Cops aren’t ducks in a shooting gallery
In a previous column, I mentioned my friend, Jim Higgins, who served as a chaplin for 18 months in Iraq. He received six military commendations including the Bronze Star, and after returning to the states, he was recognized as the U.S. Military Reserve Chaplain of the Year. Some readers may recall reading something he penned called, “When the music stopped.” We are indebted to this great man, not only for his spiritual leadership, but great service to our country.
He told me that one night in Iraq, he chauffeured some soldiers to an aviation group called Catfish Air so that they could fly home. When they arrived, the klaxons ( electronic horns) sounded with the big voice announcing “incoming, incoming, incoming.” The soldiers ran for the nearest bunker and Jim floored his Humvee as a counter rocket, artillery and motor gun fired 4,500 rounds a minute over his head. The adage there was, “drive it like you stole it.” Enemy shells were exploding ubiquitously and it was hard for him to see through the dust and debris. He somehow managed to get back safely, but he quickly realized that his Humvee had become holey.
Sadly, the truck that was traveling beside him took a direct hit. With great anguish, he thought, “Well, that was close.”
An up-close and personal job of law enforcement officers is dealing with a multitude of agendas, and often seeing people at their worst. One danger they face each day is dodging wrong- way drivers, drunks and drivers who aren’t paying attention. They also dodge bullets, knives, fire, poison and flying objects hurled from cars.
In war, it seems okay for soldiers to shoot humans who shoot first, but a number of people don’t feel the same way when it comes to civilian law enforcement. They expect cops to stand still like ducks in a carnival shooting gallery until they are squashed like flies under fly swatters.
It’s irrelevant to some people what perpetrators are doing when they interact with the police. To them, perpetrators can do no wrong. They don’t care if officers act in defense of their own life. In the horrible death of George Floyd, it was the police who were wrong, and no one dislikes a bad cop more than the oodles of good cops.
When the proverbial waste hits the Westinghouse, training and instinct tell soldiers and cops to escape the kill zone, return fire, then move. It’s not like the “Let’s Make a Deal” television game show contestants who have adequate time to choose door number one, two or three. Additional training may be needed for law enforcement officers, but what about training for people who don’t know how to handle their displeasure?
Robert Kennedy said, “Throughout our history, the American people have befriended and supported all those who seek independence and a better way of life.” I support anyone who stands by their beliefs, but only when they walk with integrity.
Thomas Sowell said, “Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity where some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today?”
Cops see firsthand the aftermath of people who are murdered, and it’s a hole in anyone’s heart if they see their loved one in a body bag. Every call for service they receive could be an emergency and the last call they ever receive. They’re expected to become involved, correct all problems, and do so without showing any emotion or physical reaction.
They often feel like they function in more than one position or role. They’re frequently forced into a being an arbitrator, social worker, or teacher, but they’re also obligated to handle their constitutional role of law enforcement.
It is dedicated people like Jim Higgins, other soldiers, and our law enforcement officers that help make our country the great place that it is. Singer Lee Greenwood’s lyrics in his song “I am proud to be an American” are a perfect ending to this column. “I will not forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today, ‘cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land, God bless the USA.”