How good ideas and community service outshines anti-cop voices

This country is angry. Everyone’s mad at everyone else and the subjects in contention range from political choices, salaries, foreign policy, the environment, personal choices, the interpretation of the Constitution—you name it, someone is mad about it.

We’ve also grown accustomed to publicly giving vent to our feelings, making Twitter, Facebook and other sites almost unbearable for those who want to use social media as a way to relax, stay up on how friends are doing and view vacation photos or a funny video.

But both social media and society itself are dangerous places for law enforcement officers these days. With the rise of anti-police rhetoric and wave of LEO deaths for this year, we have never needed public support and confidence more.

This column generates quite a bit of email from officers and others who read LET. Sometimes they agree with me, sometimes not, but each message is equally important. Recently, one officer wrote and recounted what he saw at the funeral of Fargo Officer Jason Mozner, killed in a domestic dispute. The writer talked about how area residents along the 21-mile route stood in the freezing cold to honor the fallen officer, many of them bearing flags and signs of support.

I believe the vast majority of this country’s citizens appreciate the difficult job officers must do and that our detractors are but a vocal minority that understands the art of attracting and manipulating coverage.

One of the smartest things I’ve seen in response to this whipping up of public sentiment is for agencies to counteract the venom with actions, as well as stories and videos, that produce positive effects in the community and elsewhere. Light-hearted examples I’ve seen are videos of officers lip-syncing popular songs and some very clever public service projects that bring nothing but good publicity to participating departments. 

One prime example of a program that costs little, but undoubtedly reduces crime and, thus, deceases the workload of officers, is the recent crop of Internet exchange spots popping up all over the country. From California to North Texas to North Carolina, these sites help reduce the chances that an individual involved in one of these purchases or sales will end up assaulted, ripped off or dead. Usually located near the agency’s headquarters and often in the agency’s parking lot, exchange sites allow members of the public to pay for, pick up and hand over items they’ve sold without being subjected to a stranger in their homes. Considering the number of crimes associated with online sites like Craigslist and even the classified section of daily newspapers, this is such a good idea that whoever came up with it first ought to be publicly recognized. It’s undoubtedly saved lives and gives agencies a public service leg up without much investment.

Another great idea has been put into practice in Louisville, Kentucky, which over the holiday season allowed citizens to pay off $15 of their parking fines by donating 10 cans of food for distribution to local food banks that feed the homeless. The Lexington Parking Authority raised thousands of cans of food and fed hundreds of people with that one small gesture. It’s a great idea and, honestly, I wish more agencies would not only do this, but also incorporate food drives into their agendas several times a year. Law enforcement agencies should promote similar programs because, after all, people are hungry during all seasons, not simply the holidays.

Do you know of any innovative law enforcement or agency programs in your area?

Write me and let know. Let’s share good ideas.