Should someone who melts down over an Egg McMuffin even be a cop?

[yellowcanine]

Seriously.

[we can do it]

1. NO

[marybourg]

2. Context? Link? Anything?

[LakeArenal]

4. Officer Stacey

[yellowcanine]

6. Google egg McMuffin cop. Sorry, cannot link on phone.

Geezer here.

[Jirel]

3. No.

This is a no brained (as is she).

[dumbcat]

5. No one that wants to be a cop

should be allowed to be a cop.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. No one should be a cop.

[Caliman73]

16. In an ideal world that may be possible in the future, I agree. But we are not there yet.

I would like to see more of the budget spent on mitigating the factors that contribute to desperation, violence, disconnect from the community, etc... that facilitate crime.

If everyone had all of their basic needs met, some luxury and leisure, and meaningful connections to other people, then a lot of crime and violence would likely disappear.

Problem is that is sounds like a utopia.

We do need to focus our efforts on creating that type of environment, but right now, we still need a way to deal with people, like Donald Trump, who have no connection to other human beings, who are greedy and dangerous.

[Caliman73]

8. It is not a binary issue.

The officer didn't necessarily "melt down over an Egg McMuffin". She broke down because of stress and feelings of persecution.

We can certainly have a conversation about her judgement in putting that video on social media, and how that relates to her job, about what her stress levels and coping skills say about her effectiveness as an officer, especially as some mentioned, that she commands civil authority and walks around armed. I can definitely see her being involved in a shooting or brutality incident if she is still on the job without an intervention.

What I disagree with is trivializing the situation to "melts down over an Egg McMuffin".


Let's talk about what happened from the video:

She came off a shift (usually 10 to 12 hours if there aren't any incidents that extend that time)
She was hungry
She said that people have bought or offered to buy her food, so she is used to getting accolades
Currently people are very upset with police, and are likely expressing that to her.
The stupid ass police union guy lied about people "poisoning" officers' food at Shake Shack.

These appear to be the proximal causes that lead to her breaking down and making the video.

Again, that she put it out there, as others have said, was likely a cry for help, although I am sure she meant is more as a cry out to stop being mean to police, to which I say, "Welcome to the life of most women and most minorities EVERYDAY" Except you choose to be a police. You don't choose to be Black, Brown, or a woman.

The conversation we should be having is the one that is happening, about police brutality. AND the other conversation we should be having is about how we as Americans, deal with stress and mental health care. Has she reached out to the department counselors? Probably not, because she would be ridiculed. Mental health is stigmatized and it should not be. Police culture is hyper masculinity culture, which is toxic and should be dealt with.

We are all walking around stressed and mental health services are typically not covered or not covered very much by insurance (if you have insurance).

Anyway. Point is that it is more complicated than just saying she "melted down over an Egg McMuffin". She seriously needs to think about whether she wants to continue being a police officer. She, and her department have an obligation to get her help to deal with her psychological problems if she is to be back out on the streets.

This however, is not an individual problem. She is not the only police officer, or person feeling like she stated. It is a cultural problem. Police culture, Capitalist culture, American culture. We need to have a serious discussion about mental health in this country.

[rownesheck]

10. She can start relieving stress

by speaking out and denouncing that "blue line" horseshit. That is, if she is one that believes it's horseshit.

I don't trust cops and never will unless that crap goes away. It's dangerous.

[Caliman73]

14. Agreed, but have you seen what happens to police who do that?

Not excusing the silence, just saying that it is a difficult position to be in. You are placing your life and your career on the line by coming out against the culture. If it were easy and safe, everyone would be doing it.

Police who have done it, have been left for dead, fired, harassed, etc...

I think it is beyond the ability of the cops inside to fix thing at this point. The system needs to be thoroughly cleaned out and rebuilt to actually serve the community.

[yellowcanine]

12. Well the trigger seemed to be the late egg McMuffin. So I stand by my take on it.

In fact, I believe you made my point. She was on the edge. A late egg McMuffin drove her over the edge. What would happen if she were on a high stress call in that state? Sorry, I don't think I trivialized the situation at all. Police officers need to be resilient. She isn't, clearly.

[Caliman73]

15. You can stand by it. I just disagree.

Social media has been good when catching people do bad things. It has also been a double edged sword when catching people being vulnerable and making poor decisions because we can all jump in and judge from the safety of the other side of the camera.

We don't know everything she is/has been going through. All we saw is the crisis moment. She wasn't being racist, or sexist, or really being objectionable. She was scared and vulnerable. Police officers need to be resilient? What does that even mean? They see some of the worst shit in society and they should take it in stride and not have moments where they are vulnerable?

I am not asking this to shame you or put you on the spot, but if you are working, what is your profession?

I work in a field where I see some pretty bad shit. Sometimes it is difficult for me to deal with emotionally. No I would never make a video like this officer did, but it can get grim. I try to take care of myself. Being in my field I am encouraged to take care of myself, often, very assertively, suggested to take care of myself, as a man, it can sting my sense of masculinity to admit that I am being affected, but I am not denigrated for asking for help.

I do not disagree with you regarding the danger of having someone who is or has become unstable out there with a gun and a badge. I just disagree with the way that the argument if phrased.

We need to not be so quick to say "fuck'em & chuck'em". There are systemic issues that need to be addressed that would prevent the Egg McMuffin meltdown.

There are A LOT of people on the force who DO NOT break down like the officer did, who's snap point, is when they choke someone to death or shoot them, or beat the shit out of them. I am more concerned about those stoic, silent time bombs than I am about one who breaks down and cries.

[Blue_true]

17. I had mixed feelings.

I can see how she would have been concerned about her food. I hope that she reflects and understand why an innocent Black person may be nervous when she and her fellow police officers stops him and her.

I really don't think her emotional moment says anything about whether she should have a gun. I believe she over-thought the situation. She did show a "persecution" complex but there are buttloads of cops walking around with that particular problem, some of them unlike that woman seemed to have been, are seriously dangerous.

[LakeArenal]

9. No. Imagine if she was your brain surgeon.

[Midnight Writer]

11. Somebody this stressed needs to seek professional help.

And the police and public should support that, rather than labeling a mental health issue as a weakness.

[yellowcanine]

13. Point is she was on duty in that state. That is the scary part.

If she is to be a cop on duty she needs to be healthy in every way, including mentally. Not a question of labeling it as a weakness. She is not mentally healthy. She should not be on duty again until that is resolved.

[Raine]

18. No, she's mentally unstable

just the type who shouldn't be allowed a lethal weapon.