[collegeref]

Originally Posted by bobdeb

I'm going to support law enforcement as I believe they 'have my back' so to speak.

And I don't believe in throwing the baby out with the dirty bathwater.

Wow, a metaphor and an idiomatic expression.

Don’t forget the Super Star athletes who “appear” to have made personal threats against police officers.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by villageuser

We are not against “them”, the police. We are against the human beings, some who wear police uniforms, who are racist, and use their “superiority”, either because of their whiteness or their uniform, to be abusive to others.

They use the same methods on all races. Many police officers are not white. We are using bigotry to fight bigotry.

[Skunky1]

Keep the cameras rolling so that we can get rid of the bad cops.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Skunky1

Keep the cameras rolling so that we can get rid of the bad cops.

Keep the camera's rolling so that we can see who commits crimes.

[wrestle1]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

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I would sincerely hope that most of us here in The Villages feel this way too.
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Yes we do. Thanks for posting!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Keep the camera's rolling so that we can see who commits crimes.

Exactly!!!!!!

[maggie1]

Originally Posted by jswirs

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You ECHO my sentiments, exactly. NO ONE, including policeman, are above the law, and it's about time those that discredit the police force are held accountable for their actions. Like many other organizations who go to extremes to protect their own, (for example, the Catholic church and their pedophile priest), it's time for accountability.

I can't argue your point about anyone being above the law, and there should be consequences for a police officer that disregards that premise. As a former state trooper and our son that followed the same career path, we can say that no one hates a bad cop more than a good cop. There have been consequences lately with Chauvin being convicted, the officer that pepper-sprayed the Army lieutenant was fired, and the lady police officer who mistakenly shot the driver when she thought she had a taser in her hand. In this last incident, I can't call her a bad cop - it was an accidental discharge in the heat of battle, but still resulting in her being charged with 2nd-degree manslaughter.

Was the Columbus officer that shot the 15-year-old girl who was about to knife another girl a bad cop? Hardly! He had to make an instantaneous decision to prevent an innocent victim from having her intestines spilled all over the sidewalk, yet LaBron James, without even knowing the circumstances, posts a picture of the officer and the words "You're next".

I guess what I'm trying to convey is yes, we must weed out the bad actors of law enforcement, but not all actions resulting in bad outcomes are committed by bad police officers. Police officers are a reactionary force and seldom have time to consider their options in the heat of battle. More often than not the person that is shot initiated the action that caused their death. If George Flloyd or Daunte Wright had just given up to arrest, neither of them would be dead now.

[Love2Swim]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I back the concept of a strong police department with humane, properly trained peace officers who know how to put their bias aside when it comes time for them to do their jobs. Honestly I don't care if they have a bias against the disabled, or if they're racists, or hate Jews and Muslims. As long as they leave that stuff at home and not bring it to work. But the second they step over that line, then the entire blue line disintegrates. Because of the actions of any singular officer. They rise together, and they fall together.

I'll gladly offer a thirsty-looking officer a bottle of water if I see him in the neighborhood on patrol. But if I see that same officer stop someone on the street because he's walking while black, that's when I turn on the video on my smartphone. Police are not a singular infallible entity. They are a collection of individual personalities. When we demand that they be treated as a singular unit deserving of respect that the ENTIRE collection hasn't yet earned, then we justify how any ONE member of them can commit crimes against anyone who isn't one of them.

Humans are flawed creatures. We ALL have our weaknesses. Police are not immune to that, and it's time we stop putting them up on a pedestal. I've worked with the police, I've had to call the police for help in the past, I've been pulled over for speeding by the police, I've been friends with the police, my parents' best friend was a cop and he and his wife and my parents used to go out once a week for dinner. So I have no beef against "the police." My problem is with the individual officers, and the departments that protect them even when they screw up. They are the ones that give "the police" a bad name, they are the ones who need to be held accountable, and they are the ones who need to either be rehabilitated, or removed from the force.

No one is above the law. That includes the police.

Well said.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jswirs

[/U][/I][/B]
You ECHO my sentiments, exactly. NO ONE, including policeman, are above the law, and it's about time those that discredit the police force are held accountable for their actions. Like many other organizations who go to extremes to protect their own, (for example, the Catholic church and their pedophile priest), it's time for accountability.

Stop ignoring black victims of violent crime

New video shows Columbus police shooting of teenager Ma’Khia Bryant Video - ABC News He shot the teen with the knife a second before the knife would have entered the body of the girl in pink.

[jebartle]

We definitely support law enforcement but qualified immunity must be addressed. Not a fan of broad brush descriptions, pro or con. Does racism exist?, oh my yes, Can we improve? Maybe with baby steps. We should walk in the shoes of any minority.

[Bridget Staunton]

Love & support our men in blue. My family members were (gods paradise) & are great police people

[geobet]

We too have always supported our law enforcement wherever we’ve lived, as most officers are wonderful. We put money where our mouth is and fly the thin blue line flag along with our American flag..

[Bobby De]

I'm all in for it, couldn't agree anymore with the post.

[Dust Bunny]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

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I would sincerely hope that most of us here in The Villages feel this way too.
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The first line of defense needs to hear the support of the public!

I am retired from NCPD

[DeanFL]

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Well folks, I made an attempt to start a Thread with (what I thought was) a POSITIVE message. But as time went on, the thing went downhill with some responders. Most aggravating to me was the personal slams. I tried to take the High Road, but always rebutted with IMO baseless personal comments.

...perhaps if I began the Thread by saying "Support the 99% of our LEOs", but not the 1% bad apples. Or, I'm sad about the % of LEOs that may have over-reacted to minority communities. Or, preface it with whatever what may have mollified those who spout one-liners or condemnation.

As I said in one of my posts, "this is why we can't have anything nice around here".
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