In Praise of Those in Blue

On one post I wrote, I stated that even though I believe in the #Blacklivesmatter movement, I cannot help but support the people that come when I call 911. I live in a suburb outside of Washington, D.C. Right now, D.C. has surpassed its homicide rate of 105 last year. Moreover, one-third of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department have given their Chief a vote of "No Confidence." This blog is not intended to kick someone when they are down, nor is it intended to debate on whether Black Lives Matter more than any other lives. This blog is intended to celebrate those good police officers that, on a continuous basis, go out of their way to serve and protect. There are some police officers that have made this profession a career instead of a job that is there for compensation purposes only. To those officers, I humbly salute your bravery and especially your community involvement.

Recently, there was a police officer killed in Texas, and even more recently, a police officer today was shot and killed in Chicago and the three assailants are on the run. I cannot stress enough that harming police officers is NOT going to help any movement. It only serves to hinder the process of trying to remove corrupt police officers from the force. I am not a statistics type of gal, but I would venture to say that for every corrupt police officer, there at least 10-15 really good police officers that are in your neighborhood. These officers know the children that go to the local schools, and the elderly that sit on the porch soaking up the sun. These officers know the parents that work tirelessly to create an even balance of home and work. The most important aspect about these police officers is that they care. They are in the neighborhood so much that they contribute a dish or activity to the block party. They go to the graduation of a child that is without a parent. They even pay their condolences when your loved one has passed away. These are the police officers that are very seldom seen in the media.

I know people are going to say, "Police are not that way in my neighborhood." I am by no means giving less credence or undermining the protests and civil disobedience against police brutality. Plain and simple, there are some bad police officers out there. Just because some police officers do not get indicted does not mean that they should be out on the streets giving the illusion that they are serving and protecting. Neither Eric Garner nor Michael Brown had to die, regardless of their prior history. What has happened to African-Americans and other minorities at the hands of some bad police officers throughout the years has been an embarrassment not only to the moral fabric of the United States, but also the legal system that is supposed to protect its citizens. #Blacklivesmatter is a not a hate group, but rather a response to bad behavior by bad police officers.

However, there are good police officers that are waiting for the chance to get to know and serve their communities. They are wonderful men and women that take pride in their neighborhoods just as the uniform and badge that they wear every day. They are there. Getting to know police officers in your jurisdiction is something that I recommend every citizen do. They may one day make a difference in your life, your child's life, and by making that difference, may also save it.