4C

“The citizens want their police to protect them, to keep the plague from their eyes, from their doors. But those same John Q.’s are the first to stare wide–eyed and point the finger of outrage when they see close up exactly what the job they’ve given the cops entails.” Do you think this is right?

No because it seems like a double standard.

The people want to be protected but they don't want to know how or from what. Some folks think the streets are a kindergarten class and the punishment should be a gentle slap on the hand and time-out in the corner. Doesn't work that way..Most of time the police officer is up against either a person that wouldn't blink an eye while killing you...or someone that is so frightened having been caught that they employee whatever means is at their fingertips. My husband always said he would rather face a hardened criminal than a person that had never been on the wrong side of the law before. He knew what the criminal was going to do and was prepared for it...but that other person was a loose cannon and a out of control situation going somewhere to happen. >2 EadieB: is right..it's a double standard.

>3 Carol420: I'm not happy with Defund the Police. We need protection and 98% of police officers are excellent. It's that 2% bad apple that ruins the job for all the other good officers. I'm not a happy camper with all these crazy protesters.

>4 EadieB: Some of these protesters don't even know what they're protesting, nor do they live in the city or the even the state that they show up to protest in. Believe me the people do not...no matter what some say...want the police defunded.

>5 Carol420: The polls are so wrong about Biden in the lead as there is a silent majority out there who don't answer the polls or tell anyone. So their real reason for protesting is backfiring.

>6 EadieB: I never put much faith in what polls say. What matters is the end results on election day.

>8 EadieB: Exactly!

I think that’s a correct statement. The people want protection but they want it clean and orderly - sanitized. Unfortunately, much of what the police encounter requires stronger and less friendly tactics and the people immediately scream brutality and excessive force. Add to that the fact that everyone now has a camera in their pocket, the police are on the losing side of this battle today.

I agree with Eadie - the majority of the police are good people and want to do their job and do it well. It’s the few who are on power trips and take the position to have control that make the rest look bad - unfortunately, those are the ones that show up in the media instead of the ones quietly going about their job keeping people safe and looking out for their neighborhoods.

>9 bhabeck: Well said. Sometimes it's a heart breaking thankless job. No wonder there is so much suicide in the police ranks.

I think it's a correct statement. People are so contradictory. They want police to keep them safe. But their expectation of how to do so is inadequate. Had Church listened to Harry's repeated warnings and not reached for something out of sight, he'd be alive today. How is this Harry's fault? Knowing someone has a gun on you, why wouldn't you obey?

The people need to allow the police to do the job they're paid for; the police can't deal with the 'monsters' if they have had their hands tied.

>12 Sergeirocks: Sometimes it's nearly impossible to know who the monsters are. One of the officers in my husbands station in Tampa answered a call with his partner to the home of an 87 year old woman that reported someone trying break into her back bedroom window. The officer knocked on the door and and his partner went around the back of the house. Instead of answering the door so the officer at the front could tell her they were there...she went out the back door and found the officer but didn't see the man that he had already handcuffed and had on the ground nor did she see that the man she could see was police. She thought the officer was the one breaking into her window and she nearly beat him to death with her cane until the one at the front door heard the commotion and went to see if his partner was in trouble. When he got to the back window his partner had a concussion and lost an eye as a result of the head trauma. If she had just done what the 911 operator told her to do they would have captured the burglar and a good police officer would have had a much better life and a pension at the end of his service time.

I like the term >9 bhabeck: used.......sanitized. They want everything nice and packaged in a non controversial way. I think most cops are nice people who just want to come home to their families at the end of shift. All this protesting violence is only going to make police feel unsafe and that could lead to more shooting by the police, who felt threatened.

>14 Olivermagnus: nicely done.

>14 Olivermagnus: Good summery my friend. I completely agree and my hubby says to tell you "thank you" and "well said".

>13 Carol420: What a horror story, Carol.

>17 Sergeirocks: >13 Carol420: That’s awful. The vast majority of police are good people, along with those in the armed forces. Sometimes have to do tough things to protect us all from the monsters out there.

>18 Andrew-theQM: They are 99.9% good people but it only takes one.

>9 bhabeck:. Nicely said Brenda. At the end of the day, I don’t think anyone really wants to defund the police. Hopefully the current craziness will settle down and people will realize the vast majority of the police are looking out for everyone’s health and safety. I’ve been going out of my way to say thanks to every police officer and fireman I see.

>20 bluebird_: Me too. I always appreciated it when my husbands service was acknowledged and I'm sure these officers who put their lives on the line...along with the other first responders also...are grateful for just a simple "Thank you". it only takes a minute but means so much more.