Throwing stones

OK a quick quiz for folks.

Who here goes to the doctor and tells him how to perform surgery?

Anyone?

How about when you go to the mechanic? Do you tell him how to fix your car, or just what the problem is and let him fix it how he's been trained?

Heck, what about at the fast food joint - do you walk in back and run the grill for the cook?

I didn't think so.

Yet, without fail, not a shift goes by that SOMEONE doesn't tell me how to do my job. Usually someone with absolutely no knowledge of police work, the legal system or anything else beyond what they saw on Cops or Law and Order the week before...

Saw it working the race the other day - 50,000 fans all trying to get out at one time, along with another 20,000 trying to get in the same gates for the next race. Who gets blamed for the parking and traffic issues, and told every idea in the book to make it go better? Not the parking people whose job it is, not the NASCAR and track officials - nope, every cop working the site to help keep the crowds under control. Because I have the magical ability to listen to your drunk idea, interpret it into logic, and implement it for all of those thousands of people in order to make things flow smoothly for you - you are more special then everyone else after all...

You see it on traffic stops all the time - "Why are you hassling me when that person was doing X?" or "I can't believe I'm getting stopped for this when you guys should be dealing with the real criminals." Nevermind the fact that these are the same people who gripe to all their friends when someone else is breaking those same traffic laws.

Some of my favorites show up when you actually arrest someone. Then they, and every street lawyer friend of theirs, knows all the procedures, laws and everything else which apply. You run into the fun lines like:

• "You can't arrest me for this."

• Ummm I just did. How are those cuffs working out for you?

or

• "You never read me my rights, this is going to get thrown right out."

• I'm not asking you questions Sparky, I don't have to read you your rights...

and of course, the DUI favorite

• "But I passed all those tests, you can't arrest me."
  

• Yeah if that was the case you'd be in YOUR car driving home, not mine riding to jail...

and, the #1 winner in both frequency and utter uselessness

• "I know/am/am related to so-and-so, and when this is done I'm going to have your job."

• Yeah, can't tell you how many times I've heard that one - and I'm still gainfully employed.
  

And of course, one thing I love with all of these times people tell me how to do my job... when they get to court about 99% of them plead guilty without even fighting it, especially once they talk to their lawyers and find out how wrong they are...

Anyway, not much of a rant, just something that's been on my mind lately since it's been happening more and more. I figure it happens to most of us on the job - thoughts?