COPS!
Ain't it funny how we hate those $#@% cops until we need them
There has been a lot of talk for a long time about the various police forces that serve this community and about the quality of people we have standing behind those badges.
We seem to forget that only one man ever walked this earth in perfection. Instead, we measure every person but ourselves against our image of perfection and cry foul when we catch anyone who we feel doesn't fit the bill. Even worse, we judge entire races, religions and professions poorly by what we perceive as imperfection in a few individuals.
A police officer, like every other person, is still just a person. There is no machinery or microprocessor behind that badge that forces him to make all the right decisions, thank God. Instead, he must use experience and judgement. Sometimes in a very short time to make a decision.
When we make a mistake we demand to be excused for human error. If a police officer makes a mistake we shout it from the rooftops.
How horrible would our lives be if it were not for the men and women we ask to accept small pay and risk life and limb to fight our battles for us every day?
If they get assaulted on the job, we consider it part of the job. If they hit back, then it is police brutality. If they speed down the road, we cry foul and accuse those dirty cops of thinking they are above the law. Yet when it is we who are in trouble, they never seem to get here fast enough.
We take our lunch and coffee breaks at work almost religiously, but if a cop sits down at a diner or convenience store for one minute longer than it takes us to pump our gas, well then, "there's a prime example of our tax dollars at work!"
We kick and scream when they ask for money to hire more officers, or for overtime pay, or even just for a fair living wage. Then we accuse them of not doing their jobs when we become data for the latest crime statistics.
We complain that the cops and the laws only protect the criminals, but if we or our children are the ones caught standing on the wrong side of the law, then all of our rights have been violated and "that's unconstitutional!"
The truth is our police force is highly trained, and what they lack in number they make up for in quality. Society without them would be total chaos, and each of us owes them a great debt of gratitude. Not to mention a wage that does not qualify them for food stamps.
The majority of us in this slightly less-than-perfect world, sleep safely in our beds. We travel to and from work without posting sentries in our homes, and we are free to walk the streets without fear because of these brave men and women.
Perhaps, instead of seeking every opportunity to find fault, we should be finding ways to help them fill the gaps caused by a severe lack of manpower.
Maybe also, just every once in a while, we should stop and say hello or express thanks while we are walking in to pay for our gas or sodas. We may be surprised to find a friend who just wants a safe community to raise kids and pursue dreams and hobbies the same as we do.
Most of all, our legislature needs to make sure that the wages for our troopers reflects a little more competitiveness so that we can continue to attract the best of the best.