As a retired Baltimore City Police Department captain, I am dismayed by the condemnation being heaped upon police departments everywhere and the thousands of officers who serve honorably.
While it's true there are some individuals who shouldn't be police officers, doesn't that occur in every walk of life?
I agree that such individuals should be dealt with accordingly. But why is it that one officer's misstep is considered egregious, while the riots, looting and mob violence that result not only are sanctioned but actually encouraged?
Mistakes happen whenever people are involved. To quote a passage I recently read, "when times change, people change with them. Why is it that so many of both the friends and critics of the police talk as if police were not people?"
Considering the attitudes of some protesters today, those in law enforcement should expect to be goaded into overreacting. They will be challenged, maligned, cursed at, insulted, spit upon and even assaulted to get a reaction. Then the cameras will roll, not to record the provocation, but the reaction.
What a sad state of affairs. What kind of world would this be without laws and those to enforce them?
If the critics want change, let them do it from within: Let them become law enforcement officers themselves and get an amazing education in reality.
John C. Barnold, Parkville