Month: June 2020

I spent 25 years in Federal Law Enforcement, I have heard and seen many things, but I have never heard a call to defund law enforcement.

I don’t understand it, these calls are mostly coming from people living in communities who need a police presence, otherwise they would be overwhelmed by lawlessness, gangs, drugs, and uncontrollable crime.

I don’t think these voices realize what their cities and towns would look like without law enforcement.  Obviously, they haven’t taken the time to think and to analyze such a proposal. 

For starters; who’s going to enforce the laws enacted by City Councils?  That’s part of community policing.  Local police enforce local ordinances and any revenue coming from issued summons, goes back to the community and the department.  They use this money to buy new equipment, training, and hiring. 

Most City, County, and local police officers are part of the community.  They live in the community and have a vested interest in the wellbeing of their neighbors and safety in their neighborhoods.  

They respond to burglaries, domestic disputes, execute arrest warrants, medical emergencies, welfare checks, vehicle accidents, among many other things.  Who’s going to perform these duties in the absence of a police department?

Defunding police departments is a short-sided call.  Instead, they should be calling for meaningful police reform.  What I mean by that?  After I retired, I worked at several gun ranges, teaching firearms and as a Range Safety Officer, and many police officers would come around to shoot getting ready for their yearly, yes, yearly weapon’s qualification.   They were not very good at it; which was a pretty scary thought. 

I always extended my help, even giving them free range time and targets because their departments would not give them the tools to train.  People need to understand, most local police departments don’t have the money to properly train their force and mostly depend on other government agencies, at the Federal and State level, to attend conferences and obtain specialized training. 

Throughout my career I had the opportunity to work with many fine and hardworking local police officers, from providing law enforcement support during special events to G-20 summits.  I never encountered an officer who didn’t love his or her job.

In all honesty, law enforcement is thankless job.  If you don’t love what you are doing it can be a very frustrating endeavor.  One is constantly dealing with bureaucracy, mostly from people who have no clue about law enforcement and what it takes to enforce it in a fair and impartial manner. 

Most police departments are undermanned and outgunned.  In some jurisdictions, officers must buy their own firearms and body armor in order to be able to do their jobs in a safe manner.  Meanwhile Senator Paul and Senator Van Hollen are reintroducing legislation to limit the access police departments have to excess Federal government law enforcement and military equipment.

I don’t know if Senator Paul realizes most police departments are outmanned and outgunned by local gangs, drug dealers, and other criminal elements in their communities.  Having access to surplus Federal resources is an invaluable tool and getting rid of it only hurts the community.

We need more police training, not less.  By defunding police departments, you strip them of the ability to send officers, especially in leadership positions, to training that they can bring back to their departments.  Well-trained police force not only benefits the department, but the community as well.

People in the community has a vested interest in the efficiency of their police department, they should embrace it and help the police officers to understand the needs of their community.  Good communication between citizens and law enforcement officers is as important as a properly trained professional force. 

The community is also a necessary tool for good policing.  People know what’s going on in their backyards and most people are willing to assist the police to keep crime away from their neighborhoods. 

There’s no doubt that we have bad apples in the law enforcement community, but they are very far and between.  To say that all law enforcement officers are racist is ludicrous.   Are there some law enforcement officers with racist tendencies?  Absolutely.  Throwing a negative blanket like this on all law enforcement is not only wrong but unfair to police officers who put their lives on the line every day.

I don’t know any law enforcement officer who wakes up in the morning wishing for an eventful shift.  On the contrary, most police officers want a quiet shift, and above all, the last thing they want to do is discharge their firearm.  Any law enforcement officer who thinks differently should relinquish his or her badge immediately and seek some mental health help.

Police officers are human beings doing a job that not everybody can do or wants to do.  Remember, when a police officer performs a traffic stop or responds to a domestic dispute, they are doing the job they were told to do, to enforce the laws enacted by State, City, and local governments.  If you are upset by this fact, I suggest you take it up with the legislature.

Police officers don’t choose what laws to enforce, but I know, from time to time, they use their discretion.  Remember that time you got a break for speeding?  Exactly!

Defunding the police is the last thing any law-abiding citizen should be advocating for.   They should demand their police department are properly funded, trained, and equipped.

If you don’t have a police department; who are you going to call when someone is breaking into your home?  Who are you going to call when getting beat by an abusive spouse?  Who are you going to call when your business is getting looted or burglarized?  I can tell you; it is not going to be the Ghost Busters.