Saturday morning I couldn’t avoid going to the grocery store. I hate shopping on the weekends. I did get to witness a fascinating, albeit depressing, exchange while in line to pay.

There were some off-duty cops waiting to pay in the next cashier’s lane. They were bragging about how recklessly they drive and how many accidents they’ve been in without ever getting a ticket and how parking is never a problem because they have law enforcement plates. They were one-upping one another about all the things they could get away with because they’re above the law.

I was trying to tune them out so I could catch up with one of my neighbors who was in line ahead of me.

She reached a point where she couldn’t listen to them anymore and she turned to the cops called them on their crap. She gave them a lecture about how they were exhibiting classic sociopathic behavior. She spelled out in no uncertain terms how their belief that they’re entitled to special social privileges and above the law made them a danger to society, not it’s great gift. She also spelled out how their bragging about it demonstrates both their disregard for the safety of others and their lack of shame about their behavior.

The best part?

They then got defensive about what safe drivers they are! The cashiers were desperately trying not to snicker, since we’d all just been treated to a dissertation about their many accidents, speeding stops, and other mishaps. None of those accidents was their fault, of course! And they been trained to drive fast and no one gets hurt by speeding drivers and speeding never causes accidents! And! And! And!

While they defended the tradition of “professional courtesy” and their entitlement to speed my neighbor finished paying and, as she left, advised them that she hoped they never came across her desk while seeking employment in her large Federal agency. Then she gave them her business card. The one that identified her as a mental health professional.

It then got very very quiet.

It was pretty awesome.

Unfortunately, when I left I saw them getting into their (unmarked or personal) vehicles, which they’d parked in the handicapped spots using official business placards.

Updated 5/10 to answer 2 questions. 1) These were not City of Alexandria cops. 2) I had my hands full and couldn’t stop in traffic to take a picture of their cars.