Honest easy question....

[Moose242]

The passive presence of police officers is necessary for security of not just residential areas but commercial properties as well. I have had a slew of negative experiences with police officers, but that is more than offset by positive experiences. Both my aunt and uncle are both officers and I can honestly say when either of them is around I feel safe as hell. For one they both carry guns, but for two they are unusually situationally aware of their surroundings (something that comes with being an officer for such a long time I imagine).
We have had people's asses get busted by police because of the alarm going off at one of the stores, and without police forces we would never get a vehicle recovered after it was stolen (the exception being Mexican police forces who take the vehicles for themselves).

[A_A_G]

Yes, because it keeps most civilians in line. The problem is there is no one to keep police in line and not go above the law.

[SSMAN]

I would feel safer with "Open Carry" enabled in Texas and free right to protect myself. Without having to pay lawyers to prove I am innocent.

Member of the Sherriff's dept lives down the street and was robbed 3 times in 3 months. Nothing bad to police officers, but they cannot be everywhere they are needed.

[MustangPoser]

Montreal - 1969:

Montrealers discovered last week what it is like to live in a city without police and firemen. The lesson was costly: six banks were robbed, more than 100 shops were looted, and there were twelve fires. Property damage came close to $3,000,000; at least 40 carloads of glass will be needed to replace shattered storefronts. Two men were shot dead. At that, Montreal was probably lucky to escape as lightly as it did.

The immediate cause of the outburst was a strike for more pay staged by the city's cops and firemen. There were far deeper causes as well....

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...#ixzz2TwrInp00

Yes.. I feel safer with police around.

[46Tbird]

Do you feel safer with police around?

Nope.

[Treasure Chest]

I've never worried about the city and county boys, but I grew up in a small town with an uncle who was a former sheriff. I've run into dickhead cops, but unless I'm doing something sketchy, I don't get nervous around LEOs.

Game Wardens, on the other hand, make me nervous. They have WAY too much reach without the checks and balances.

[dcs13]

DOCTORS KILL a hell of a lot more people by MISTAKE or accident than cops...they estimate over 98,000 a YEAR !

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=deaths-from-avoidable-medical-error-2009-08-10

Data shows Officers kill approximately 1000 per year...

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ardus05.pdf

[Sean88gt]

I pee my pants at the sight of them!

Speaking of the "sight of them", have you ever riden TRE?

[GE]

Paranoia, self destroyer!

[Broncojohnny]

Illegal drugs and mental illness can cause paranoia.



Jus sayin'

So can threads on the internet.

[03trubluGT]

Illegal drugs and mental illness can cause paranoia.



Jus sayin'

[propellerhead]

I cringe when I see parents scold their kids and use the line, "Behave or the cops will get you." or something to that effect. That kid will grow up fearing cops. Like Jester.

[Treadhead]

I pee my pants at the sight of them!

[Special K]

I feel safer with regards to my house knowing that a cruiser passes by every few minutes. Not the best location for a discrete break in, day or night.

[mustang_revival]

I definitely feel safer for my kids who are 45 minutes away from me while at school.

Also very nice to not have to deal with low lifes on a daily basis. Things we take for granted like not having to deal with an hour or more of BS just trying to get to work or go to the grocery store.