I Am Law Enforcement

Following the unprovoked assassinations of police officers recently, a friend asked me what police officers were thinking about these executions and to what they attributed these shootings.  Needless to say, a flood of emotions washed over me as I contemplated these questions.

The law enforcement community is a tight-knit family.  When a loss is experienced in a police department anywhere in the country, there is a ripple effect felt throughout the entire police community.  While the AP and UPI is quick at getting the information out, such losses are communicated almost immediately to police departments nationwide.  The communication system used to check the status of drivers, vehicle registrations, stolen property, and wanted persons is also available to police departments to spread the word concerning police shootings.

A police officer dies in the line of duty on an average of every 54 hours in the United States.  Many of these deaths are due to traffic accidents or other misfortunes.  (You can see a previous article I placed on my blog that outlines officer deaths by type of incident.)  But, when it comes to the execution of a police officer, it takes on a special kind of ugly.  Nothing unites the police community like the death of one of our own and nothing kindles more sorrow than an ambush assassination of a police officer.

Though I am no longer an active duty police officer, I am still a member of that community.  When one of my fellow officers dies in the line of duty I mourn with the rest of the police fraternity.  And though I am no longer an active duty police officer I maintain contact with officers who are currently employed in law enforcement.

To be perfectly candid, every police officer I know and most of those who are retired like me point a finger at the cultural climate that President Obama has created.  They see – we see – how quickly he condemns police for actions before they are even investigated and we see how slow he is to recognize the deaths of police.  Not only do we see how slowly he recognizes the death of police, but we also see how he politicizes those deaths to meet his own agenda.  His failure to bathe the White House in blue following the deaths of the Dallas officers yet turn on the Rainbow colors for the gay community and the French Red, White, and Blue following their terrorist attacks was a slap in the face.  We see the Comforter-in-Chief selectively comforting.  His appointment of two anti-police U. S. Attorneys General is further evidence of his disdain for police.

To be clear, there are indeed abuses by police and in some communities the appearance of these abuses toward minorities is pronounced.  This does not mean that all police are bad apples.  Most police officers are like me.  When one badge is tarnished, all our badges are tarnished.  But, that does not define who we are as a policing community.

So, how are police responding to the current climate?  Most police will continue to do their jobs regardless of what target is plastered on their backs.  Some police will slow their service down and even refuse to enter some neighborhoods.  I know current police officers who are now considering the minimum service amount for retirement.  They have had it.  They have had enough, not just because of the potential threat that is out there against them, but because of the political climate that has been allowed to fester and grow.  Many police are going to look the other way at minor offenses even though we know from experience that enforcement of minor violations is a key to preventing serious crime.  More police will carry off-duty weapons while actively concealing their identity as police officers.  Spouses and children of officers will hold their breath each time their police officer goes to work.  There will be arguments about whether or not the police office spouse should find other employment.  Officers are going to be a little more cautious and edgy at the same time.  Some will react too slowly and err on the side of caution while others will overreact and err on the side of personal safety.  Expect more police officers to shoot first and ask questions later and expect more police officers to wait too long and end up getting killed as a result.

Meanwhile, expect an exodus of well-trained, seasoned police officers from the job.  Others, both green and inexperienced or those, whose idea of policing is fed by television, movies, and video games, will fill those vacancies.  Is that what you really want?

So, you want to know what police officers were thinking about these executions and to what they attributed these shootings?  There you have it in a very oversimplified nutshell.