Over the last year, we’ve seen plenty of police action that should give our nation pause.
But student videos of a school resource officer in Columbia, S.C., may be what finally crystallizes the meaning of all these “oh, no, not again” videos we’ve seen in recent years – and the aftermaths that follow.
As a nation, and community-by-community, we must insist on police protection, not a police state.
First, a stipulation: Almost all police are good people with good – no, wonderful – intentions. They have an incredibly hard job – be an enforcer, a psychologist, a social worker and a mentor, often all on the same help call, whether it be to a school, a home, a business, a halfway house or a bank robbery.
But the training officers receive – especially in the psychologist, social worker and mentor departments – clearly leaves something to be desired.