Child of Illusion posted this piece on her blog the other day about apparently random police brutality. I commented on her post and ended with a statement about not really understanding why I've always respected and admired firemen and merely tolerated policemen.
This is a pic shot at what is an annual fundraiser in Marquette - the Pigs 'N Heat hockey contest between teams of firemen and policemen to raise funds for families who are burned out of their homes due to fire. (This is big time hockey country up here - kids here aspire to play hockey not Little League)
Policemen and firemen...what images come to mind? I admit that I think firemen tend to be hot - Billy Baldwin and Kurt Russell in Backdraft. I think of police and I think of overweight donut eaters with power complexs - I can't help it. Of course, there's plenty of tales of corruption, violence, brutality that plague our law enforcement officers. When's the last time you heard of firefighter brutality or fire department corruption, eh?
The nature of their job gives firefighters an automatic edge. They deliberately enter burning buildings to rescue our families and pets. They put themselves at risk to save our homes. The physical nature of their job and the active involvement of their officers right on up to Captain keeps them in decent shape.
Police officers, on the other hand, enforce our "Nanny Culture" in addition to serving and protecting. Too often, I think, our only images of police are pulling people over, setting up seat belt enforcement checkpoints, or cruising the highways hoping to ensnare a victim - particularly at the end of the month (don't we all have suspicions about ticket "quotas"?).
Perhaps if firemen made random house searches and ticket folks for failure to have changed the batteries in their smoke detectors or too many plugs in one outlet, they'd start to fall in our estimation. It is in their role as enforcer of the state's wishes that police lose their heroic shine.
Peaceful protest? There's the force in their riot gear tapping their palms with their clubs. Playing your music a bit too loud at your graduation party? There's the cop showing up telling you to turn it down or else. I've already mentioned the check points - for seat belt usage, for driving under the influence.
Logically I know that the majority of police officers are good hearted, dedicated men and women who genuinely want to keep us safe. George Bush made a big deal about keeping us safe all the years after 9/11 - just because nothing bad happened again. Perhaps that's also a big part of the image problem for police officers - their biggest accomplishment is that because of their presence nothing bad happens to most of us. Unlike George, our police departments keep us safe, we just don't have a good measurement or a visual reminder of that.
I'll try to remember that - but I'll still probably root for the "Heat" at the annual hockey game.
This is a pic shot at what is an annual fundraiser in Marquette - the Pigs 'N Heat hockey contest between teams of firemen and policemen to raise funds for families who are burned out of their homes due to fire. (This is big time hockey country up here - kids here aspire to play hockey not Little League)Policemen and firemen...what images come to mind? I admit that I think firemen tend to be hot - Billy Baldwin and Kurt Russell in Backdraft. I think of police and I think of overweight donut eaters with power complexs - I can't help it. Of course, there's plenty of tales of corruption, violence, brutality that plague our law enforcement officers. When's the last time you heard of firefighter brutality or fire department corruption, eh?
The nature of their job gives firefighters an automatic edge. They deliberately enter burning buildings to rescue our families and pets. They put themselves at risk to save our homes. The physical nature of their job and the active involvement of their officers right on up to Captain keeps them in decent shape.
Police officers, on the other hand, enforce our "Nanny Culture" in addition to serving and protecting. Too often, I think, our only images of police are pulling people over, setting up seat belt enforcement checkpoints, or cruising the highways hoping to ensnare a victim - particularly at the end of the month (don't we all have suspicions about ticket "quotas"?).
Perhaps if firemen made random house searches and ticket folks for failure to have changed the batteries in their smoke detectors or too many plugs in one outlet, they'd start to fall in our estimation. It is in their role as enforcer of the state's wishes that police lose their heroic shine.
Peaceful protest? There's the force in their riot gear tapping their palms with their clubs. Playing your music a bit too loud at your graduation party? There's the cop showing up telling you to turn it down or else. I've already mentioned the check points - for seat belt usage, for driving under the influence.
Logically I know that the majority of police officers are good hearted, dedicated men and women who genuinely want to keep us safe. George Bush made a big deal about keeping us safe all the years after 9/11 - just because nothing bad happened again. Perhaps that's also a big part of the image problem for police officers - their biggest accomplishment is that because of their presence nothing bad happens to most of us. Unlike George, our police departments keep us safe, we just don't have a good measurement or a visual reminder of that.
I'll try to remember that - but I'll still probably root for the "Heat" at the annual hockey game.
6 comments:
Damn!! I thought you favored firefighters because dear old dad once was one. I thought I'd share a couple of stories to balance the playing field.
In the relatively brief time I lived in Lincoln Square, one of Chicago's delightful neighborhoods, there was this single person that patrolled the avenue on foot. Yes, I said on foot. In doing so, he got to meet the people of the community as they went about their business. He wasn't old but had premature white hair. He was the neighborhood cop. Seeing him there on Licnoln Avenue always gave me a sense of being safe.
Then there was the scandal in Chicago back in the late '50 where a number of firefighters were arrested for grand theft. While putting out fires in homes and businesses, they would snatch whatever caught their eyes. If the fire business was slow then they would light their own, preferably at an appliance store like Polk Brothers. They were caught, jailed, and lost their pensions.
There are lots of good cops, and the ranks of firefighters have their share of ass-holes. That is life.
PoP
As an addendum to my previous post, I just wanted to say that I too root for the Heat.
I's an interesting fact that firemen have bigger balls than their police counterparts. As I understand it, they sell more tickets.
PoP
Thanks, Pop. I'm sure my preference started at a young age.
Don't shoot the messenger but there is just an outside chance that Billy Baldwin and Kurt Russell don't actually represent firefighters.
Hello?
HELLO? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?
As a nurse, I've taken care of a few fire men and over all they don't disappoint, even the older ones. Do a google image search "hot firemen" then do one "hot policemen." It's kind of funny. Big difference.
Now that's a WHOLE new world for a lad with my sheltered upbringing.
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