Even though there are many professions that tend to be controversial, one that seems to bring about most of the controversy these days is in law enforcement. After all, it seems as if law enforcement officers are in the news on a regular basis and when the news is bad, it can turn an entire nation against itself. It is seen in the recent riots but it is nothing new. In the following post, you get to hear from a female police officer who has something to say. It isn’t the normal rant, it is something many people need to hear.
I’ve thought long & hard about making this post, because I’m going to get hate for it either way. But if I don’t say something, who will?
I’m a white woman, & I’m a police officer. I love my job, I love my coworkers, & I love my department. And maybe I’m blessed with the opportunity to work alongside some fantastic people. But I’m not inattentive to what is happening in other departments & throughout this nation. And I just have to say: I’m SICK and TIRED of racial injustices. I’m tired of other irresponsible police officers. I’m tired of poor & improper training. I’m tired of unethical use of excessive force. I’m tired of lazy decision making. I’m tired of discreditable use of discretion. I’m tired of seeing racial divides. And mostly I’m tired of the inability of other officers to hold their colleagues accountable & to see that these are ONGOING ISSUES. If you’re a police officer and these issues I’ve touched on are not disturbing to you, you ARE the problem.
We swore to serve and protect EVERYONE. Not just people who look like you and live like you. How dare you call yourself a “peace maker” when you’re condoning indecorous & unethical actions in your work place. How dare you, when you’re not fighting for justice for the voiceless.
I hate to admit that I was ignorant in believing at one point in time that all of this racial profiling stuff was blown out of proportion. It’s not, it’s real. It’s 2020 and racism still exists far worse than one can imagine. Racist police officers STILL exist. Fact of the matter is, it will never be completely eradicated. There will always be racists. But, there is simply ZERO room for that as a first responder. We don’t get to pick and choose who we help. If you’re a medical professional or LEO who is racist, sexist, homophobic or has any bias that would prevent you from helping a person, or even worse, create a reason for you to harm them, do me & society a favor and get the hell out. Hand in your badge, hand in your gun because you have no business working alongside the greater good.
For those not educated in police training, & not to many’s surprise, kneeling on a person’s neck, or back is an unsanctioned means of subduing a person. It’s fair to say, not every law enforcement officer is given the same exact training. Experiences & education vary from instructor to instructor. When going through defensive tactics training, this was repeatedly drilled into my head. & even if not, thankfully I have enough common sense to know that kneeling on a person’s neck could easily restrict their air flow. Especially when they’ve already been handcuffed. Training in this field does not & should not stop. For those that need to revisit any training courses, do so. Learning proper technique is crucial, clearly. One mistake & your career is over & you’ve made a regretful decision that you will forever have to live with and be judged by.
We need reform, love & compassion. We need GOD. Thanks to a very small percentage of thoughtless, negligent officers, the job for a majority of GREAT law enforcement officers becomes even more of a danger every day. Like your skin that has made you a target, our badge becomes a target.
My question now is, how far off are we from #RodneyKing ?
And to my colleagues, what are YOU going to do in your community to enhance the safety & security of the very people that depend on you every day? Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. Every life matters. And until we come to that agreement as a society, we will never be at peace. The war is not won. We have work to do. I will not be at ease until I see to it that those officers are charged for the grievous murder of GEORGE FLOYD.
I’m a white woman & yes, I’m a police officer. But before that, I AM HUMAN. To my fellow brothers & sisters in Law Enforcement, stay safe & God Bless💙
Source: Marissa Rutherford
