By Michael E. Simmons
Often in the news we hear how law enforcement officers got it wrong. The media is quick to throw stones at the entire law enforcement profession for the offensive or criminal actions of a few. Further, the entire community of law enforcement officers is blamed because the actions of the past don’t fit today’s narrative.
Yes, we in the criminal justice world must keep up with current trends and methods. As we always have, we must be attentive to the constantly changing needs of the community. We must be open to new ideas and new techniques.
But that does not mean that we automatically bow to the (often illegal) demands of some “loud” people who insist that enforcement of laws should not take place. By design, local governments in the United States are made up of people in the community. Sir Robert Peel, known as the father of modern policing, said, “The Police are the community and the community are the police.” Therefore, the enforcement of laws is a part of community decisions.
We must remember two things: First, laws and law enforcement are the product of the entire community, not only the loud ones. The enforcement of laws might not be what everyone wants, but the laws were put into place by the people. When we hear how the laws are wrong and the police are wrong to enforce them, those screams almost never come from the entirety of the population, only a few. Secondly, we must stand on the shoulders of those who went before us. Police work has never been popular, but it has always been necessary. If we don’t recognize and understand how we got to where we are, we cannot know where we are going.
We are grateful to our ancestor officers who underwent battles so we can enjoy our life today. They navigated rough seas that no longer have to be faced thanks to them.
For the current and future officers – it is your turn now. Make us proud. Godspeed.
Mike