[akv]

Cops have tough jobs, I respect their service to society. I believe the vast majority are decent folk who care. I think we often become what we surround ourselves with. I believe it is very easy for police constantly exposed to the uglier aspects of society, to relate and interact only with other cops, then fall into us vs. them mindset, and get jaded and project this cynicism onto the law abiding citizens as well. A poor analogy might be the way a stripper or prostitute sees men.

From the law abiding citizens perspective the majority of experiences we have with police aren't positive either, it's at best a speeding ticket, or a very bad day. In addition especially in tough economic times we are all frustrated with the government, and police are often the city or state employees we interact with on a face to face basis. There is something broken in our society when it comes to violence, the gun's are just tools, I don't know why we have so many active shooter incidents.

I think a great deal of gun and general violence is the result of illegal drugs. Whether it was the tommy guns of Al Capone during prohibition or drug dealers with AK's now. I don't want to see officers trying to arrest them with .38 revolvers. At the same time some of the SWAT stuff and these incidents we hear about seem overkill and unnecessary.

Finally, I think the Grossman Wolf/Sheepdog analogy should be taken with a grain of salt. It's interesting but divisive, and can lead to contempt between the "sheepdogs" and the "sheep". Even if you like the analogy, contempt is when relationships end, and those who develop contempt for the "sheep" are one step closer to being "wolves". He is an eloquent businessman, he knows his audience. I haven't read of him ever being in combat himself, yet a ton of military and LE with combat /gunfight experience take him as gospel?

My $.02, the confluence of a lack of positive community interaction and this macho "sheepdog" culture contribute to instances of excessive force or unnecessary SWAT team deployments and all sorts of other jaded bad things for officers.