Law Enforcement & You

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, Westen said:

99% of the people I arrest are incapable of carrying out those threats. The one time someone tried to carry out the threat, they got gunned down with like, 4 rifles (in over a year of playing)

 

There’s a major flaw in your logic there and if most police officers roleplay like that, it is evident that they don’t fear consequences based on one encounter.

 

Police officers are human too. People seem to forget that most cops have a family to go home to and not only that, they still cherish their lives as I’m pretty certain most police officers aren’t suicidal.

 

Cops are and should be required to roleplay the fear of the danger on the job. Just because in a documentary, movie or some sort of heroic story hit the news about a fearless cop that ran into a house that was on fire whilst under gunfire and playing chicken on a highway and somehow miraculously survived and rescued 50 hostages doesn’t mean every police officer has this mentality.

 

A perfect example of cops cherishing their lives is the tragic Las Vegas terror attack. It may have not hit the news instantly, but some police officers refused to go and even ran away whilst under gunfire. I’m pretty sure more than one police officer got in their cruiser and drove as far away as possible because they didn’t want to die like some of their colleagues.

 

In short, just because “99% of people can’t deliver on their threats” doesn’t mean somebody won’t. I understand that there’s ballsy cops out there but if a Special Forces operator confessed that on every raid he was fuelled with anxiety and fear then I’m pretty sure an average police officer will also fear for their lives on most felony stops, warrant executions and felon encounters.

 

Unfortunately, most people don’t understand basic American cop culture and most people think it’s like the Metropolitan Police where the biggest threat you’ve got is a speeding car or a teenager with acid. It’s wild out on the West Coast, cops die or have life changing injuries more often than people think. 
 

I don’t blame faction members, however, regardless of what faction fails to roleplay the basic mechanics of a human being - it falls down to the faction leadership not enforcing strict standards on what type of characters they want in their faction. It can be done, but being hopeful that it will be done is pointless.

[Big_Smokes]

I believe this is a guide and not a discussion thread. I will instead offer this thread which I posted a few months ago which was made with the purpose in mind of discussing exactly these types of concerns. I realize I haven't responded to it in a few weeks but I will make some time tomorrow to get to most of the things posted there.

 

Also, great guide Augustus. It certainly served as an interesting read, and you do bring up valid points for us to reflect on.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Big_Smokes

[Cascade]

Some really nice points in this guide! Nice work! 

[Trupiano]

-Snipped and moved to Police Department & You-

Edited October 25, 2019 by Henning

[roozles]

Hit the nail on its head with this guide, great work Augustus.

[pateuvasiliu]

4 hours ago, Maca said:

Cops are and should be required to roleplay the fear of the danger on the job.

There are player characters that have been arrested 5+ times, shot at cops, and caught illegally owning weapons several times. And they're still walking around free.

Cops aren't the problem with your scenario.

[Guest]

-

Edited July 1, 2020 by eyebrows
removed by user

[Conan]

On 10/25/2019 at 9:12 AM, Maca said:

Unfortunately, most people don’t understand basic American cop culture and most people think it’s like the Metropolitan Police where the biggest threat you’ve got is a speeding car or a teenager with acid. It’s wild out on the West Coast, cops die or have life changing injuries more often than people think. 

 

The biggest threat you've got is a speeding car or a teenager with acid?  Don't insult us like that.

 

Please don't try and assume what the met boys and girls get up to in their daily activities at work if you have literally zero clue what it's like. I've got stories of coppers getting stabbed for no other reason than walking down the road in a coppers uniform. I couldn't even begin to tell you about some of the risks that coppers over here have faced. 

 

I get the point you're trying to make but don't belittle the risks faced over here to get to it.

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, Conan said:

if you have literally zero clue what it's like.

Besides the point of you now derailing the topic, I've got multiple friends in the force across the country and a family member in the police force in the North West. What you're pointing out is the extreme part of the job and whether or not your stories make it sound awful, it's actually a rarity. You guys get assaulted quite often and I respect that it's a tough job but the whole "coppers get stabbed over wearing a uniform" isn't a daily threat and it's something you'd hear of on rare occasions. Compare that to a country where gun violence is almost a daily thing and cops are shot across the country by felons and murdered in their patrol car whilst sitting down eating lunch because he was a white cop wearing a uniform and then compare that to the threats faced in London. Highly doubt you'll find it's on a similar scale.

 

Like Big_Smokes said, this is a guide and not a discussion thread.  My DM's are open any time. ?

Edited October 26, 2019 by Maca

[Keane]

The guide was made to help people portray better law enforcement characters, not for people to argue on. Let's keep it that way. If you want to argue, that can happen away from the thread.