There have been far too many verbal and physical attacks on our nation’s police officers. This is unwarranted abuse against the majority of police officers who, on a daily basis, go to work and defend the American public. They vow to protect and serve. Those vows are taken quite seriously by a majority of our police forces.
Yes, the brutal deaths of George Floyd and others by bad apples in the police community is not reason to condemn and enforce violence against entire law enforcement agencies. To condemn the majority of our nation’s law enforcement units is blatantly wrong. Of course, there is bereavement of life, but to blame an entire group is not the answer to these problems. It only provides incentive for additional public disorder. The police want to capture the perpetrators, whomever they may be. Although painful to realize that one of their own could perform such evil acts, that will not deter them from completing their duty to arrest of the violators followed by prosecution.
Unfortunately, there are many misguided attorneys general, district attorneys and certain progressive politicians who seem to have prioritized wokeness over law enforcement and public safety — for example, NYC’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Philadelphia’s District Attorney Larry Krasner and others, who have said that some crimes should not be pursued further than arrest and release. This “pick-and-choose” form of justice does not work. They have made grave errors of judgment by returning criminals back to the streets, and are not doing their jobs to benefit and protect America. Police forces require AGs and DAs to do the right thing. If they do not, midterm elections could rectify many of these errors.
We should defend the police and not defund them. Those cities that decided they do not need police protection now realize they should never have excluded law enforcement. Many of these same cities are in the process of reestablishing funding their police departments and expressing thanks for their very presence on their streets.
It would be most appropriate for us and deeply appreciated when seeing a police officer to simply say, “Thank you for your service!” It will mean a great deal to the men and women who have endured much unacceptable animosity and unwarranted anger from people who have wrongfully taken it upon themselves to become judge and jury on the law enforcement agencies desperately needed. May God always bless the United States of America!
Beverly E. Monahan
Dover
