--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only people who distrust the cops are…" description: "\"The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no inheren..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png" --- # The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're… ![“The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no inherent situation where cops are deliberately out there harassing people.” quote by Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png) > “The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no inherent situation where cops are deliberately out there harassing people.” [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. General distrust of police stems from personal bias; most officers are not intentionally harassing. **In simple terms:** People often distrust cops because of personal bias. Key Takeaway Recognize bias before judging. Themes trust bias law enforcement justice Mood critical thoughtful Type social commentary When to use this quote - community policing - public discussions - policy reform Key Concepts stereotyping systemic issues personal experience Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance acknowledging bias with addressing real misconduct? - What steps improve police-community trust? A Different Perspective The statement may downplay systemic issues and isolated incidents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) [Innocent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) ## Related quotes > [The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-people-i-distrust-most-are-those-who-want-to-improve-our-lives-2/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The mainstream media today has the biggest disconnect with its audience that it's ever, ever had. And as the disconnect grows and as more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-mainstream-media-today-has-the-biggest-disconnect-with-its/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [While these attitudes are more visible when directed at government, there is ample evidence that many working people distrust their own union as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-teeter/while-these-attitudes-are-more-visible-when-directed-at-government/) [Robert Teeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-teeter/) > [I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the government, to assume because a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-the-nature-of-a-democracy-that/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-people-i-distrust-most-are-those-who-want-to-improve-our-lives/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [We need the cops, especially in the black community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-need-the-cops-especially-in-the-black-community/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I respect and admire what cops do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-respect-and-admire-what-cops-do/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-if-you-fight-back-things-go/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [You bomb ISIL. You're not trying to bomb innocent people. And that requires intelligence and confidence in our military to be able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-bomb-isil-you-re-not-trying-to-bomb-innocent-people-and-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [We're not going to cure terrorism and spread peace and goodwill in the Middle East by killing innocent people, or I'm not even saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-re-not-going-to-cure-terrorism-and-spread-peace-and-goodwill-in/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Innocent? Is that supposed to be funny? An obese man... a disgusting man who could barely stand up; a man who if you saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doe/innocent-is-that-supposed-to-be-funny-an-obese-man-a-disgusting-man/) [John Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doe/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Miss Ellis?" Mrs. Perterson says. "It's your turn. Introduce Alex to the class" "This is Alejandro Fuentes. When he wasn't hanging out on street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/miss-ellis-mrs-perterson-says-it-s-your-turn-introduce-alex-to-the/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) ## More by Charles Barkley > [What bothers me the most are the Republicans and the Democrats: they act like little kids. They are lying to real people out here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/what-bothers-me-the-most-are-the-republicans-and-the-democrats-they/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I think people got more common sense than people give 'em credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-think-people-got-more-common-sense-than-people-give-em-credit-for/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I played against him (Wilkins) in college. Getting nominated with him, that's pretty cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-played-against-him-wilkins-in-college-getting-nominated-with-him/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everybody in the world has an ego. The only difference between us is we have a reason to have an ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everybody-in-the-world-has-an-ego-the-only-difference-between-us-is/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [There's no medical term for what I've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/there-s-no-medical-term-for-what-i-ve-got/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [One of the reasons I don't trust the media is you can't have a double standard for guys you like and dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/one-of-the-reasons-i-don-t-trust-the-media-is-you-can-t-have-a-double/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm no role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-no-role-model/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I just wish all these young black kids would realize how significant it is to stop acting a fool out there, killing each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-just-wish-all-these-young-black-kids-would-realize-how-significant/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I wish the American public wasn't so stupid if they realized that half the people on television make a living just to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-wish-the-american-public-wasn-t-so-stupid-if-they-realized-that/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If a guy drew a charge on me, I tried to kick him in the balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-a-guy-drew-a-charge-on-me-i-tried-to-kick-him-in-the-balls/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Golf is fun - until you hit somebody in the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/golf-is-fun-until-you-hit-somebody-in-the-head/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If you get a chance to play with great players, that's half the battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-you-get-a-chance-to-play-with-great-players-that-s-half-the-battle/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everything gets blamed on the Clintons, every single thing in this world. I think Bill Clinton shot JFK, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everything-gets-blamed-on-the-clintons-every-single-thing-in-this/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-not-a-role-model-just-because-i-dunk-a-basketball-doesn-t-mean-i/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [We, as black people, we have a lot of crooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-as-black-people-we-have-a-lot-of-crooks/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) [Explore all 263 Charles Barkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## More Cops quotes > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) Deyth Banger > [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [I can't understand why culture cops try and impose their brand of morality on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/i-can-t-understand-why-culture-cops-try-and-impose-their-brand-of/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I remember my first run-in with cops. It took me really getting to hang, well after that, with cops who were cool, and realizing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-remember-my-first-run-in-with-cops-it-took-me-really-getting-to/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [I've definitely run from the cops in the New York City subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-ve-definitely-run-from-the-cops-in-the-new-york-city-subways/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [“Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, watcha gonna do when they cut your wiener,” Gavin sang as he pointed his gun at random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-sivec/bad-boys-bad-boys-whatcha-gonna-do-watcha-gonna-do-when-they-cut-your/) [Tara Sivec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-sivec/) > [The BET definition of a humanitarian is someone who perpetuates a war on cops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/the-bet-definition-of-a-humanitarian-is-someone-who-perpetuates-a-war/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/there-s-one-overriding-issue-namely-that-we-live-in-a-police-state-so/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I'm the black sheep in a family of cops. I understand how difficult the job is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/i-m-the-black-sheep-in-a-family-of-cops-i-understand-how-difficult/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [If you feel your rights are being abused by the authorities, and you don't say something, sometimes the cops don't know how far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/if-you-feel-your-rights-are-being-abused-by-the-authorities-and-you/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) [Browse all 352 Cops quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no inherent situation where cops are deliberately out there harassing people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Barkley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cops" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/charles-barkley-1266_cops_the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-ar_3223354.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people…” — Charles Barkley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Barkley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only people who distrust the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```