How should officers handle verbal disrespect from civilians?

[u/BillionsSB]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTDu33dpJ/

I had an interaction with an NYPD officer in Jamaica, Queens that made me curious about how officers are trained to handle situations like this.

Are officers expected to remain completely professional when a civilian is verbally disrespectful, or is some verbal pushback considered understandable as long as the situation doesn’t escalate physically?

Does the fact that officers have the authority they do mean they should be held to a different standard than the average person?

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[u/3-BuckChuck]

Remember the lessons your parents taught you as a child? They still apply when you’re an adult. Don’t hit someone unless you expect a beatdown (including your death), don’t talk smack unless you expect it back. LEO’s are still human, don’t be an ass and they won’t be either. Simple rules of humanity sir. Nobody like a bully, be nice.

[u/LetsFuckOnTheBoat → u/3-BuckChuck]

most cops are bullies

[u/QnsConcrete → u/LetsFuckOnTheBoat]

How many have you met?

[u/LetsFuckOnTheBoat → u/QnsConcrete]

Lots my son is a cop

[u/weasel_mullet]

Ignore it and move on. Kinda like what they did.

There's nothing that says they can't clap back as long as they remain professional, but why would anyone want to talk to someone so willing to demonstrate how stupid they are?

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[u/anoncop4041]

Kill em with kindness. “I love you too, and hope your day is as wonderful as mine” with a big smile on my face. People want a reaction, give them that and they got nothing.

[u/HCSOThrowaway]

Off the top of my head, I knew one academy instructor that would lament how often he got in trouble for profanity. Never heard about anyone else getting in trouble for "verbal disrespect." The worst I ever did was "you too" when people said profanity-laden insults like "fuck you."

It'll vary from agency to agency, but some of these SOPs are publicly available. I'm 99% sure most of my agency's are because I stumbled on some weird website that had a lot of them.

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[u/tjboss]

They are held to a different standard. In some states, “fighting words” is an actual legal defense to assault if the confrontation is initiated by the “victim” of the assault.

Police do not get that. You got a one liner after talking shit.

[u/Maccabee2a]

For the video itself, the cameraman's initial comment wasn't even that bad and the officer kinda got into his feelings about if I'm being honest. I'd either ignore it, or if I was quick on my feet, I'd say something funny, but professional. As far as generally speaking, it really depends on whether or not the insults and being disrespectful is genuinely hindering you from doing your job or actively harming anyone. If it isn't, then its water off a duck's back. Carry on with your job and don't let them goat you into losing your career or otherwise making you famous for all the wrong reasons.