Jersey City can be dangerous, especially for the police but when you hear stuff like this it makes you wonder about the people who are supposed to be "protecting" us.

However, every encounter (albeit I have not had many) I have had with the JC police has been respectful on both ends.

I had a JC police officer (first name Ernie) draw his sidearm (he did not point it at me) as a "joke," pretending to be pissed that I wouldn't deliver an order out to him. He was out of uniform at the time, but his actions were still irresponsible.

I don't know, I find it really hard to believe that officers around here are that quick to draw.

Doesn't suprise me in the least. Customer service across the board, reguardless of department, is not a strong suit (or should I say "doesn't exisit") here in JC.

over the summer there was a group of teenagers sitting on my stoop, smoking and talking and - as far as I could tell - not bothering anyone.

I was getting stuff out of my car and when I approached the stoop and asked them to let me get to the door, they were very polite and jumped out of the way and asked if it was okay that they were hanging out there. I said sure. (I'm on a popular, well-lit corner, and my stoop sees a lot of sitting.)

when I came back out to get to my car, a police cruiser pulled up, and a police woman shouted at the kids through a bullhorn to move along. she didn't bother to get out of the car, just sat there at the corner, bullying them through the window. she's ten feet away, the kids are quiet, and yet the bullhorn is necessary?

I said, "ma'am this is my house, they're fine," and she cut me off by bellowing, "I am NOT talking to you!" and continued badgering the teenagers until they dispersed.

now what the hell did that accomplish? if the kids were actually up to no good, they've simply taken it somewhere less visible. if they were just hanging out and harmless, now they're pissed off and have an axe to grind.

genius police work there, lady.

Not surprised at all.

A few weeks ago I was taken by surprise as I was driving on Wayne St (near the corner of Jersey), see a female police officer get out of her car and approach 2 black males sitting on a stoop with her pistol out of the holster and aimed at the two men as she approached.

That was the first time I saw a pistol aimed at anyone in my 35 years.

As far as I could tell the two men seemed unarmed, yet probably had some type of domestic disturbance.

I guess thats just how JCPD needs to approach situations around here.

this doesn't surprise me at all. the only interactions I've witnessed between JC police and the public have been hostile.

Sounds like something Chief Wiggam would do.

He pulled his gun out? Really? Really?

A neighbor just told me of an incident she witnessed at the above corner in the past half hour. A police car was parked and two police officers were on the sidewalk as a woman walking her dog came by. The woman almost slipped and her dog got away from her running into the park toward other dogs. The police men began screaming at her to gain control of her dog to the point where a man passing by told the two officers it was'nt necessary to scream in that fashion. At that point one of the two pulled out his gun and told him to keep moving. We need to know more about this
because it's scary.