I was out vacation the past week or so! I was not connected. Was not able to get the real news! When you are on a cruise ship they have limited channels to watch. I always pass on watching anything on FOX News. Most of the time, they frustrate me with their commentary on anything.
When I got the news of what was going on with police shootings and the Dallas shooter killing police. It hit home. Some of my family were police officers. Many of my friends are police officers. I went to college for law enforcement – and was an MP Officer in the US Army. Watching all of the commentary I have just a few things that I remember growing up.
When an officer says “Put your hands up,” then put your hands up! Don’t reach for something in your pocket, your lap, your seat. There’s plenty of reason for a police officer to feel threatened, there have been multiple assaults and ambushes on police officers lately. Comply with requests from the officer, have your day in court. Don’t mouth off, or fight, or refuse to comply… that escalates the situation.
Police officers are our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. They’re black, white, brown, all colors, all ethnicity, all faiths, male and female, they are us. They see the worst side of humanity… the raped children, the bloody mangled bodies of traffic victims, the bruised and battered victims of domestic violence, homicide victims, body parts… day after day. The stories I could tell!!!
They have extensive training, but they are human. With everything going on – they are now targets. That would put anyone on edge. When a police officer encounters any person, whether at a traffic stop, a street confrontation, an arrest, whatever… that situation has the potential to become life threatening. You, Mr & Mrs/Miss Joe Public, also have the responsibility of keeping the situation from getting out of control.
It’s not the police who need to be retrained, it’s the public. We have grown into a mouthy, cell phone wielding, vulgar, uncivil society with no personal responsibility and the attitude of ‘it’s the other person’s fault’, ‘you owe me’. A society where children grow up with no boundaries or knowledge or concern for civil society and personal responsibility.
If you want to protect your child, teach them respect… for themselves, for you as a parent, for their teachers, for police officers. Police officers do not make the laws, they merely enforce them. If you don’t like the law, be proactive in the political process. The police officer doesn’t have, or want, the role of judge and jury.
If you get a speeding ticket… were you speeding? I know from each of my speed tickets – I was speeding. Don’t blame the cop if you broke the law. Go to court, pay the fine, don’t do it again or expect to get another ticket.
It’s easy to judge! It is harder to look within oneself and see what your role should be as a citizen, as a responsible person seeing both sides of the issue.
Image via – Copyright: tristan3d / 123RF Stock Photo
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