As of late, domestic violence and the NFL seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. But there’s another profession that has a much higher incidence of domestic abuse. And that profession? Police officers:
Several studies have found that the romantic partners of police officers suffer domestic abuse at rates significantly higher than the general population. … As the National Center for Women and Policing noted in a heavily footnoted information sheet, “Two studies have found that at least 40 percent of police officer families experience domestic violence, in contrast to 10 percent of families in the general population.
But what’s even more upsetting is that the abusers are rarely disciplined. According to a New York Times article, police officers are more likely to be fired for a positive marijuana test than abusing a significant other. And with a track record like that, how are people supposed to feel that their own domestic abuse cases will be handled properly?
Team Blackness also discussed the decline of Stop-and-Frisk in New York City, the trials and tribulations of dating, and how much money it takes to be considered part of the top 1% for wealth in your state.
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JeremyH
Shocking, yet at the same time profoundly unsurprising. Sigh.
Paul in KY
The kind of jerk who likes becoming a cop, many times doesn’t stand for any mouthyness from any close relative. Very sad that they can get away with that shit.
MoeLarryAndJesus
And I’ll bet the numbers for prison guards are even worse.
Eric U.
I have a policeman/neighbor who verbally abused his wife and kids before they left him. I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t go further than that.
Here in Pennsyltucky, we are surrounded by prisons. Only time I got to see one of the guards in action was at jury selection. He kept getting out of serving on a jury because he said he would find the defendant guilty no matter what the facts. The judge was somewhat shocked, but let him off each time. Dunno why they kept calling him up. I was a little indignant I am paying his salary for any number of reasons.
Rosalita
This. My godmother’s husband was NYPD and alcholic in 70s. He threatened to kill her once. She came to our house, pregnant and three young kids in tow. There wasn’t a damn thing she could do except leave the house and go to her friend.
Fast forward to now, he has been sober for decades and their relationship is good, but the damage has certainly been done.
Bob In Portland
Police and thieves, scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition.
CONGRATULATIONS!
@MoeLarryAndJesus: I was playing a gig in Ocean Beach (San Diego) back in 1988 and my guitar player invited his cousin along. Warned me the fellow was a bit psycho but fun. He was a guard at the local jail.
Some drunk douche started asking for Skynrd and then just started heckling. No big. I’ve dealt with that before. What I had not dealt with before was guitar player’s cousin getting up, flashing a badge, and jamming a pistol into the guy’s face and telling him “one more sound and I’ll blow your fucking head off, and yes I’m a cop”.
Now I know most entertainers have fantasized about something like this happening to a heckler, but what happens in real life is that everyone leaves hurriedly and the owner tells you you’re done, and no, you won’t be coming back tomorrow night.
Anecdote does not equal data but I’ve heard of other guards pulling this kind of shit as well. I would be terrified every day for the safety of any family member of mine had they married a guard or cop. Which fortunately hasn’t happened.
catclub
Heck, there was a 60 Minutes episode on the murder of a woman by her deputy sheriff husband.
He got promoted, the ones who tried to get a real investigation going got fired – they were the enemy.
It was in Florida.
Heliopause
Most of them.
Tone In DC
Elon, keep up the great work.
I know this domestic violence information needs to be out there, if for no other reason to let the general public know who they might be dealing with, it is still depressing as hell to read.
Villago Delenda Est
You know, it’s looking more and more like the Rolling Stones were right about cops.
Villago Delenda Est
@Bob In Portland: Please do not leave the merchants of death out of your equation.
mclaren
Everyone knows this, and I’ve pointed it out many times on this forum, to the rage and hysteria and frenzy of the many bully-worshipers who infest this website.
Police officers are bullies. The guys who crush turtles with hammers and drown kittens and set dogs on fire and push smaller kids’ heads into toilets until they pass out always become police officers when they graduate high school.
Military recruits are also born bullies. Ditto the muggers with badges who join the DHS.
Authoritarian bully-worshipng sadists all. So why is anyone surprised when returning vets shoot their wives and kids, or police officers beat their children with baseball bats, then get away with it because of the code of silence that protects all rapists and muggers with badges?
America’s police and soldiers are the sociopaths who weren’t bright enough to get away with becoming serial killers. End of story.
Matt
Still waiting for the news talking heads to start calling on police leaders to “reject the culture of violence” that has taken over our police forces… ;)
Mike in NC
Back in the early 80s I was invited to the home of a guy who worked as chief of guards at San Quentin. Afterwards I figured it was a job only a psycho would want.
MCA1
Funny, I didn’t even need to read the post. I just read the title and said “Cops.”
MrSnrub
When I was in 5th grade, our neighbor across the street was a cop. His wife committed suicide by apparently shooting herself squarely in the back.
Juicy J
Cops don’t get arrested for domestic violence, either.
hawaiinewsnow.com/story/26502322/police-investigate-alleged-assault-by-hpd-officer-caught-on-video
The Fat Kate Middleton
I’m old. I learned what Elon is saying back in the ’60’s- thanks to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers. I was a close friend with a co-worker AND a neighbor married to a cop. We heard the cries and blows next door, and I saw her come into work with bruises and injuries, all caused by
“accidents”. My husband and I tried to turn him in, and were told that our lives would be made hell if we pursued this. I saw, as a teacher, little bullies and druggies of the worst kind suddenly “find God” (or whatever), and end up eventually on the local police force. I made the mistake of engaging in peaceful demonstrations, and being pushed around and threatened in a city that was supposedly one of the most progressive of my state. And yet … and yet … I now have a wonderful neighbor who is a former police officer and Marine, who is the gentlest, most caring and kind person you would want to know, and met another police officer who was so concerned about our teenage foster child who took our car without permission, and nearly totaled it (no injuries, thank FSM!), that he talked us out of filing any charges. But I do know this … things that were bad back in the late ’60’s are worse. I can’t make any similar judgement about the things that were good. Despite my age and experience, I have no real wisdom to contribute here.
John Revolta
@MrSnrub: This, of course, is why women shouldn’t be allowed to fool with guns. They’ll shoot their own eyes out!
jame
Violent professions’ violence bleeds over into domestic life. Professional football and police are part of the triumvirate that includes the military.
PNW_WarriorWoman
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