Behind the Badge
A recent report on the CBS Evening News with Jeff Glor chronicled an idea that began in Texas and has taken off like wildfire on YouTube. It’s a series of videos viewed millions of times showcasing police officers from urban, rural and suburban communities having fun lip-synching songs from Rock, Country, Hip-Hop and other musical genres. The report ended with the correspondent reminding viewers, “Behind the badge there‘s a person, probably not so different from you.”
That’s an important message because in today’s turbulent times, 21st century policing has become an ever-more difficult endeavor. I once saw a poster of a police officer walking toward a critical incident with text that stated “the unwanted, being underpaid, who will go unappreciated, doing the unthinkable, for the ungrateful.” A feeling that many officers have each day they put on their uniforms.
Unlike members of our military or fire fighters, who are considered heroes for doing their jobs, police officers are considered a necessary evil. Everyone has a bad cop story no matter the background of the person telling the story. From motor vehicle stops, to quality of life complaints, to the more serious investigations, officers are constantly scrutinized for the way they look, the way they speak, the way they carry themselves and the manner in which they do their jobs.
These stories are compounded by some politicians who speak of all police officers with a wide brush using derogatory terms on one hand; while, consistently failing to provide police forces the necessary resources to do the job. And in controversial incidents where officers use force, some activists exploit situations before all of the facts are known, furthering divisions within our country. This positions officers in the minds of the public as though they are the enemy as opposed to the violent criminals, who are the real enemies of our families and neighborhoods.
From my years in law enforcement, I have found that individuals become police officers because they feel a certain obligation and duty to defend the laws of this nation and to ensure the safety of our citizens. These individuals come from both genders; and, all races. They represent diverse ethnic, social, educational and economic backgrounds. And regardless of what they look like or where they come from, they understand the inherent dangers of being police officers. This profession is a calling and is not for everyone. To put on a police uniform is like putting a target on your chest because of what you represent. In essence, once an individual decides to become a police officer, he or she must constantly be aware and on guard.
Very few people understand the mindset it takes to go out and engage the public in enforcement actions: to pull over a vehicle with heavily tinted windows at night… to engaging a group of known gang members on a corner … to enter a home responding to a call for help without having any idea what awaits on the other side of that door…these are just a few examples of what officers face daily. And that does not take into account domestic violence incidents where most of the officer fatalities occur across this country. In essence, no encounter is routine and every encounter can put someone’s life in the balance. How many other professions live under that reality?
We really need to move away from the “guilty until proven innocent” mantra espoused by selfserving television pundits, community activists, and politicians whose knee-jerk reactions to police-involved incidents do not always prove to be accurate.
The reality is that our society has become more confrontational and violent while attacks on use of force standards increase daily. For example, a recent California proposal has been introduced where the standard under which officers can use deadly force is being changed. In this proposed legislation, lawmakers want to change the standard from “reasonable force” to “necessary force” creating more lag time and placing officers and the people they are sworn to protect in ever more present danger.
In a country where violent acts and murders are on the rise, police officers are the last line of defense between law and order, and chaos and anarchy. I hope we can begin to foster a conversation so the view of police as an occupying army becomes one where they are seen as a part of the solution. Society needs a well-trained and respected police profession. But it can only happen if all sides are engaged, informed and view each other with honesty, facts and respect.