It takes an enormous amount of guts, a respect for the law, a desire to help one’s fellow citizens, a calling to put one’s life in the line of fire in order to “protect and serve” a community as a police officer. ANYONE who says otherwise is, IMO, a person of nefarious behavior who is angry that they can’t break the law without consequences. The majority of people understand that we need law enforcement to protect the community, but a handful of miscreants who are quick to blame “Johnny Law” because they were arrested for drug possession, reckless driving or DUI, breaking and entering, smuggling, assault, you name it, are the same people who take no responsibility for their actions and like spoiled angry brats, blame the police for their mess when they get caught. Many are hardened criminals, with no regard for anyone else or anyone else’s property or liberty. When they are forced to “pay the piper” for their crimes, they take the stance that they are the victim and the police are the bad guys. Laughable and lamentable.

“Government tool?” What in the heck is that suppose to mean? Utter idiocy.

Yes, a few officers are sometimes found guilty of taking advantage of their power, of they themselves breaking the law, of being corrupt. The percentage that do, though, is so small, it isn’t worth noting. But law breakers and low-lifers are the first to bring it up. And they will scream it from their bellies to deflect attention from their own shortcomings, poor life choices, and committed crimes.

Sometimes the police are helpless to make an arrest, and that’s controversial to some people. Without evidence or corroborative witnesses, police cannot willy-nilly arrest someone. Sometimes that can be frustrating, to the victim and/or the officer, but it’s a rule of law and conduct that must be in place to prevent abuse of the system. America does not endorse Gestapo tactics. Sometimes it regrettably rewards the perpetrator, but it is meant to protect the rights of all citizens.

Dave, you and thousands more like you, make my family safer, make my country safer. We live in far more security here in the United States than in many other countries. I hold our law enforcement men and women in the same high regard I do our courageous military. And I believe many of the readers here do, too. Sadly, it’s usually those who have an ax to grind who write comments against the police.

Thank you for your service. It’s a job I could never do. Thank God there are those who can and choose to do so.