What has been taking place across the country since the unfortunate incident in Ferguson, Missouri, should be deeply troubling to all of us: A small minority of vocal and, in some cases, lawless people have fanned the flames of anti-police rhetoric, the likes of which we have not seen in decades. Every reasonable person knows it is not “bad cops” who are the problem; it is misrepresentations of the facts that are the real injustice. Many of the nation’s minority communities are being brutally victimized, but not by the police who are trying to protect them. Our criminal justice system works for all races, creeds and backgrounds.
Overall, the United States has the best trained, best equipped and most qualified men and women serving in all levels of law enforcement — better than anywhere in the world or in history. We all know there are still some “bad apples” and some wrongdoing in some situations; however, these are the rare exceptions and are not representative of the average police officer. When the three of us started our law enforcement careers in the 1970s, there was some police corruption, mostly in large, metropolitan areas. However, most of that has been addressed and cleaned up through the system and through attrition.
We are proud of our chosen professions and our fellow officers. The media is only giving one side of the story and people are not hearing from the countless millions who have been helped by or appreciate their officers who have pledged to “serve and protect.”
Three times within the past month, New York City police officers literally turned their backs on their boss, Mayor Bill de Blasio, because of his lack of support for them that some say contributed to the killings of two New York City police officers.
While New York City and Ferguson may seem like faraway places, we are certain that every member of law enforcement here in Maine could identify with the Men in Blue in New York City.
Why? Because everyone who wears a badge can accept that danger is an inherent part of police work. They can accept that members of the public will sometimes be hostile to them.
What they cannot accept is their leader failing to support them and throwing his lot in with a mob that is recklessly accusing police officers of intentionally targeting people because of the color of their skin.
To those who think police are to blame for the recent unrest across the country, we would ask the following questions:
— Have you ever looked into the face of a dead police officer who was killed by a driver who decided to run a roadblock?
— Have you ever had a gun pointed at you by someone who was out of their mind on hallucinogenic drugs?
— Did you ever have to go to the home of a police officer’s wife at 2 in the morning to tell her that her husband died responding to a domestic violence call?
— Have you ever tried to arrest a man half your size who just beat his wife or kids and do it without causing any physical harm to him, and at the same time keep him away from weapons or maybe take one away from him, while the children are screaming for help and the wife is screaming to “leave him alone?”
— Have you ever had to arrest and interview a disturbed teenage girl who just shot and killed her mother, because she didn’t think the Christmas present she wanted was under the tree?
We’re guessing most would answer no to all of these questions. These are just a few of the experiences we’ve had while serving in law enforcement here in Maine.
When we see someone wearing a military uniform, we say, appropriately, “Thank you for your service.” But many of us are old enough to remember how badly society treated troops who came back to the States after serving in Southeast Asia. We see the potential for the same thing happening here in the U.S. today.
In the words of radio legend Paul Harvey, “The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy and a gentleman. And of course he’d have to be a genius because he’ll have to feed a family…on a policeman’s salary.”
Sen. David Burns, R-Whiting, is a retired Maine state trooper who represents Senate District 6. Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, is also a retired Maine state trooper who represents Senate District 4. Sen. Scott Cyrway, R-Benton, is a retired Kennebec County Sheriff’s Deputy who represents Senate District 16.