They protect and serve; and deserve our respect

Five police officers in Dallas; three more in Baton Rouge, and a handful of other shooting incidents around the nation.

All this in the aftermath of the shootings of two black men, in Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights, by police officers.

This editorial is not meant to defend or criticize police for the shootings of the two black men, or any other incident over the years. While the initial evidence does not paint the individual officers in a good light, it is only the initial evidence, and we have not seen or heard the full story. Let’s wait to pass judgement.

This editorial is meant to defend the overwhelming majority of Peace Officers who go about their duty on a daily basis. In the Dallas shootings, the officers were providing security for a protest march against police violence. In Baton Rouge, the officers were responding to a threat of a man with a gun. In both cases, the officers were doing their job, protecting the public. That’s something they are sworn to do and they do so fully understanding the risks of the job. Yet they continue to do so, out of a sense of duty.

It takes a special kind of person to be willing to put one’s self in harm’s way to defend others. And it only takes the irresponsible or criminal actions of one or two bad officers to get the public up in arms and paint an entire police department as a corrupt unit.

But the same police officers that get accused of insensitivity or worse are the same ones that are there to comfort an accident victim, assist a crime victim or help a lost child or more. And while we may be upset when we get a traffic ticket, remember that by doing so, they are protecting other drivers from our dangerous or careless actions.

Whether they work in a big city department like Minneapolis or St. Paul, a small community such as New Prague, Elko New Market or Lonsdale, or a county sheriff’s office, Peace Officers are often the people who we count on when we are facing a bad situation. They deserve our respect, not our scorn.

Suel Printing Company

Copyright © Suel Printing Company
All Rights Reserved
200 Main St E
New Prague, MN 56071

Phone: 952-758-4435
Fax: 952-758-4135

Latest articles

Thu, 03/28/2024 - 11:40am
Thu, 03/28/2024 - 11:33am
Thu, 03/28/2024 - 10:00am
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 4:12pm

If you would like to receive a FREE digital edition with a paid print subscription please call 952-758-4435.