OPINION: Police Are A Needed And Valuable Part Of All Communities
In the past 18 months or so there has been a significant backlash against law enforcement on social media and even some major media sites. Terms like "defund the police" are being thrown about and cities like Minneapolis are "reimagining" what the role of police should be in their cities.
I believe that the police play a very important, vital and necessary role in our everyday lives. They are regular people like you and me who decided to dedicate their lives to making sure we are as safe as possible.
Don't believe me? Take a ride-along some day or night and check out exactly what a cop goes through on a daily basis. Every call is an adventure and a police officer can never be sure of exactly what they might encounter on a given call.
The murder of George Floyd was a tragedy and in my own opinion the jury did the right thing in convicting Derek Chauvin for that crime. However, the court of public opinion is seriously wrong in convicting every police officer in America along with him.
There will be "bad apples" in any group. You probably have a few in your very own family. Does that mean your whole family should be abolished? Does your whole family have to carry the burden of the bad things those family members have said or done?
I personally believe that there is room for improvement with policing, as with nearly everything in life. But vilifying the police emboldens those who already harbor a disrespect for society's laws in general.
I have had my share of interactions with police, some that I felt were justified and some that I think didn't need to happen. However, if there was an emergency with me or my family I wouldn't hesitate to call for help.
The COP House in St. Cloud is a perfect example of what policing should be. A group of folks familiar with the neighborhood and its residents who are available nearly all the time to answer questions and be a positive presence for the citizens.