Guilty on all three counts.
Now, the question becomes, "How do we move forward?".
Training issues? Psychological Exams? Honest dialogue about the nature of crime and criminals?
Do we reinforce our police ranks with men and women from the neighborhoods that suffer the most from poverty, racism, substance abuse, domestic violence...do we make an effort to get people on the force that not only look like those they protect and serve but have lived where they live so they know what they endure every day?
How do we change the minds of people who think someone like George Floyd deserved what he got because he was a man with a criminal record and a substance abuse problem?
How do we deal with the men and women who come up through our military and may join our police forces with a mindset of conquer rather than serve?
Power can corrupt. Bad cops exist. How do we guard against them?
I cannot think of any pithy answers but I sure can come up with a lot of questions.
No one who knows me can claim I am some sort of cop hater. I support the men and women who serve our communities. I also have a really clear eyed knowledge of some of the horror they endure every day because they see the worst of what people can do to each other.
However, I know bad policing when I see it. This man is going to serve time in prison because his bad policing lead to another man's death. That is as it should be...that is justice.
Now, again, how do we move forward and how do we begin to rebuild?
1 comment:
thank you so much for your post. I think it is very important for those who are no longer in full communion to be heard. Because I choose to believe Jesus Christ, I stay in the Barque of Peter. My hope for you is that you find peace and your way home soon!
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