Over the past decade I have observed an increasing separation between law enforcement and the communities in which they serve. Peace Officers (except for those in administrative positions) have always maintained a self-imposed distance from the communities in which they serve..... often to avoid conflict or the perception of favoritism and accusations of misconduct... This segregation leads to an us vs. them mentality, which in turn leads to Crime Fighters rather than Peace Officers. With returning combat veterans increasingly becoming Peace Officers it is important to play down learned military tactics and operations (covering fire, rules of engagement, authoritarianism, etc.) and place more emphasis on maintaining the peace in a civilian environment. Combat soldiers have a defined enemy. Peace Officers do not. Most people we deal with are still citizens, subject to Constitutional rights and are actually our employers Involvement and participation in community activities by officers tends to keep them mindful of who they serve and increases community respect and support for the mission of maintaining the peace (and to a degree, willing funding of activities). The federal government should not be involved in the training and standards of local law enforcement. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education was created for, and has been highly successful in that. We are Texas Peace Officers, NOT federal crime fighters.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 00:38:21 +0000
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