Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right

One Cop Doesn’t Like What He Sees

I HAVE BEEN A NEW YORK CITY police officer for more than 14 years, and I have lived on this earth for 35 years. I have heard stories about how decades ago, Times Square was a place you didn’t go to. From prostitution, to the drug trade and larceny, crime ran rampant through that area, and most of Manhattan was also dangerous in the ’80s and ’90s. Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would see the day that this great city was once again under siege.

These past few days in New York have been hard to watch. Years of hard work and dedication from police officers has been erased and set back. My heart hurts seeing the extreme looting and violence. Storefronts have been damaged and merchandise has been taken from them. Police vehicles have been set on fire.

And I’m not the only one who feels this way. Officers in New York City and nationwide are in awe of what is happening. They are hurt. Hundreds of officers have had their lives taken from them over the years, defending people who are now behaving like deviants. This is the ultimate slap in the face to all Americans.

There is violence; bricks and debris are being thrown. Officers are being hit by vehicles, getting injured, and bones are being broken. It is nothing short of a war zone.

Every officer is ashamed of what that one Minnesota officer did. He not only crossed the line, but went against his oath to serve and protect. That even includes the people we arrest; you never treat a human that way.

And we are with the rest of the world. We too are beyond happy that he has been arrested, and his title as an officer taken away. We also are hurt and ashamed that a man lost his life during an interaction with an officer. Officers are not expected to act as he did.

But you don’t break into stores and loot. There is no excuse nor explanation for such behavior.

A man should be remembered. Candlelight vigils should be held. Questions of how this could happen should be asked, and discussions should be had about what avenue we take as humans, to make sure this never happens again.

But that’s not happening. I’m working as a sergeant on the streets during these riots. There are mobs of people of all ages—young people, teenagers and adults in their 20s—running the streets like Gotham City in a scene out of Batman. These kids don’t even know what they are fighting for, each one has a different response. Their lives are just beginning. These aren’t educated adults making sense, mimicking such icons as Martin Luther King Jr. or John Lennon. Not even close.

People demand “justice” but yet are breaking laws themselves to justify their actions. The culprit has been arrested. He is behind bars to never harm another human again. Why take this out on the rest of the world? Why take this out on the good officers serving and protecting like they swore to do?

It was too easy to terrorize and loot. Therefore law and order must be re-established. These groups must know they do not run these cities. They need to be met by law enforcement that swore to defend the innocent and vulnerable.

There have to be consequences. If we demand those be held accountable for excessive use of force, those terrorizing innocent bystanders should be held accountable in the very same way.

We are better than this. Humanity is better than this. We need to get back on track and make up the ground that we have lost.

→ Joseph Imperatrice is a sergeant in the New York City Police Department and has served as a police officer for more than 14 years. He is the founder of Blue Lives Matter New York City and is a Fox News contributor. The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.