Opinion : Why We Must Be the Example
By : Commander Eddie Anderson , Patrol Operations Division – Marina PD
In the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis , there has been a nationwide call for
police reform , with the expectation that police officers are held accountable for excessive use of force and other unlawful actions .
If we take a moment and view law enforcement as ONE BODY , we can all agree that we need to do better . With that being said , I know that the majority of law enforcement officers are doing what they were called and sworn to do . Most of us have not forgotten why we chose this honorable profession . However , when we turn on the television or scroll through our social media accounts , you can start to believe that most citizens in our nation do not support the police . As leaders , we must ensure our officers know that this is not true , but we also must discuss the challenges facing law enforcement professionals today . We must be mindful that if we are fortunate to have a positive relationship with our communities , it may not be possible for us to understand the depth of what other organizations and communities are experiencing . Although we may not be able to personally relate to those challenges , it is our duty to embrace the challenges faced in other communities as our own .
We remind our officers that because we respond to a variety of calls for service throughout our careers , our natural tendency is to become desensitized to the importance of these calls . We must fight the tendency to become complacent , and not forget that this may be the first time someone has been pulled over , been in an accident , or a victim of a crime . We must be mindful that although this may be just another call for service to us , the circumstances of what we were called to may be very traumatic for them . Even though we may only be in their lives for 20 or 30 minutes , how we treat them in that short amount of time can influence how they view law enforcement as ONE BODY , as well as how they view our individual organizations .
HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE ? The Marina Police Department in Monterey County , California , prides itself with continually evaluating and discussing the importance of how we treat those we are sworn to serve and protect . We see every citizen contact as an opportunity to provide a positive , professional , and respectful interaction with law enforcement .
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