As the mother of two policemen, and a retired nurse who worked with trauma patients coming off deadly drugs, I know it would often take six people to restrain these drug users in locked leather restraints. Their superhuman strength would bend the bed in two.
Both of my sons have over 20 years in police work. However, one careless video put on YouTube can easily end their career without a fair trial.
I am extremely concerned about the media’s demonization and “Quick to Judgment” approach toward policemen.
Most citizens have little experience dealing with meth addicted individuals. Crime is up and so is drug use, thanks to the recent vote of the public to not have addicts or criminals (stealing less than $900) arrested; now these are misdemeanors. Crime and drug use increasing rapidly in our communities. And, man voted for this!
Throughout the United States, gangs have committed to join together and no longer attack one another, but have declared that they will join together to ambush and execute police. As a result of this, in many cities officers have been instructed to no longer leave their cars to resolve problems. New York is in chaos because the police no longer want to be targets. Can you imagine no traffic control in the big city? Chicago Illinois, Baltimore and other cities and states are having an alarming rise in murders. The public sentiment is against the police doing their heroic work of keeping criminals, gang members and out of control citizens from harming people.
Many in the government and the media are causing racial division while reporting police activities. If police work is in a predominately Caucasian, black, Oriental, or Hispanic community, the majority of arrests will be of that particular race. It seems today, many youth are being encouraged to have little or no respect for authority, things are getting out of control, burning buildings and cars, destroying property, using drugs; these are not racial issues. Where are the consequences of their crimes while the media shouts, “it’s racial profiling” and “police brutality” the minute they are arrested?
Before the humane introduction of Taser guns, billy clubs were the absolute choice for restraining individuals who defy arrest. When individuals are burning out on meth, alcohol and other drugs they often become extremely violent. The Taser can incapacitate and capture with little or no injury, but if the Taser does not make contact, billy clubs and other options become necessary.
If any of the individuals on the YouTube videos had the perpetrators invade their homes, they would call 911 for protection. This is what police are trained to do. However, our president and the attorney general would like to see our police become social workers while de-escalating and dialoging with dangerous individuals. These ideologies leave society unprotected, and police at risk.
Often, the media publishes one side of an arrest. Continuing to sensationalize in this manner will bring anarchy to our streets. All police departments have internal review processes that take months to accumulate the facts when injuries are involved, yet the press judges and convicts these situations within 24 hours without knowledge of all the facts. Ferguson, Mo. is a clear example of racial activists taking hold of a situation, and with the help of the government creating an opportunity to convict without trial, and for criminals to burn the town, before the facts are known. A well respected policeman was demonized, lost his career, and his family lives in constant fear. We should all have our “hands up” in disgust of this entire situation and the way it was handled.
There are many bleeding hearts pampering crime in our cities. My heart is bleeding for the safety of my sons and their comrades. I am a very disheartened mother.
Geraldine Ridgway is a retired nurse who lives in Santa Cruz County.
