Stop saying, "cops have a dangerous job." That's what they signed up for. "Protect and serve." The public, not themselves. #PhilandoCastile
— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) July 7, 2016
From: Michael Krieger.
I wasn’t expecting the enormous reaction this tweet generated, but I was happy to see that it really connected with so many people who had never heard of me and never read my stuff before. I continued with my tweet storm until most of my angst was out, and then realized I needed to put these thoughts into a post. So let’s start with the title of this post.
One of the tiresome things I often hear immediately after one of these inhumane police executions is that “cops have a dangerous job.” So what’s your point?
I grew up with the understanding that the role of a police officer was to “Protect and Serve,” a motto which has been used by the Los Angeles police department since 1955, and has since been adopted by police across the country. So let’s think about what that means: Protect and Serve. The first word implies courage and the second implies sacrifice. As such, we should expect police officers to first and foremost see themselves as selfless guardians of public safety. Ask yourself, do you see cops this way? I don’t.
Alcohol Prohibition had a similar effect on police/civilian relations. Now about Drug Prohibition.
Comments
6 responses to “That Is What They Signed Up For”
serve the wealthy and protect their power. black lives don’t matter to those who control this country except when blacks make them matter. not that they care about those who protect them look how badly they treat veterans because unlike police they don’t have unions protecting them.
After Dallas last night, do you want to reconsider your post?
Last night doesn’t statistically change anything. Still safer than being an electrical lineman.
Will be interesting to see who did it. Obviously not a white NRA Bubba or that would be all over the news already. BLM? The Religion of Peace? Or a mash-up of the 2 like the Black Panthers?
A comment over at Second City Cop:
After Dallas last night, do you want to reconsider your post?
No.
In an armed country it pays to be polite to everyone. To take grievances seriously. It is the only way to keep the peace in an armed society.
BLM may be over the top. But they do have a point. They should be listened to. Not dismissed.
A LOT of the discontent is caused by Drug Prohibition. Alcohol Prohibition didn’t work out well. Police could at least be saying that.
CapitalistRoader,
Those cops are just suffering from the backlash from Drug Prohibition. And they don’t even know it.
Chicago cops at that. I guess they keep the history of alcohol prohibition secret in Chicago.