Letters: Cops are not out looking to ‘get' people just to stay busy

It never ceases to amaze me that people who have absolutely no conception of law enforcement can make such ludicrous statements as I have just seen in our newspaper ("Concerned about the behavior of local law enforcement," Aug. 23).

Cops out of control? Where? Hundreds of people telling you of similar incidents? You have got to be kidding. I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of residents around here and elsewhere have had little or no contact with the local law enforcement because the vast majority are law-abiding citizens and have no need for contact with them. On top of that our law enforcement community is spread pretty thin, which is normal for a small town. So unless you are a criminal the chances of even contacting the police are very slim.

As a retired cop I can tell you that contrary to popular belief cops are not out looking to "get" people just to have something to do. Have you ever arrested someone? I have. And the process is too long and drawn out to be doing it to just to have something to do. Cops have far better things to do than to just "get someone." Things like patrolling the streets and neighborhoods for traffic and criminal violations to make you safer.

Are there a few bad apples in law enforcement? Absolutely. But to label the police system and law enforcement in general as "rogue" is just simply not true. "Innocent people who have broken no law get not only rude treatment but these people harass and provoke people to anger so maybe the person will cross the line." Do you really think the police have nothing better to do than try to make you break the law? Give me a break. People are not forced to break the law; they do it of their own accord.

I will leave you with one other thought. Would you presume to tell an engineer how to build a building, or a brain surgeon how to operate? I think not. So until and unless you have walked a mile in a police officer's shoes don't assume that you know what his or her job should be. Don't assume you knew what was going on at the time of an arrest or what the thought processes of the officer were.

Dean Clawson

Crescent City