Law enforcement officers are public servants, not public enemies.

As we went about our day yesterday, we found that yet another law enforcement officer had lost his life in the line of duty by gunfire. According to the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund this marks the 35th officer killed in the line of duty so far in 2018, a 26% increase from this time in 2017, when a total of 43 officers lost their lives from gunfire.

One would think that a 26% increase in murders would make the news and would have people protesting in the streets, but not when the victims are law enforcement officers.

Despite millions of police-citizen contacts every day, violent encounters are a small percentage of those interactions, and fatalities are statistically rare. We are well-trained, dedicated officers who make split-second, sometimes life-and-death decisions every day that affect not only our lives but the lives of others. These decisions take into account the particular situation, the rule of law, as well as the threats to law enforcement officers and the community that we are sworn to protect. Race, gender, nationality, or political party do not impact these decisions.

Across the country, political concerns, media bias, and racial tensions have significantly impacted how policing is currently perceived. Never mind that crimes had occurred to bring the police into these situations in the first place. Lately, it seems that politicians, public figures, and members of the media do not want to be bothered with the facts; they would rather disseminate half-truths and distortions in order to tell the story they have decided they want to tell and put our lives in even more danger.

There is nothing wrong with the way that police do their jobs across this great nation. It is true that no department is perfect, but we are all human and humans make mistakes. We have a vested interest in the communities that we police and try to work with community leaders to build strong bonds of trust.
Law enforcement officers across this nation do great things every day for the communities that they police. Whether it be mentoring neighborhood children, buying groceries for a family in need, stopping by a kids lemonade stand to buy a cup of lemonade, or working security at a school event and dancing with a child who has special needs to make them feel included. Law enforcement officers are kind and compassionate and most of all are human. Unfortunately those stories are lost in news and social media.
Politicians should focus on the issues like funding community programs, improving education, increasing mental health resources, and strengthening our public safety instead of creating Ad Hoc Commissions and Citizen Review Panels to micromanage and second-guess dedicated police officers.

Ask your politicians when was the last time you truly surveyed your constituents and asked them how your police officers are serving their community and if they had any true concerns, instead of listening to the less than 1% who are the squeaky wheel.

It is sad that law enforcement officers are hated for what they represent. They are the defenders of the freedom and the enforcers of laws here at home that you get to enjoy on a daily basis. As law enforcement officers, we deal with being cursed at, assaulted and seeing people at the absolute worst times in their lives. We are also expected to switch that off at the end our shifts to go home to our families and friends and act like nothing ever happened.

I only wish that the media, public figures, and politicians would educate themselves on the good job our law enforcement officers do day in and day out so that Americans can have the lives they do and express their constitutional rights afforded to them each day.

Ponder these facts: 35 law enforcement officers have lost their lives to gunfire so far this year defending yours, and 73 officers have taken their own lives.

Where is the outcry?

Enough is Enough!

Law enforcement officers are public servants, not public enemies.