Cop to skateboarder: Don't call me dude.

That officer needs something uncomfortable, and possibly feral, housed in his ass.

 

Is there anything wrong with calling a police officer "dude"?
Is there any reason why the guy shouldn't have just just let it go?

 

It is disrespectful, I guess. But all the cop needed to say was, "Could you please not call me 'dude' because I find it extremely disrespectful." The kid might have cooled it or he might have kept it up to be a prick. But I'm willing to bet if the cop treated the kids like people -- not subservient beings -- they would have responded to his liking.

 

It's hard to believe that after more than a decade in a half on the skateboard beat, DUDE hasn't picked on anyone else.

 

The cop was wrong in the end, but...

You never call an adult dude.

Not your teacher
Not your coach
Not your preacher
Not a police officer
Not a guy stocking shelves at the Food Lion

Easy rule of thumb to follow.

Man and just their last name (What's up, Knight?) are not acceptable either.

Sir and mister work wonders, as does ma'am.

 

I'm an adult. People call me "Dude" every now and then. It doesn't bother me.
Some might say it's because of a lack of self esteem and that I don't feel I'm worthy of more respect. I prefer to think it's because I don't take myself too seriously.
Officer Dude took himself too seriously.
No harm would have come if he just let it go.

 

dude, while you might be older than the hills, i'm not a kid.

 

Three letters that strike fear in every cop's heart.
F. O. I.

 

Kid was a smartass.
Got what he deserved.

 

Very wrong.

EDIT: Just to clarify. Yes, it's inappropriate to call a policeman "dude." Cops should be addressed as "sir" or "ma'am" or at the very least, "officer." Kid should have been corrected- a stern but simple correction would have sufficed. Kid did not "deserve" to be on the shit end of that prick's temper tantrum, which was utterly unprofessional and way more infantile that the kid saying "dude."

 

Yeah? Was told to stop skating.
Didn't.
You get what you deserve.

 

Glad you feel that way. Our society clearly needs more displays of hysterical authoritarianism in utterly petty contexts. People get what they deserve.