It's just that in the few days I've been playing the meta of the server is quite different to what you would expect from rules. For instance it's nothing weird seeing cops just straight attacking arrestable(orange) suspects even though rules dictate otherwise.
From my personal experience, you are correct, it isn't unusual to see that.
I put it largely down to an unfamiliarity with the rules and the tendency for less experienced players to follow the examples of the more experienced ones.
I'm optimistic that the culture is shifting in a positive direction though.
Most people were very nice and gave me a few tips and payed their tickets but I was also murdered 3 times just trying to give tickets. I also released a guy from jail, then I went outside the PD and I stood AFK for a second because I was eating and the same person I had released from jail killed me outside the PD entrance. As Matthias said, when somebody aims or shoots at you then they get a wanted level, but that also means that they have the advantage of always being able to pull off the first shot before you have time to properly react. Later I was handcuffing somebody and they were able to escape before I could cuff them and they killed me again. I also noticed other cops weren't even bothering with trying to arrest people and they were just flat out killing them because it was safer than trying to arrest them. I know that there's a taser but I haven't tried using it because I very quickly learned my lesson. NEVER BE COP! It really is very discouraging to play as a cop since you are very disadvantaged and you will be getting attacked by anybody who feels like they want to kill you for any reason. Some people in the chat were trying to give me tips and they were telling me that as a cop you should only play in a team or that you should pick your battles carefully. Basically telling me that I need to only try to arrest the easy suspects while the suspects who have weapons are untouchable. I guess that playing as a solo cop is a guarantee death sentence.
Not having a tazer seems like a fundamental error to me especially if you are dealing with ticketing suspects where it's much easier to get close to them with a tazer ready in-case they try to pull anything funny.
The tazer renders the player helpless and free to cuff and if you are dealing with a single suspect it is game-over for them. They can escape cuffs by resisting arrest but it's not too hard to taze them immediately again.
Operating as a cop is definitely challenging - though for me that makes it all the more gratifying when bringing brains to a situation results in a positive outcome.
It isn't for everyone.
The fundamental goal is to arrest the suspect where it is possible - when engaging it's important to read the situation to know how to respond.
The incentive for orange players NOT to shoot you is that it is easier for you both to do a bribe.
Lone suspects are less dangerous and are more likely to give themselves up and be terrible drivers.
Groups are much more dangerous - in cars they will drive-by you and on-foot an innocent player might wait nearby and ambush you whilst you try to arrest their friend.
Having lots of cops to deal with a suspect will improve your odds substantially but solo-cop is viable if you read the situation. As a general rule it you are unlikely to succeed against a large group (and that is no fault of the server's mechanics).
Personally I dislike combat in SAMP and I have often joked that the only player with a lower K/D ratio than me is the Vault Guard.
Some cops use excessive unjustified lethal force - which is against the rules.
Some people kill cops without a valid reason - which is also against the rules.
This. I love the idea behind the script with cuffing and even escorting suspects to jail for bonus but as things stand now, there's no real practical application for it.
I like how the server encourages teamplay but I think something should be done so solo copping is more viable option or at least you dont just get shot down by anyone who feels like it.
Just feels a bit too "teamdeathmatchy" to me, but if that's what server administration is after, I respect that. Just giving my tree fiddy.
You'll soon learn the people that are most likely to shoot at cops - it is usually one of the regulars.
I guess it's possible your experience was different to mine - personally I am more likely to solo-cop or only play with close-friends because other cops have a habit of taking down suspects when it is viable (and sometimes even less risky) to use a tazer/revive in order to get a successful arrest. Sometimes they flagrantly break the rules which is frustrating to be complicit in too.
Right now I think the server mechanics have a good balance - more serious and it'd be too restrictive and boring & less serious and it'd be "GTA SA Police Drive-by Simulator 2021" .
The issues that are being complained about are a part of the server's culture - regulars like to team-up and shoot at cops trying to ticket/arrest them.
In response you can team up with lots of cops and over-run their militia which is a lot of fun to do too.
I couldn't argue that cops are "unpopular" though - it is simply that the ratios vary over time. Sometimes there is only one or two cops online and other times they make up 2/3 of the active players.
