Why I hate cops
I've always maintained that I hate cops. It's not because there's corruption in the police force.
It's because they generally do not have the physique to be able to run after robbers when you've just been mugged.
It's because their visible policing seems to be targeting ordinary citizens rather than hunting down rapists and murderers.
It's because when our police officers are patrolling, I feel fear that they will accuse me of some offence rather than make me feel safe.
The reason I hate cops the most today is because of this morning's incident when I was on my way from Sandton to Sunninghill at 4 in the morning. It's cold and dark and being a victim of crime myself, I tend to always err on the side of caution.
When I noticed the police car behind me, flashing their lights, indicating that I needed to stop, I decided that I was going to continue driving to my friend's complex and stop there when it was safe to do so, and then deal with what the cops wanted from me. Many media sources have previously mentioned that we are allowed to drive to a safe destination before stopping for police officers.
This just aggravated the police officers more and they started hooting for me to stop. I didn't know how else to indicate acknowledgement besides switching on my hazards and thereafter sticking my hand out of the window to indicate that I'm turning into the next road.
Eventually the cops just pulled in front of me forcing me to stop. An infuriated police officer got out of the car and grilled me. He yelled at me asking why I wouldn't stop.
I gave my reasons: I'm a girl driving alone in a city where crime is rife; and recently, two sisters were raped by police officers not far from where I was driving - in two separate incidents! I was going to stop when I felt it was safe to do so.
Instead of telling me why they stopped me, the cop continued to yell at me for five minutes telling me that if I am so scared, I should not be driving at night. Interestingly enough, they angrily told me that not stopping when a police officer requests it, is an admission of some guilt and they a liable to shoot at will if they deemed it appropriate! Eventually they drove off without even checking my licence.
And that right there is the reason I hate the police. Because I am more afraid for my safety when cops stop me than I am of being date raped. Because I cannot live my own life for fear of being stopped by cops.
And so, whoever it is that makes our laws and enforces them, if girls driving alone at night can't continue driving to a safe place when we are asked to stop by the police, what are we supposed to do? Submit to being raped by them instead?
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