Who'd wanta be a Cop?

[Big Shed]

There is a difference with suieng someone and charging him with manslaughter.

One is a civil matter, the other is a criminal matter.

[Gumby]

While the police force as an organisation can be sued, individual officers cannot. They have immunity for anything done on the job.
It's also very difficult to sue the Police Force.

Then please explain the Police Association's position and their recommendation that you own nothing in your own name.

[stevebaby]

That's not actually a true statement. Have you heard abot the Palm Island affair in QLD?

That copper has been charged with manslaughter.

And no, I'm not making any judgements, that's what courts are for, merely pointing out that coppers can be, and are, held responsible for their actions on the job.

Having said that, I think that i's a pretty thankless job. I'm glad that there are people of integrity who are prepared to do it.

The sergeant in the Palm Island affair isn't being sued though. Individual officers are immune from civil suits. Nobody is going to take their houses.Read the Police Immunity Act if you don't believe me.
Also the Law Enforcement Controlled Operations Act.

[echnidna]

Stevebaby is from craggy island maybe different laws in different states

[craigb]

Stevebaby,

The thrust of your arguement as I read it was that cops weren't individually responsible (sueable) for their actions. Clearly this is not the case.

I have no idea what their liability is in civil matters. However, I would suspect that the courts would and should treat them the same as any other citizen.

Perhaps we need Boban to enlighten us here?

[Lignum]

But look on the bright side, free hamburgers, extra cash if you join the drug squad, inside info on where the booze busses are, get to play with tazers and shoot naughty people, and if your that way inclined dress up as a girlie and walk in the pride march, secret back door pay rises from the fish.... Why did i becone a furniture maker

[echnidna]

Enlist now Lignum,
you even get free entry into the footy
(but ya gotta watch the audience not the game)

[Lignum]

Enlist now Lignum,
you even get free entry into the footy
(but ya gotta watch the audience not the game)

My luck id be posted to collingwood games. But it would have been ok today in Sydney to wack a few silly protesters

[stevebaby]

Then please explain the Police Association's position and their recommendation that you own nothing in your own name.

Ask them.

[Bleedin Thumb]

I'm going to gag soon. All this ain't cops great!!!
I know there are a few cops on this forum and there is not one of them that I have taken any objection to what they're said.
I don't have a problem with people who become police I know a couple and they're great guys (and a gal).



Its just I hate the police.

There I've said it. I grew up in Qld in the 70's. REMEMBER what it was like.

It was illegal to congregate.
They hassled you constantly for just being a teenager.
You got verballed.
They fitted you up.
They were corrupt.
They were crooked.
They were bent.
And they were mean bastards.

So you guys can all go on about how good cops are, and I admit they have come along way, but there is still a lot of crap goes on that I don't agree with, and I doubt that the coppers that frequent this forum would be able to honestly say that they haven't heard of or directly known of dodgy behavour by other cops.

I don't mean to offend the serving members here, I'm sure that your all thick skinned enough or heard the rant before. Just had to provide another view on this love fest.
I think I'm about to get roasted.

[Lignum]

I'm going to gag soon. All this ain't cops great!!!


. I grew up in Qld in the 70's. REMEMBER what it was like.

And i spent 5 years from 80-85 in QLD and share your "pain" Everything from being locked up from sitting pi$$ed up in a tree (crime of the century) to having a severly brused heel from being kicked (whilst sound asleep) in one of their heroic 5am raids looking for a gram of what ever that was non existent in the first place.

[Gumby]

Ask them.

Why ? They aren't the ones saying he Police have nothing to fear. You are.

[Metal Head]

It must be really frustrating dealing with some of the low lifes with have in our community. I would certainly be tempted (if I was a copper) to take the law into my hands and fix up the problem before it got to court.

However, I do wonder why do they have to shoot people in the chest. In the RAF (U.K.) we were taught unless the dangerous person had a gun/rifle, to shoot them in legs/knee caps. Not only does it get them on the ground but they are in so much pain they lose their grip on the offensive weapon. At least the loved one's will still be able to see them as well as give them a helping hand.

[journeyman Mick]

Whilst I'm glad that there are people of integrity prepared to be police I too remember the "good old" days in Qld. As a kid I saw four cops drag a suspect up some stairs by the heels, his head bouncing on the steps. This was after they had held him in a head lock in the back of a car for so long he was literally blue in the face (apparently for over an hour from the other end of the tablelands) There was a fair bit of blood on the stairs. Then there was a lot of thumping and bashing noises from the little high set wooden police station (amplifies sound) Lots of thumping and screaming. I had been sent to the station to pick up a permit and had to wait there while all this went on.

Then there was the local seargeant, who was collecting protection money from all the local drug growers. His wife used to come to my aunt (good friends) in tears because she kept finding huge wads of cash in the house. He's retired now and owns a hell of a lot of real estate in SW Qld, much more than could possibly be bought with a policeman's wages.

And then there was another sergeant who was caught cattle duffing. His daughter was into horses and he kept a large truck with a cattle crate on the back to "move her horses". The stock squad caught him, but he was not charged, he got moved out west (into cattle country )

Also WRT the Palm Island case (and I've got some interesting insights from a friend who worked there for longer than the accused did, which I obviously can't share because the case hasn't gone to court) if he is found guilty in the criminal case, then a civil case could very likely be brought against him. As a rural fire officer I am protected by legislation also but if I break the rules I'm no longer immune from prosecution or civil action.

Mick

[craigb]

Let's all hope the bad old days are gone.

For sure, the cops didn't get too many plaudits in the '70's if you were a hippy (like me).

However, that was then.....