I’m a 28-year veteran cop/chief and served with San Jose PD for about 10 of those years. Your article “It May Be Legal, But …” (From The Chief, November 2013) was insightful. I’ve wrestled with not only what’s going on now, but also what I did throughout my career. You’ve caused me to think in areas I wasn’t sure of, but the more I consider it the more it rings true.

Quasi-legal classes for cops mostly focus on the constitutional rights of the accused — not necessarily of all American citizens. For example, the federal government’s over the top behavior with what appear to be fraudulent affidavits for warrants (FBI targeted and declared a FOX News reporter to be a flight risk, among other things, because the administration wanted to find a leaker in their midst) stymies free speech that keeps the public informed. Add to that the IRS, NSA, FBI, EPA ad nauseam.

Park Rangers then barricaded one part of the National Mall to keep WWII vets off the sidewalk at a monument for them, yet allowed thousands of illegal aliens to use the same Mall closed by the administration. When will individual cops put integrity above orders? Orders aren’t always legal orders, but we blindly carry them out. And when will chiefs and sheriffs put their constitutional oath ahead of politics and simply stand in the way of federal agents intent on doing harm to the local constituents who depend on their law enforcement administrators to protect them?

I’m no longer worried about the local crook as I am about the local and national politician. One’s bent on taking my stuff — the other is bent on taking my liberty. I’ll give up my stuff in a heartbeat before I’ll give up my liberty.

We need to educate law enforcement on the American peoples’ constitutional rights and not worry only about the criminals’ rights. Thanks for a fine, thought-provoking article.

Bill Clark
Via email

Most of us average citizens know little of the inner workings of law enforcement or the relationship it has with the local and state administrations. Unfortunately, our “knowledge” or perception comes from cop shows, sensationalized news stories or our observation and inference of events on the street, which are at best limited and at worst distorted. American COP Magazine provides a great deal of first-hand insight into the issues and challenges of law enforcement, not only from an operations and training perspective, but from a legal, ethical and moral perspective as well — it’s why I believe your publication is as important for “Joe Citizen” as it is for those in law enforcement.

Jerry Boyd’s article was one of the most insightful and important perspectives on the role of law enforcement I’ve seen in print. Most citizens have a well-established respect for the risks, challenges and responsibilities law enforcement face daily. However, when we get an extreme dose of “policing by excessive ticket writing” or neglect of important matters for the sake of political correctness, we wonder if law enforcement has become a revenue generator or public relations arm of an overbearing local administration. It’s this perception causing us to wonder if “To Protect and To Serve” means protect the government and serve the administration. I’d love to see “To Protect Liberty and To Serve Our Citizens” on the sides of patrol cars. In this day of misinterpretation, misunderstanding and ambiguity, being more explicit might be advantageous; not only to garner greater respect from the public, but also as a reminder to law enforcement personnel of their mission and responsibilities. Just a thought.

Jim Hurley (an average citizen)
Lynn Haven, Florida

Wow! You gentlemen hit out of the park, homers! Well said. I sure hope all our readers; from street cops to top cops hear you loud and clear. SH

GUNS

HOLSTERS

SOFT SKILLS

OFFICER SURVIVAL

WEAPONS TRAINING

EXPERTS

TAC-MED

KNIVES

STREET TACTICS

LESS LETHAL

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM