Police Matters

A lot of news about police, communities and the relationships between both. Throughout the nation. Both here and abroad. The topics are universal. And maybe that’s the problem.

Police protection in our communities is not automatic. They exist because there is a social contract between the public and government authorities. The constitutions of the nations address the basic contract: an agreement between the governed and the governors. The latter have only the power that the former grant them. Governed in this sense does not mean lesser. The governed are the power. The governors – or authorities – are the lesser if rank even has a place in this discussion!

Police are armed, have training, discipline and authority to act. They do this, however, for the common good as envisioned by the governed. It’s in the social contract. The police must act in accordance with this contract. Doing otherwise leads to chaos – despotic governments, tyranny or anarchy.

Some of this is reflected in Ferguson, Missouri. Also in New York City and Baltimore. Uncomfortable times in these communities. But many other communities are not far behind in these developments. Many communities are edging toward tinder conditions where a small incident could lead to full riots.

Respect for police by the public is a critical element in maintaining peace.

That statement is the baseline for today’s blog. Respect for police begins not with the public, however, but with the police themselves. They have power only because of the consent of the governed. Period. That’s the sum and substance of the entire matter.

If police staff – on the streets or behind the desks – feels otherwise, then they need to be removed. Don’t get me wrong. The public needs the police force but the police force needs the public behind them in every way. That is a relationship that constantly demands work to create and maintain. I think this is often misunderstood by police command and officers on the street.

We have been viewing marathons of TV re-runs of several police/crime series. Currently we are catching up on the 10 years of Criminal Minds! We've done the same with CSI-New York, Bluebloods, Bones, Burn Notice and a few more. The stories are compelling. They include both the depth of criminal thinking and base anti-social behavior. They also chronicle the lives, careers and personal pressures of those people serving within the police ranks. Those lives are not easy. They work with a public often distrustful of the police. Or victims in full rage of need instead of helping to solve the crime.

It is easy to understand how a policeman feels frustration. It is also easy to understand the public’s uneasiness of the power with which police are endowed. But it is limited power.  Limited in scope and objective because of constitutional safeguards, but also limited to situation or circumstances.

In the latter, I find myself yelling at the TV telling the cop to shot the bastard! But no, the bastard needs to be kept alive so a court case can deal with him fully while also protecting the public in the short and long term. Killing the criminal during the dangerous hunt is tempting; it would shorten the timeline of crises and eliminate costly court and prison processes at the same time! Seemingly a win-win for the public; but not really. Due process protects the public at large and our system of government. It also protects the innocent ensnared in a criminal case.

TV renderings of crime stories make it appear slam dunk obvious who the guilty party is. Truth is more complex. Crime stories evolve from crime backward to the cause and perpetrators. That process is time consuming and time sensitive. It is not slam dunk. Along the way innocent people can become implicated. The law protects them and the rest of us.

Ferguson, Baltimore and other communities experiencing flashpoints of distrust between police and public are only the tip of the iceberg. All of our communities are capable of these flare-ups. Major work is needed to restore order and trust in the troubled communities. For the rest of us, major work is needed to retain order, trust and long term commitment to community needs.

How many of us are willing to do this work? How many are lazy and too willing to jump to conclusions, pick up a brick and allow our emotions to run riot?

I have faith that the vast majority are willing to do the work. I just hope they activate that willingness soon.

May 4, 2015