zlacker

You don't have to worry about getting killed, even though that's changing slowly [0][1], but many of them are authority abusive pieces of shit that have no place in the police.

I've been stopped on my motorcycle for no reasons by officers in an unmarked car, they kept me 30 min on the road under full summer sun and didn't provide me any reason for stopping me whatsoever. "don't do crimes and the police will leave you alone" doesn't exist

My dad got a ticket for using his mobile phone in a stopped car (engine off, parked) even though he didn't own a mobile phone. I can't come up with a single good interaction me or any member of my family had with the police and as far as I can tell I'm far from the only one.

A quick look at the yellow vests protest will tell you that French riot police are just the same as the American one. They killed a grandma by shooting a tear gas canister into her 4th floor flat [2].. Dozen lost hands, eyes, & c. The only reason it isn't worse is because they're less equipped and have more legal constraints

Potentially nsfl, lost of yellow vests injuries with pics: http://lemurjaune.fr

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Adama_Traoré

[1] https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.lexpress.fr/actualite/socie...

[2] https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.leparisien.fr/amp/faits-div...

>>lm2846+(OP)
I've got stopped close to midnight by Swiss border police once, coming from rock climbing session over the border. You would expect Swiss politeness and correctness, right?

I got held at the (utterly empty otherwise) border for 40 minutes. They went through my whole backpack (just wet stinking climbing clothing equipment), did some obscure exercises like taking out all my cash & cards from wallet, counting it, putting into envelope and then back to me and so on.

I was super thirsty, when I asked them for a cup of water they repeatedly ignored it. They yelled at me and were generally super unfriendly, treating me like a criminal. I cross normally (non-covid times) that border several times a week, never anything similar. You can't do much, they have all the power, and they make you feel it.

This is Swiss, don't hold your breath for other european places. There are sane normal policemen, just like everywhere, but there are also fucked up power tripping assholes. They just can be more trigger-happy in places like US.

>>lm2846+(OP)
You and your Dad are not statistically relevant. My experience is very different, and it is backed up by data:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforc...

United States is between Congo and Iraq when sorted by rate per 10 mil. people.

The first european country is way down that list.