Police Respect?

It appears that only in the UK do Police receive any type of training in dealing with the public in a way that will engender respect for respect.  Mostly; particularly in the USA, citizen’s dealings with Police are aggressive and traumatic-and in some instances that includes the victim’s experiences.  Police often wax and wane about how no one respects them any more. I am not surprised. Recently, a reality TV showed some passengers at a Dakota (I think) airport. The passengers were trying to get the airline to fix mistakes that had left many people stranded, exhausted and just wanting to get home.  What I saw on the programme (and remember the producers would have used the most dramatic footage possible) was people been firm about the need for the airline problems to be solved so they could each continue their individual journeys.  I did not see anything that could be taken to be threatening or abusive behaviour towards staff. I should add that staff were standing their ground and refusing to offer assistance to the stranded passengers because of 'airline policy'. Staff called the Police for what was essentially a civil matter-the airline did not honour whatever contract was in place to transport the passengers in a timely fashion from one destination to another.  The Police arrived and were immediately aggressive and abusive towards the passengers-the crime of the passengers; they were standing at the counter in a non-threatening manner repeatedly asking for the counter staff to make the necessary arrangements. Police took no notice of what was going on and immediately assumed the passengers were people acting with the intent to physically harm the staff.  It started with the Police yelling abusively at the passengers - guess which State in the USA I am going to make sure I never travel to; if that is the way the Police treat people involved in a civil dispute I shudder to think what Police would do in a criminal matter.  The point is you get back what you give out. In Australia too many Police have watched too many Police shows and try desperately to act with great authority and importance - which does not create a communicative atmosphere to begin with.  I saw an Australian Police cadet show were a trainee was berated by the lecturers for been 'too pleasant' in a practical exercise which involved arresting someone.  Well, if you can get a person to respond to you without been aggressive and threatening is this not better for them and for you. Who wants to go to work every day and be expected to yell abuse in the name of professionalism? Police educators need to teach old fashioned civility; and then to go to aggressive authoritian behaviour if it is required.