The recent news story of a 20 year old deputy going postal at a party killing a handful of people made me think of writing this. The party seemed to be mixed one as young as 14 and another person 21.

Anyways, I just remember being in downtown the other day and there were two cops guarding a popular night spot. They looked like kids. My wife and I were shocked. We are only 32 years old but these guys look no older than 21.

I think there should be an age limit. Maybe 21? Or maybe an extended period of mentoring where the younger guys have to ride with a veteran for a longer period of time.

I always thoughts cops and teachers should get paid about double what they make. But they need to make being a cop or teacher harder. And by no means is that a slight to cops or teachers. There work is important and they are the most underpaid employees out there.

I agree, Jorge. It appears that the kid who did the shooting never had a psychological evaluation, either. Being a police officer carries so much responsibility and is really stressful. If this kid couldn't handle being dumped by his girlfriend and then being teased about it, he sure wasn't ready to be a cop.

I thought there was one. I may be way off, but I thought in CT you had to be 21. Ah, I'm probably wrong.

I do agree with this though: "If you're old enough to go to war at 18, you're old enough to drink, be a cop, smoke cigerettes, etc.". Now the question I guess on that is, is 18 too young to go to war?

Honestly the older I get, the more in favor of raising age limits for various things I become. I actually think that it's absurd that 18 year olds can vote. I don't really think most people these days are really grown up enough at that point to be making serious decisions.

I agree with all of you. EDE, I think it's crazy 16 year olds can drive in my state. I hope before my daughter is 16 they change it to 18.

As for the voting? I am torn about that one. An age limit? How about a test! I think people should have to earn a licence for everything...including having kids.

Ok, now I sound like a fascist but maybe some kind of reward system for those who do things the right way.

Well they do have tests for drivers licences.

And they used to have literacy tests for voters. Of course they were actually used to keep black people from voting.

Back to cops. Don't they as a profession have one of the highest, if not the highest, rate for suicide? Mandatory psych evaluations for cops, initially and on going, would probably be a good thing.

I don't know if you remember, but in the south during the post-reconstruction days, they used to have a literacy test for people to register to vote.

It's a fairly dark point in American history. I don't know that I would want to go back to it.

I would probably be in favor of changing the voting age to 21 at this point, since socially, that seems to be the end range of adolescence these days. People do stay kids longer.

Though, not to go back on my last statement, it would be good to point out that we are all (in general) seeing this issue from the point of view of what is beginning to emerge in the country as a technological aristocracy. An 18-year-old car mechanic with 2 kids to support might feel very differently.

Sorry, Quis. I just reiterated what you said in my first statement.

No apology necessary.

Well poor uneducated people voting then leads to another thread...manipulation of the poor.

Voting at 21? I can dig it.