[buffportion]

"Cops are trained to push peoples buttons and make them lose control"

They are? I could see why, say, detectives interviewing a suspect might use that approach to try to get them to say something incriminating, but for regular cops I would think their job is made much easier if the people they interact with are calm.

[derefr]

Think of executing searches. A cop needs a reason to search someone (their person, their car, etc.), beyond just being suspicious. Frequently they can prod people into providing them such a reason.

[woodman]

That is not in their own interest though, the incentives aren't aligned with the stated mission. Consider job security, advancement and cop culture.

[CountSessine]

That's a very cynical view of police.

[15charlimit]

  That's a very accurate view of most police.

Fixed it for you.

[newjersey]

Yes and it is for a good reason. Earlier today in New Jersey:

> A jury yesterday found Spolizino, 37, not guilty of death by auto and leaving the scene of a fatal accident in the death of 24-year-old Stephen Clifford on April 19, 2013. An aggravated manslaughter charge had been tossed earlier by the judge.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/10/acquitted_jersey_...

> Authorities said Spolizino was driving 60 miles per hour -- 35 MPH over the speed limit -- when his vehicle struck Clifford on Kennedy Boulevard. The state argued Spolizino caused Clifford's death through the recklessness of the speed at which he was driving.

> The jury disagreed.

> Video showed the pickup continue north on Kennedy Boulevard where it went through a red light at Montgomery Street before pulling over.

> The video then showed the pickup go into reverse and back up to Montgomery, the officer quickly dialed 911 and a witness said he saw the officer at the scene of the crash within five to 10 minutes of the impact.

> During the trial, Garrigan noted that Clifford was crossing against the green, implying that Clifford bore some of the responsibility. He also noted that speeding on Kennedy Boulevard is common.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/10/jersey_city_polic...

I don't have any insight into the case in particular but I really doubt the outcome would have been the same if the person driving were not a police officer.

In other news, the NJ police had choice words for Tarantino.

> The New Jersey State Policeman’s Benevolent Association has become the latest police organization to call for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino’s films, following the director’s participation in an anti-police brutality march in New York last weekend.

[...]

>“Quentin Tarantino needs to understand that as a public figure his voice is one that people listen to,” Colligan’s statement continued. “He has an obligation to be more responsible. This is not a movie, this is real life where police officers lives are impacted by his words.”

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/10/30/new-jersey-police-quent... (sorry for quoting ew, you don't have to click the link)

You know what impacts police officers' credibility more than a director's words? The benches of police officers that filled up in solidarity of a police officer who doesn't deny that he was behind the wheel of a car in a hit and run case driving 60 miles per hour on a 35 miles per hour area. Would any of the police officers be there if it was... I don't know... an undocumented immigrant without a license or an out of state driver or anyone who was not a police officer?

[woodman]

It isn't a value judgement, but I would certainly prefer a system that is structured to reward rational actors and execute the stated mission. The current design seems pretty ironic to me.