It’s time for the American public to decide what we want from law enforcement. Warriors? Counselors? Guardians? Priests? Social workers? Magicians? Do we want the cheapest cops possible? Or, do we want well-trained and well-screened cops who are equipped with every tool needed for every possible eventuality?
An initiative spawned in Southern California holds hopeful signs for how to heal fractured relationships between law enforcement and the people they serve.
Behind every long-term missing person or unsolved murder case is a family who continues to look for answers. As the months and years pass by, these families live in a cruel limbo of mourning and hoping for answers that may never come.
The relationship of the police to the community should be harmonious. The community relies upon the police department to “protect and serve” and the police, in return, rely upon community support and cooperation in order to be effective. When communication and trust deteriorate, tensions build between the community and police and undermine their shared goal of safer communities.