Do police officers always make the correct decision? Let’s answer that with a question, “Do citizens always make the correct decision?” The answer to both is easy, “No.” Just the presence of an authority figure in uniform, with the power of arrest, the authority to use force and even deadly force often is the result of a wrong decision being made by a citizen.
Tensions step up to the next level during a family dispute once the third party involved is the police. There is nothing new or surprising in that. Ohio law requires a police officer be pro-arrest in a domestic violence situation or explain why and be subject to civil liability should an arrest not be made and somebody eventually is hurt or murdered which could have been prevented had one person gone to jail. At least prevented temporarily.
The police department in a community is a reflection of the community itself. A community dominated by apartment complexes is going to have a population of young couples starting their lives and looking to find themselves. Often the choices they make are not wise in that alcohol, drugs, large numbers of other young people draws the ire of the neighbors and then the police arrive and more poor choices are made.
Some young drunks want to fight. Others want to get to their car and leave so as not to be arrested and drive off drunk or high. The police are obligated to step in and stop all the illegal activity. The original dispatch may send one or two officers to the scene of a loud party with subjects fighting in the parking lot. As the arriving officers realize they are outnumbered, more back up is called for and eventually we have a chaotic situation of young people not making good choices taking on the police who are using too much force in the foggy eyes of inebriated people who when sober would not even think of taking on the police.
The community where a small group of people sit in the back yard by a camp fire, having a few beers with friends will result in no arrests when the police arrive and ask them to keep it quiet for the neighbors. The community populated by drug dealers, thieves and miscreants are going to draw the attention of the law enforcers more often and by the very nature of how the community responds to the LEO, determines the amount of force used by those who are in the way of lawlessness, or what we have been labeled as “The thin blue line.”
When the community itself turns against those it hires to be that thin blue line, then that community will have chaos, anarchy and lawlessness. The police are not there to cause chaos, anarchy and lawlessness, they are people sworn to fight that. I like to say it is the eternal battle of good versus evil.
The overall attitude of the community is what determines the actions taken by their protectors. And I see it happening right here in Miami County. Good people in the county are stepping up to help drug addicts fight the chemical that has taken over and ruined so many lives and families.
People are having free lunch outings for the police. Food, sweets and thank you letters are coming in police stations which usually only happens around Christmas. Citizens are approaching uniformed LEO’s and thanking them, the same as they do for uniformed military members.
I myself have been the recipient of anonymous citizens paying for my breakfast at the restaurant. I still get a little embarrassed when a person thanks me for my service. I have even had good people thank my wife for her support of me over the decades on the job.
So think to yourself what kind of community you want to live in. You are the community. If you say something derogatory to the uniform, since you don’t know the person wearing it, you are the kind of community nobody wants to associate with. If you just nod your head and say hello to an officer, you are the kind of community that makes people feel good, starting with yourself and the officer. That is why when I see an older person wearing a hat indicating they served on a ship or in a certain branch of the military I at least thank them. If I have time I will ask about their experiences and often hear the pride of having served and done something good for very little thanks.
Your community and the type of police you have starts with you. Decide what kind of community you want to live in and be a part of. After all, your children and grandchildren will become a part of that very same community.
