zlacker

Compared to US police, Aussie cops are pleasant and agreeable. But compared to New Zealand police, they're still brutes. I've never had an encounter with police in another developed nation, so that's my only real comparison I can make, Colombian police certainly aren't polite and civil.

Don't just judge the police on your experiences as an innocent bystander, but by how they treat those they think are less innocent. Police in Australia are far more likely to use violence and intimidation than Kiwi cops, in a large part because they are armed. Carrying a firearm creates an inherent power imbalance and a willingness to use violence and force to resolve an incident than deescalation techniques. NZ cops are much more likely to attempt to defuse the situation, or avoid the situation becoming (potentially) violent in the first place, using force is seen as a last resort than a first option (although it's a different story if you're Maori or Polynesian).

>>tooman+(OP)
Sure. Aussie cops aren't angels at all. But comparing Aussie cops to US cops in terms of use of violence, poor judgement, etc. is insane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFaPooJBDSg

Imagine this situation playing out in the states. Guy would be riddled with bullets in seconds.