Being a law enforcement officer in today’s society seems at times to be more dangerous than ever.
Over the last few years, if anything, it just gets worse.
Earlier this year, really within the past few months, there have been calls for defunding police departments and other law enforcement agencies.
Municipalities that cave in to what some groups are clamoring for are making a big mistake.
Even cutting back on police and law enforcement budgets just to transfer the money somewhere else is foolish.
The city of Norman is one of those that cut its police department’s budget and that city isn’t far away from this area. The city is embroiled in a lawsuit today because of that decision.
Thankfully, there have not been any such calls in this area.
Much of all this in Oklahoma is really by a small minority of the people and has been in response to actions and situations far away from the Sooner state.
For the most part, it’s in retaliation to events that have occurred in other communities in other parts of this nation.
We’re not saying that law enforcement officers aren’t going to make mistakes nor that officers don’t find themselves on the wrong side of the law sometimes. But by far, the overwhelming majority of these officers are doing it right.
Defunding police departments won’t make communities safer. If anything, the impact will be just the reverse of that.
Eliminating police jobs will only lead to fewer officers to respond to those citizens who need them.
More and more citizens today need the police and they don’t hesitate to dial 911 and ask for their assistance.
Defunding a police department or other law enforcement entity is not a progressive move. It’s regressive at best.
Awhile back a councilwoman in a nearby community made comments after that city council had voted to cut police positions from the budget. She made a statement that cutting one patrol position could allow hiring two drug counselors instead.
When a person calls 911 in that community and has a police emergency, it’s the police not a drug counselor who is going to respond.
There is a place and need for drug counselors in our communities, that is a given.
But cutting police jobs to fund them, is only going to exacerbate the situation.
Oklahomans have shown common sense in supporting law enforcement officers throughout this state’s history. They should continue that practice as should all the other law abiding citizens across our nation.
Law enforcement officers need and deserve that support and they seem appreciative of it.