Everyone Pretends From Time to Time
March 7, 2020 4:01 PM Subscribe
They were partners in fighting crime. The only problem: Neither was a cop. But when one friend turned on the other, things got real. Not Fuzz from The Atavist. From 2017, with an update in the latest edition: The Con Continues.
Two thoughts -
- why would you?
- Is the only difference between success and normal life a willingness to ignore the rules because they dont apply to the special?
A couple of things that this article reminded me of. One is that Elvis Presley likewise had a serious law enforcement fetish. He collected dozens of badges (most of them "honorary") from different LE agencies, and some of them were on display at Graceland when I toured there twenty-odd years ago; his infamous picture with Nixon was taken when he went to Washington to get a badge from, of all places, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the predecessor to the DEA. He would also carry a red police bubble light in his Cadillac and occasionally pull over speeders on Memphis streets to give them warnings.
The other is that police departments may not like cop impersonators, but many of them do the Citizen's Police Academy thing; I have a cousin who went through one and got to fire a shotgun and everything. I don't see how this wouldn't encourage this sort of thing.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:28 PM on March 7, 2020 [3 favorites]
The other is that police departments may not like cop impersonators, but many of them do the Citizen's Police Academy thing; I have a cousin who went through one and got to fire a shotgun and everything. I don't see how this wouldn't encourage this sort of thing.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:28 PM on March 7, 2020 [3 favorites]
What a strange couple of people, and a looooooooong read.
posted by Literaryhero at 5:46 AM on March 8, 2020
posted by Literaryhero at 5:46 AM on March 8, 2020
I keep wanting to say something about this, but I don't know. I don't know entirely how this makes me feel, or what to think about it.
I think: there are so many sad people in this world.
I think: there are so many people who want to hurt and exert power over others in this world.
I think: as a resident of Maricopa County, I don't think I like this Sheriff's Posse thing.
posted by meese at 7:35 AM on March 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
I think: there are so many sad people in this world.
I think: there are so many people who want to hurt and exert power over others in this world.
I think: as a resident of Maricopa County, I don't think I like this Sheriff's Posse thing.
posted by meese at 7:35 AM on March 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
The other is that police departments may not like cop impersonators, but many of them do the Citizen's Police Academy thing; I have a cousin who went through one and got to fire a shotgun and everything. I don't see how this wouldn't encourage this sort of thing.
Not sure about your state, but in California anyone who goes through the reserve officer/deputy program has the same testing/training as a sworn peace officer. The only difference at the end is that you don’t quit your day job and get hired by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs or whatever.
Also worth mentioning that the California Sheriff Search and Rescue teams (well, at least in Los Angeles and Orange County) are almost 100% these guys/girls. Electricians/Real Estate Agents/Logistics company CEOs (to name some personal acquaintances) by day, Search and Rescue personnel....also usually by day, but they get activated as peace officers when there is search and/or rescuing to be done.
posted by sideshow at 9:18 AM on March 8, 2020 [1 favorite]
Not sure about your state, but in California anyone who goes through the reserve officer/deputy program has the same testing/training as a sworn peace officer. The only difference at the end is that you don’t quit your day job and get hired by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs or whatever.
Also worth mentioning that the California Sheriff Search and Rescue teams (well, at least in Los Angeles and Orange County) are almost 100% these guys/girls. Electricians/Real Estate Agents/Logistics company CEOs (to name some personal acquaintances) by day, Search and Rescue personnel....also usually by day, but they get activated as peace officers when there is search and/or rescuing to be done.
posted by sideshow at 9:18 AM on March 8, 2020 [1 favorite]
tldr: rich douchebag doesn't suffer much for repeated and ongoing criminal, ethical, and morally shit behavior.
posted by j_curiouser at 12:39 PM on March 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by j_curiouser at 12:39 PM on March 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
Yes that's what really pissed me off. Imagine if it was a poor black man who was pretending to be a cop - that dude would be locked up for years.
posted by smoke at 5:28 PM on March 8, 2020
posted by smoke at 5:28 PM on March 8, 2020
In my head, I see this as a comedy starring Dwayne Johnson as Farzad and Mark Wahlberg as Dancel.
I’m not sure Marky Mark would get the irony but I’m pretty sure he’d be fucking fantastic in the role.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:02 AM on March 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
I’m not sure Marky Mark would get the irony but I’m pretty sure he’d be fucking fantastic in the role.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:02 AM on March 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
Surprised to see the Volokh cameo. That was interesting.
posted by suelac at 3:02 PM on March 9, 2020
posted by suelac at 3:02 PM on March 9, 2020
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posted by Don.Kinsayder at 8:46 PM on March 7, 2020 [1 favorite]