---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Detectives and policemen, as a class, are…"
description: "\"“Detectives and policemen, as a class, are athletic men. They like games and sports and their minds and inclinations are healthy. They make mistakes, o..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/cornelius-willemse-79746_psychology_detectives-and-policemen-as-a-class-are_2026151.jpg"
---

#  Detectives and policemen, as a class, are athletic men…

![“Detectives and policemen, as a class, are athletic men. They like games and sports and their minds and inclinations are healthy. They make mistakes, of course, but they seldom beat a man who doesn't deserve it. I'll admit that when a hold-up mob is brought into court with faces bandaged, it can be…” quote by Cornelius Willemse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/cornelius-willemse-79746_psychology_detectives-and-policemen-as-a-class-are_2026151.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/cornelius-willemse-79746_psychology_detectives-and-policemen-as-a-class-are_2026151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/cornelius-willemse-79746_psychology_detectives-and-policemen-as-a-class-are_2026151.jpg)

> ““Detectives and policemen, as a class, are athletic men. They like games and sports and their minds and inclinations are healthy. They make mistakes, of course, but they seldom beat a man who doesn't deserve it. I'll admit that when a hold-up mob is brought into court with faces bandaged, it can be assumed that all of them didn't fall down stairs or roll off a cell bunk, accidentally. But neither does the hold-up man or the gun pull his trigger accidentally.””

Cornelius Willemse

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Detectives and police are naturally athletic, enjoy competition, and generally act justly; errors occur but intentional harm is rare.

**In simple terms:** Police are fit, enjoy games, and usually act fairly.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the role of intent in actions.

Themes

justice intent human nature law enforcement mistakes

Mood

reflective critical analytical

Type

ethical philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- courtroom trials
- police training
- crime investigations
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

ethics intentionality human behavior

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you consider intent when judging actions?
- How do we balance empathy for accidental errors?

A Different Perspective

Assumes all violent acts are intentional, ignoring accidental harm.

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[Detectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detectives/) [Policemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policemen/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

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