All attention is not the same. Just because someone is hoping that OC can turn into a "teaching opportunity" does not mean that one is "craving" the negative attention of having the police called, getting kicked out of a store, etc.
Also, looking for support from like-minded individuals (even if it's only "support" in the sense of a chance to vent) is part of "just deal with it." I bet there are some really unpleasant/frustrating/annoying parts to being a police officer and I strongly suspect that you sometimes gripe about them with/to other officers. I know that when I was in the military there were unpleasant parts of that and yes, I and most of the others would gripe about them to each other.
There is simply nothing wrong with griping to others of like mind and/or experience when the negatives of any activity rear their heads. It's a way of letting off excess steam, getting reassurance that one is not alone, and basically clearing the decks for the next fray.
.. Still an enjoyable snowy Sunday afternoon read. Happy New year to everyone. 
