zlacker

This framing of the police seems very strange to my Canadian sensibilities. I'm curious about whether Americans largely agree with this description.

>>jbay80+(OP)
As an expat Canadian living in a suburban county in the US, my personal interactions with the police here have always been cordial engagements as peacekeepers and caretakers of the community. I have called for welfare checks on neighbors, called the sheriff when I found a garage opener on the street, that kind of thing. Of course they were present in the aftermath of a case when a highschool kid entered a house and shot another highschool kid (who lived, surprisingly), a real shock in the sleepy community I live in. They asked around if anyone had video of the suspect approaching or departing the home.

But maybe that's just me, as a Canadian, with unrealistic beliefs that the police are on my side.

>>jbay80+(OP)
Canadian police are no different. Living under a dangerous illusion.

>>jbay80+(OP)
I don't. Whether or not you agree with this gross oversimplification is going to depend on your worldview, your experience and whether you feel disenfranchised by the system. It has nuggets of truth - the police do step in to handle violent criminals - but this assessment is largely a subjective interpretation.

>>jbay80+(OP)
Yes. Generally speaking, the expected value of any encounter with police is negative. They generally won't help you (although they may call someone who can help), but they might give you a hard time. The most common "good interaction" is one where they show up, insinuate that they could make trouble, and decide not to.

It's slightly better in very small towns where everyone knows everyone and e.g. the chief's kids go to school with your kids

>>glitch+63
I'd like to know why you think so. In my experience, at least in Vancouver, police tend to use violence and force as absolutely the last resort, and generally play a lot more of "social worker" type of role, especially when it comes to handling issues associated with drug addiction in the downtown east side.

But I could be very wrong so I'm interested in hearing other viewpoints. Or maybe you're thinking of different organizations that I'm less familiar with (perhaps the RCMP?)

>>jbay80+(OP)
I'm an american and I do not agree with the description.

If I was ever in a bad situation and a cop suddenly showed up, I'd feel huge relief.

>>jbay80+y4
>In my experience, at least in Vancouver, police tend to use violence and force as absolutely the last resort

Meanwhile on /r/all today... https://old.reddit.com/r/onguardforthee/comments/gvu8fz/cana...

>>jbay80+(OP)
To directly answer your question, I -- a brown man -- have never had a bad interaction with police. I assume Canadians are also annoyed when given tickets, but really police have been nothing but helpful, and I feel free to approach police officers and ask questions.

My dad -- also brown -- has also had the police called on him (usually because he's berating someone at a store or something), and the cops have only ever diffused the situation, never added to it.

>>bdamm+D2
As an american living in Canada, I can assure you it's not much better here -- cops are generally cordial to my white affluent self, but black and indigenous people, especially those in poverty, are not served by this justice system.

>>jbay80+y4
There’s no contradiction between abusing you wrote and police being violence workers. Police cannot do their jobs without resort to the threat of violence and occasionally actual violence. The degree of restraint varies wildly between different forces but that does not. When traffic wardens, paramedics, social workers or firefighters need someone to do legal violence they don’t do it themselves, they call the police. They are one of the forces the state has delegated its monopoly on the legitimate use of force to, along with the military. They are not primarily in the business of violence, like the military, but they can’t do their jobs without the capacity to be violent either.

>>jbay80+y4
Perhaps you are unaware of the VPD's extensive use of attack dogs.

https://www.vancourier.com/opinion/number-of-vancouver-polic...

>>jbay80+y4
Oh? How quickly we forget.

The 2010 G20 summit in Toronto must have been a walk in the park. One can see the police hand in hand with protesters singing kumbaya. Noted that this event had police officers from all over the country participating. Many conveniently forgot to wear badges and nametags, some conveniently had masks on:

https://www.google.com/search?q=g20+toronto+police+brutality...

And Vancouver, lovely city! Until they lose the Stanley Cup of course:

https://www.google.com/search?q=vancouver+stanley+cup+riots&...