Dear editor:
I'm responding to the Sept. 9, 2014, letter by Mr. Steven Bank entitled "Police should be role models." Mr. Bank, I'm the wife of one of those officers who are apparently living in the lap of luxury on Rock Creek Road. I find it quite presumptuous of you to judge us by doing a drive-by and "peeping through our windows." Do you know what I do for a living? No. I'm perplexed on how you became an expert on any of our lifestyles when you've never met us.
Regarding take home vehicles, again, you are "presuming" to know the inner workings of the police department. There are rules for take home vehicles and there are officers who don't qualify, so they drive their own vehicle. Is it just for an officer to get called out at 3 a.m. and have to drive their personal vehicle to the accident, shooting, beating or break-in? Are you suggesting that the officers should take the time to drive to the PD to get their vehicle, and then go to the call?
Most of the officers carry equipment that is necessary to their position in their vehicle, so now not only are they driving to pick up their car, they also have to take the time to load their equipment. Personally, I would rather the officer have everything needed with them so they can come help me sooner rather than later. How many complaints do you think would be generated by the delay that you're suggesting? How many lawsuits? How many injuries or even deaths for that matter? Seriously?
To say you have "no clue" is an understatement. I know officers who work an exhausting 12-hour shift only to turn around and go to their second job (or third) to feed their family, that qualify for food stamps, and I know officers who struggle every day, but still show up, step up and work their tails off to protect you! They put their lives on the line every day they wear that uniform. They don't ask for anything except for the respect they deserve for protecting our community and they rarely get that.
If you have an officer who lives in your neighborhood that is breaking a law, you should call their supervisor. Have you? If you did, it would be effective. There are bad officers, just like there are bad politicians, postmen, clerks, etc., and it's irresponsible to lump them all into one category.
I hope you don't have the misfortune of needing an officer's assistance, but if you do, they will be there to assist you ... whether you respect them or not. That is what they do. That is their job. They risk their lives for strangers and while they do, their family is anxiously waiting for their shift to end to see if they walk through the door. If that's not the definition of a "role model," then I don't know what is.
Jeannie Stringer
Hot Springs
Editorial on 09/17/2014