// Consider the Fear and Uncertainty Police Officers Face when called to a residence to respond to domestic violence or stopping someone on the side of the highway //

While there have been a number of high profile, unwarranted shootings of civilians caught on video in the past year, there is little or no publicity of the verbal and physical abuse officers receive from the public. 

Consider the fear and uncertainty when called to a residence to respond to domestic violence or stopping someone on the side of the highway. I work in an emergency room. From time to time, civilians (usually drunk or high) have been brought in after assaulting the police. Most often, after hearing their story, I am amazed at the restraint the police have shown. I have actually said to some patients, "I'm surprised the police didn't shoot you." I'm sorry that a number of people have died, but I have not forgotten the difficult circumstances that police officers work under. Police need more training, but so do civilians. Running away, resisting arrest, challenging their authority ("What did I do?") is the wrong response. 

The next time I am approached by the police I will: be polite, respectfully answer the questions they ask and refrain from asking them questions. There is a time and place to question their decision or complain about their actions. It's not on the side of the road.