Police protect and serve
Police departments in big and small metropolitan communities have come under attack this year after several high-profile incidents where suspects were killed while being subdued or fleeing from police.
Our area has been largely immune from these traumatic incidents and the anti-police protests they have triggered.In the small boroughs and townships of Carbon, Schuylkill, Monroe, Northampton and Lehigh counties, police departments are made up of men and women who are often our neighbors and our friends.In addition, many of our local communities without local police departments are served by the Pennsylvania State Police.They have chosen this dangerous line of work because of an abiding desire to make their communities safer.Their role is to protect and serve; in turn, our role is to respect and support their efforts on our behalf.Often unheralded, police officers put themselves in harm's way to make sure the bad guys face justice. Our reward for their heroism is a safer community where we can raise our families without paralyzing fear.That they are there for us when danger lurks played out again on July 27 when a local state trooper risked his life by going into a home where a fire had occurred and led a woman to safety.Tonight,we have an opportunity to increase our awareness about police programs in our communities as part of the National Night Out program.Held annually since 1984, this program is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch in both the U.S. and Canada. The intent of the program is to focus on police programs, such as drug prevention, neighborhood watch programs and other anti-crime efforts.Events are typically organized by block watches, not-for-profit organizations, companies and police departments. Some are as simple as backyard cookouts where police and citizens mingle in fellowship; others are full-blown festivals with tributes to police and first-responders.It seems that, periodically, in our history we have had stretches where police and other first responders are vilified because of the despicable actions of a small group of bad apples. We saw it during the Watts and other inner-city riots in the 1960s, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, during the Vietnam War during the '60s and '70s, and after the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles in 1991.We have seen it more recently after incidents in Ferguson, Missouri; New York City; North Charleston, South Carolina; and Baltimore. In the aftermath of these killings, police officers have been killed so far this year apparently by heavily armed snipers bent on revenge in Dallas (five); Baton Rouge (three); and Berrien County, Michigan (3).So far this year, 31 police officers have been killed in the line of duty in the U.S., 26 of them by gunfire. Last year one from Philadelphia and two from New York City were among the victims.Our hearts go out to these innocent police officers who had no connections with the shootings in the cities listed above.Although nothing like this has happened in our area, we know all too well that it can in the blink of an eye.When a police officer or trooper is sworn in during solemn ceremonies, they take an oath pledging to protect the citizens in the jurisdictions in which they will be serving.Police are not above the law, and when we hear instances of police brutality, of police officers killing an unarmed suspect, it gives us pause and makes us wonder whether police are worthy of our support.But just as there will always be exceptions to the brave, caring and professional men and women who make up the police forces which serve us, we must resolve not to paint all with the same brush.We side with the tens of thousands of brave, competent, caring and heroic police officers who do their job, who put their lives on the line. We expect them to make split-second decisions, and we expect them to get it right. There have been times when they have not.But targeting innocent police in retaliation is never going to be the answer. When police go to work and must fear for their lives because of the uniform they wear, it requires people of good will everywhere to stand up and be counted.We need the police; we rely on them when we are in need, as exemplified by the courageous acts of trooper Jonathan Bailey of the Pennsylvania State Police barracks at Fern Ridge on July 27.Much of the answer in understanding each other comes from dialogue with each other. This is why programs such as today's National Night Out provide a forum for people of good will and our police to talk about needs and expectations.We all need to do the right thing.By Bruce Frassinelli |