought to come to my mind. Apparently it’s not just criminals who worry when a cop shows up.
I’m old enough that I recall being taught as a child that a policeman was my friend. I don’t know if parents still teach that to their children. Certainly, the younger generation has a different attitude about the police than we did way back when.
It has to be difficult for the police to do their job when it feels as though everyone dislikes them. I have a nephew who has just retired from a police force. I’ll have to ask him if he felt the general public disliked having contact with cops.
I’m free to go about my business this morning. I think I’ll go make my bed..
One of the things on my most peeved list when I was a Dispatcher at the Sheriff’s Office was when a parent would call or come into the Office wanting a Officer to TALK to their child because the child wouldn’t listen to them. They requested the Officer be firm and scare the daylights out of them if they didn’t start minding them. Like you, I was taught a Police Officer is their friend not a monster.
QT, I don’t get why parents are unable to get their kids to listen to them. We may have done a disservice to a couple of generations by giving our children everything they could want, without having instilled the responsibilities and morals that create a rounded person. I think it’s terrible to ask a Police Officer to act the bogeyman. It’s the wrong image to share.