^^ I completely agree with control freak.
I've never been afraid of the police, but then I've wanted to be a police officer since I was about 6 (although it won't be possible now >.<)
I've been detained by them more than once last year, and for quite a long time afterwards I was really on edge every time I saw a police car so I can understand the fears. And when I was in that awful state of mind and the police stopped me, I just completely panic - I think it's something to do with the lack of control over the situation at that time?
And as control freak said, they don't get adequate training in mental health so some people do have very very distressing experiences. And the police have difficulties in general in that area because they're the people on the 'frontline' I suppose - they're not trained mental health professionals but they have to make a decision as to whether you're suffering from a mental disorder based on what they see.
But however scared I have been, the police have been lovely to me on the experiences I've had with them - I had a police officer sit with me on the pavement and just talk to me about something that was going on, a police officer who phoned the Crisis Team for me sat and actually spoke all my answers out loud for while I whispered to him because I was scared of talking, and although they have restrained me before they have been very very gentle about doing it.
I know I've been very lucky because a lot of people have had terrible experiences with the police, but I just wanted to agree with control freak that they can be very very caring and understanding and a lot of them do genuinely want to help. x
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