So you have read the pros and cons of defunding the police. I’m sure you are aware what my position is. Having said that, I don’t believe I have misrepresented the proponents of defunding the police. As a matter of fact, I am all for social programs, but only those that work and are sustainable. However, the solution is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but start at the recruitment level hiring only those who commit to taking a different approach to policing than the old school methods. For instance, I have always believed based on my Christian principles that all people should be shown respect when we deal with them. I didn’t say to respect them, but show respect. There is a difference.
As long as the subject you arrested is not a threat, why do you have to metaphorically (emphasis on metaphorically) “kick” them while they are down. I witnessed an officer tell his arrestee to shut up when all they did was ask for the time. C’mon guys. You are going home and they are going to jail. Why be rude and obnoxious? What do you have to prove to them? What have they done to you?
I’ve had my best informants come from those who I have arrested. There was one time that a subject that I had arrested for domestic assault two years before remembered me when several unhappy subjects had surrounded me wanting to hurt me. He was a big man and he came to my rescue telling those subjects to go home or they would have to deal with him. His reason for helping me was due to the fact that, even though I arrested him in the past, I treated him as a man and not a dog. He told me if it had been any other officer accosted he wouldn’t have bothered because he hated cops, as a rule.
If you are a police officer, please consider conducting yourself honorably and respectfully. Most officer offenses are due to police officers having this “god” complex where they have intrinsic authority and you need to do this or else. Now, I have been in situations where politeness and respect won’t cut it. Let’s face it, there are those who could care less how well-mannered we are and we may have to use force and harsh language for them to understand us. I am not saying you need to scale back officer safety training. Just the opposite. Escalate when you need to with the goal of de-escalation if possible. I’ve had subjects cuss me out while shackled in the backseat of my cruiser while I just calmly and quietly transport them. When they would take a break from their ranting, I would ask them if they would like me to crack a window when it was warm, or ask if they needed to use the restroom when they got to where we were headed. This totally would catch them off-guard. I had one subject go on a verbal tirade while in transport calling me every foul name in the book. I asked him if he needed his window cracked, and he awkwardly asked, “Would you?” That was all it took. He then called me the coolest officer he ever met. Most of the individuals that I arrested wanted to shake my hand as I was handing him over to the booking officer. It didn’t cost me a dime to be kind. What would happen if at least half of police officers are this way. Now, I am not trying to pat myself on the back, but just trying to promote a style of policing that worked for me.
In conclusion, whether you are for or against defunding the police, I think we can all agree that whatever transition takes place, we will not see simultaneous results. Look at Minneapolis city council being forced to hire more police officers after they went through actions of defunding. Violent crime rose exceedingly and the citizens wanted their police back. A knee-jerk reaction to financially cripple the police there backfired. However, even a gradual transition will have moments where we are not seeing the results needed to bring about a crime free community. There will always be those who will not go along with the program.
So, it appears you will be responsible for the safety and lives of you and your family more than ever. How will you manage this new risk? Will firearms be your protection? I am all for law abiding citizens to possess and carry firearms as long as they train and are proficient, and that they are knowledgeable about the law. The old joke that gun control is hitting what you aim at is applicable.
Perhaps you will not be comfortable with a firearm. What other non-lethal or less-lethal weapons will you carry to protect you and yours when there is not a police officer to be found? Will you carry pepper spray or a stun gun? Will you equip yourself with a baton or a taser? These questions need to be considered as defunding the police becomes a reality in the city where you live. Whatever side you find yourself in this debate, you must agree that we all need to take more responsibility for protecting our family or friends.
Just remember, even with the police department in your city as it is, when you call 911 there will always be a wait for the arrival of officers to handle the crisis. On certain times of the night or on certain days, the place of the officer in the city, the volume of calls for service are all factors that will affect arrival time. Police officers cannot beam themselves over to your location in the matter of seconds. Do you have what it takes to hold out until they get there? Do you have the devices necessary to hold off attackers and intruders?
Perhaps the solution is to purchase and train with non lethal or less-lethal devices that will ward off the offenders and buy time for you and your family to either escape or until the police get there. It is urgent, especially during the current times, that you make a decision now!
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DON’T LET YOUR ATTACKER GET TO THIS POINT–PROTECT YOURSELF NOW AND
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