I work closely with cops in a civilian capacity, and these are things I didn't know.



1) It takes a ton of effort to charge someone with a crime. They don't do it unless they are convinced of guilt or the person made them very angry. Prosecutors typically screen out the latter.



2) Almost all know colleagues who were picked off by a wandering car during a stray traffic stop, or were shot during a "routine" response to a 9-1-1 call or traffic stop. They are keenly aware that they are putting their lives on the line at every stop or call, unsure if the driver or the person who answers the door will be a paranoid schizophrenic with three murder warrants. They would like it if you pulled *way* over to the side of the road or onto a side street, and if they can see both your hands on the wheel as they approach the car.



3) They deal with the most sordid elements of human behavior every day. Substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, people refusing to take responsibility for their actions. This creates a lot of cynicism, but also earns a lot of slack if they don't believe your excuse or seem a little brusque.



4) They see themselves as a unique breed, whom civilians do not understand or appreciate. They are correct.



5) This attitude sometimes encourages destructive solidarity, abuse of power, and lack of accountability.



6) They are experts at making a request sound like a command, which convinces a subject to voluntarily surrender their own rights or provide information that the officer can use to justify probable cause for further action. Even if you committed no crime, this may waste your time, or get you in trouble due to the actions of someone else in your vehicle.