Metro Police officer in surgery after being shot

I'll bite.

Define "heroic acts"

I'm a member of an emergency services family (not police) and I can honestly say I've never come in contact with any police officer that called themselves a hero. I've never seen any cops here call themselves that, either. Have they referred to officers shot or killed in the line of duty as such? Yes. But I, along with many other citizens, consider someone dying in the line of duty (whether a soldier, firefighter, police officer, doctor in a foreign country) a heroic act and therefore the title is appropriate. I know nothing will change your mind, but you are just as misinformed as you are claiming these officers here to be. Now this isn't to say there are no cops that consider themselves "heroes" just because of a uniform, but no more than other egotistical men or women in any other profession. Some people are just conceited, no matter what they do for a living.

I also don't think cops demand respect any more than any other human being. I don't find it egomaniacal to want to be treated decently. Your opinion on that is a little immature though. I don't think respect is necessarily earned. Should it be? Sure. But as an adult, I have learned to treat everyone with respect, whether they earn it from me or not. That's part of not being a child anymore and demanding childish needs be met by everyone you come in contact with. I was taught to respect everyone, but especially those in authority (teachers, bosses, cops pulling me over). I know the difference between taking no unwarranted sh** and dishing out unwarranted sh**. You clearly don't. You will always follow the party line on this and judge one and all the same, and that's really unfortunate because there are some really great cops protecting this city.