Toronto Star

Weed out bad cops, honour the rest

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Re A few bad apples? More like a bushel, DiManno, Aug. 17 For some weeks now, the Star has sharpened its anti-police stance and featured pieces by columnists that disparage the vast majority of police officers as “bad” or “unworthy.”

The bias has shifted from decrying alleged bad behaviour by a few officers to smearing the profession as being out of control, untrustwor­thy and in need of being torn down and reshaped.

Some of the allegation­s have been proven by due process to be punishable and have been acted upon, while others are still allegation­s only and need to be thoroughly investigat­ed and evidence presented to a proper tribunal, not trumpeted by aggrieved families, lawyers and the press, who present only one side of the story.

From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that almost all officers are dedicated to serving the public, despite some of them becoming jaundiced by constant criticism, lack of public support from the silent majority, weaseling politician­s and a press dedicated to sensationa­lism over truth.

In fairness, I also attest that some officers do bad things because they are selfish, power-tripping, having bad life experience­s or many other reasons that can be attributed to the fact they are humans, with all the foibles of our kind.

It is disgracefu­l that officers just going about their regular duties have been callously murdered by persons whose hatred of authority has been exacerbate­d by politician­s and the press broad-brushing all officers as bullies and racists. Officers accept the risks they know go with the job, but no-one wants to be set up to be killed by people and institutio­ns they are striving to protect.

So let’s try to be a little fairer and more honest in our endeavours. Weed out the bad officers, but honour the many who do their difficult job with integrity and compassion.

I look forward to many more evocative and interestin­g columns from Rosie DiManno, if she doesn’t get caught in the wheels of this wonky and careening bandwagon. Joe Hunter, Trenton, Ont.

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