Have you ever encountered a police officer who was too aggressive? Maybe you felt like they were trying to intimidate you. Maybe they escalated a situation and wound up arresting you. No matter how it happened, you came away from it with a bad taste in your mouth, feeling like someone who is supposed to serve and protect the public never should have acted that way.
There are many potential reasons why police officers act aggressively. Dealing with alleged criminals all day may make them feel they have to act that way to stay in control, for instance. They may purposely act in an over-aggressive manner to push others around and get their way.
One reason, though, is that the stress of working in this profession can take a toll. Per the Pew Research Center, about 21% of police officers claim their job makes them both frustrated and angry frequently. Another 1% did not feel frustrated frequently, but they did get angry. Yet another 30% said they felt frustrated frequently, though they claimed it did not often make them angry.
In short, the majority of officers had to deal with these emotions a lot of the time. Try as they might to stay civil and in control, that type of constant stress can put them very close to the edge. They may suddenly act out without warning.
If this happens to you, and it results in an arrest, make sure you know what defense options you have. You deserve fair, just treatment, regardless of how the officer you encounter is feeling at the time.
