Forum Post: An Open Letter to Law Enforcement

Originally posted here: http://www.josiegallows.com/2011/10/an-open-letter-to-law-enforcement/

Dear Law Enforcement, of all branches and ranks, of all cities, counties and states,

An important chapter in our history is happening right now and you are as much a part of it as anyone else. We want you to know that we respect you, see you as human beings and fight for your rights as much as we fight for our own. We see you as equals under the law that just so happen to perform a vital civil duty.

We hope that you treat us with the same compassion when our patriotism for our country and fellow citizens drives us to take to the streets in peaceful protest.

Unfortunately, we know that not all of your fellow officers are as upstanding and ethical as you are. We also know that it’s hard for you, as officers of the law, to fight this kind of corruption. We know that you get blackballed when you go against other cops and there is more than enough proof of that fact to back it up.

Under the all-seeing-eye of modern media we have witnessed some of your peers inflicting brutality, physical and verbal, on free people. It outrages us and drives many of us to resent authority. These types of incidents are not new or unique to the Occupy movement spreading around the globe.

We know that these incidents are not average for all officers of the law. However, may we make a suggestion? Try to see it from our perspective.

Say for instance you were on patrol and you spotted a group of women walking, hooting and yelling. Maybe they’re annoying but they aren’t dangerous. A man in normal clothing approaches them and pepper sprays them all for no apparent reason whatsoever. He even commences to hold one of them down on the ground, grinding her face against the hard grit of the pavement. He continues this when all resistance has ceased except for uncontrollable muscle spasms caused by sheer terror. What would you have done? You would have immediately rushed from your squad car, brought that man to the ground and thrown him behind bars like the criminal he is.

Why would you do it? Because your sense of duty towards the law compels you to do it. Just because your fellow officer happens to wear a badge is no excuse to “cut some slack.” Sure, your situation is a little different. Granted, you’re dealing with hundreds of potential threats, and anxiety, and so possibly anger, might play a hand in how you manage a situation. We need you to stay strong despite that.

So here’s the deal. We’re going to respect the law regardless of what you do because our sense of duty and righteousness compels it. We’re going to alienate anyone that outright abuses you, gets violent or makes threats. However, you must keep up your end of the deal. You need to alienate any fellow officer of the law that disgraces his duty, regardless of rank, by siding with anyone that has had their rights violated. We don’t need to tell you that this is your legally binding obligation already because you’re as aware as any of us.

Report every infraction, speak with the media truthfully, and hold your ground. Pull crooked cops off of innocent citizens and arrest them instead. We know it’s a tough thing to do in your line of work but we need you to do it. If you don’t do it then it breaks the whole system because you wield so much more power than the average person but you are, nonetheless, an average person.

Even if you hate the premise of the 99% and Occupy movement, know that we don’t hate you. We want to respect you. We want to admire your duty.

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You do not need to attribute this work to me. Please spread it as much as possible. Please share it anywhere police officers will see it.