Police Officers ----> Law School

[angelus]

The experience I had is what helped me make the decision to try for Law school. Far too often the general public is ignorant of their rights, so when a crooked cop pulles them over they are literally defenseless. One freind of mine I was with when he got pulled over started talkin the cops ear off, answering questions that didn't have anything to do with the incident itself. I quickly informed my freind that he had the right and obligation to remain silent. i then asked the officer if we needed a lawyer. the cops face turned white, he quickly wrote the ticket and left.

I understand that a cops job is to catch lawbreakers but far too often people hand themselves over on a silver platter.

And If i don't become a criminal defense attorney or such i will then work on changing bad laws which prey upon the poor and ignorant. i can't save the world, but maybe I can make it better for a few people.

[EvidenceWhore]

I agree. I think that is a constructive way to address what happened to you and to make things better. I just hope that you will remember that not all officers operate that way. My views on law enforcement have changed since beginning law school. I haven't made up my mind yet which side I will ultimately choose, but I am leaning toward being a defense attorney. Not because I believe that all officers are bad or that all officers feel they are above the law. I am leaning this direction because I honestly believe that the law should follow a fair process and our liberty interests are too important to be taken lightly. It is nothing personal against either side, I just view this as something that must be upheld. I'm not sure what I will choose, but I hope make a difference either way.

[EvidenceWhore]

To Angelus, "prick" does come to mind upon reading your repeated posts, but my heart has nothing to do with it.  That aside, you're right that I could care less about your opinion.  I was replying since that is what people on here do, we post, and reply to other posts, I'm sure you are aware of the routine.  That said, okay. we are done, since apparantly by responding I seem to be making you feel I have a dark heart or whatever it is you are going on about.  I will not reply to you at all anymore, there... I think that is what you were trying to ask for.

On to the topic this thread was intended for, and thanks very much for the replies that actually had something to do with it!!

I don't really have any specific questions per se, but I am interested how you felt your experience as an LEO translated into anything either useful or even something that was a drawback in law school.

As for the lawyer turned cop, I know one too.  A classmate of mine in the police academy was (and is) an attorney.  He was in private practice tho, I do think it would be much more unusual for a prosecutor to decide to make that switch.  That said, another classmate of mine used to be a firefighter, also unusual as they usually quit being POs to be FFs, not the other way around.

If anything, I think it actually helped me. I had at least been exposed to the law and felt familiar with it. Probably the only thing that presents a stumbling block is if you attend a law school that is not in the state were you were a police officer. The differences in the law that they teach (often the state law where the law school sits or the Model Penal Code) will conflict in subtle ways but it is something that is easily overcome.

The only strange thing is when people find out you were a police officer. That can be a good and bad thing. Some people are honestly interested in your expereinces or will ask you to explain how tings work in general. On the down side, it's like you walk around with this badge on your face even if you choose to remain anonymous. Some people (not all) walk law school with a bad attitude about cops and think all of us are the same. Or, once the profs find out who you are, they try to make you the resident expert on things police officers do or announce your presence as a former police officer in every class. Some of it is good and some of it is bad, but you learn to deal with it. 

If you love the law (not just law enforcement, but the law) as much as I do, you will have a great experience. 

[scubasteve]

First of all...you don't look at both sides of the issue.  You choose to only see the side that presents the reality you desire.  You crossed the law and the law won.  No wonder you are bitter.  Get over it.  It would be very interesting to actually hear the other side of your "harrassed at work, took my car, physically assaulted, threatend to kill me" story.  It sounds like bull to me, much like it must have sounded to your public defender.  As far as being homeless at the time this happened, what does that have to do with anything???  Why did he take your car?  Apparently he didn't steal it, or you would have pursued theft charges.  Was it impounded?  Driving on a suspended license??  Physically assaulted?  And your attorney couldn't or wouldn't do anything about it?  Hmmmmmm...were you resisting arrest at the time?  Harrassed at work?  What did that entail?  Actually coming to your place of employment and questioning you about a crime?  How dare he do that, since he could have just as easily contacted you at home...oh...wait a minute...you were homeless!  Where else was he supposed to contact you?  Threatened to kill you?  Yeah...right.  That is really plausible.  Though I'm sure you addressed him with respect throughout the entire contact.  Destroyed your property?  What did he do?  Take your dope and flush it? 

"...there would certainly be more police in behind bars if not for the buddy system in which they protect their own at all costs."  The reality is that the vast majority of police officers dislike the very small minority of corrupt cops because of the negative image that it brings to the rest.  If the majority of your contacts with the police are negative, I would strongly suggest that you consider the tone and manner you are using to communicate with them. 

Sounds like your research involved wearing handcuffs as you were pushed into the back seat of a police car.

I once was idealistic and actually wanted to be a cop. Then through research I discovered the dark underbelly, and thin blue line that protects crooked cops and often harms the innocent.

Why is it that police think that if someone doesn't see them as gods that the person MUST be a criminal. Check it out bozo, your just as flawed, frail and full of feces as the rest of humanity. You have no more character than anyone else. You are not the badge the badge is not you. In a sense many people need their badges, titles, and degrees to be somebody.

I ask a question....Who are you?

you: I'm a cop.

me: That's your job not you, Who are you?

ya see jackball, I look at both sides of the issue and when I see some numbnut like you desperately trying to climb the mountain of ego inflated superiority I dig in my fangs and drag them back down. Also, you are an enforcer of the law, you are NOT the law. The law affects you just like everyone else and there would certainly be more police in behind bars if not for the buddy system in which they protect their own at all costs.

yeah there's good cops out there, but not all cops are good.

[angelus]

First of all, just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean that I don't see both sides of the issue. Secondly, the details of the case are none of your business. Third, interesting how you phrase things to make me look like a criminal, such as the cute little dope comment.

I obey the laws, the problem is that many cops don't and I really have better things to do than compare penis size with you so go masturbate your ego by violateing someone other than me.

First of all...you don't look at both sides of the issue.  You choose to only see the side that presents the reality you desire.  You crossed the law and the law won.  No wonder you are bitter.  Get over it.  It would be very interesting to actually hear the other side of your "harrassed at work, took my car, physically assaulted, threatend to kill me" story.  It sounds like bull to me, much like it must have sounded to your public defender.  As far as being homeless at the time this happened, what does that have to do with anything???  Why did he take your car?  Apparently he didn't steal it, or you would have pursued theft charges.  Was it impounded?  Driving on a suspended license??  Physically assaulted?  And your attorney couldn't or wouldn't do anything about it?  Hmmmmmm...were you resisting arrest at the time?  Harrassed at work?  What did that entail?  Actually coming to your place of employment and questioning you about a crime?  How dare he do that, since he could have just as easily contacted you at home...oh...wait a minute...you were homeless!  Where else was he supposed to contact you?  Threatened to kill you?  Yeah...right.  That is really plausible.  Though I'm sure you addressed him with respect throughout the entire contact.  Destroyed your property?  What did he do?  Take your dope and flush it? 

[bulletproof]

Wow, this thread has had a lot of activity since I checked in.  Thanks again for the responses and I want to get back to several of you but I am in Seattle at the moment on vacation and I'll have to try and catch it later.  As for Angelus, if we could stop responding to him we might get some discussion about the topic in, thanks.

[angelus]

Wow, this thread has had a lot of activity since I checked in.  Thanks again for the responses and I want to get back to several of you but I am in Seattle at the moment on vacation and I'll have to try and catch it later.  As for Angelus, if we could stop responding to him we might get some discussion about the topic in, thanks.

I only respond when falsely accused.

[scubasteve]

Bulletproof - You are right...I apologize in advance...I just can't help myself.

Angelus - If you think my speculation about what happened to you makes you look like a criminal, you might try looking at your story from an objective point of view.  Your story makes you look much more like a criminal than I ever could.  As far as it being none of my business, you are the one that chose to post your pathetic little story here as justification for your view of the police.  How can you blame me for pointing out the gaping holes?  If you can't even convince your publice defender how can you claim any credibility at all???  Worse than the holes in the story is your insolent tone.  Just make sure you tell the character and fitness committee the same story you told here.  Blame the cops for everything that happened and refuse to take any personal responsibility.  I'm sure they will buy it, too. 

And of course you only respond when falsely accused.  That is how you started posting in this thread in the first place.  Oh...wait a minute.  Nobody even mentioned you.  You chose to go cop bashing.  Did you really expect everyone to sit here and take it? 

Wow, this thread has had a lot of activity since I checked in.  Thanks again for the responses and I want to get back to several of you but I am in Seattle at the moment on vacation and I'll have to try and catch it later.  As for Angelus, if we could stop responding to him we might get some discussion about the topic in, thanks.

I only respond when falsely accused.

[lincolnsgrandson]

I don't know anybody in my law school with a past career in law enforcement.  I think it's a good hook.

[angmill08]

I've worked with the police in my town over the past few years as one of our neighborhood liaisons to the police dept. It is very frustrating how the few bad ones (or foolish ones) get into situations which give the whole dept a bad name. A 20 something minority kid was recently shot in the back and killed by an officer here, and it is terrible. We need the police but just when I think people in the neighborhood are coming to see the positive side of police intervention something like this happens. And of course the good cops have to apologize for and try to explain the actions of the others. I wish police were trained as much as lawyers, and paid as much. Then I think depts could be pickier about who they hired and we'd end up with more effective police. I can't imagine how bad it must be for the good cops who work hard and literally put their lives on the line to answer to the public for the senseless actions of the few. But it is so frustrating that these kind of things keep happening.

Sorry to vent... this doesn't have much to do with the original question, I guess. But it is interesting to hear LEO's perspectives on negative perceptions of police.

I am interested in the intersection between policework and lawyers' work and am interested to know how people who have worked in law enforcement plan to use their law degree. Work for DAs? Defense? Or non-criminal law?