Well, Mr.
Citizen, it
seems you've
figured me
out. I seem to
fit neatly
into the
category where
you've placed
me.
I'm
stereotyped,
standardized,
characterized,
classified,
grouped, and
always
typical.
Unfortunately,
the reverse is
true I can
never figure
you out.
From birth you
teach your
children that
I'm the
bogeyman, then
you're shocked
when they
identify with
my traditional
enemy ... the
criminal!
You accuse me
of coddling
criminals......until
I catch your
kids doing
wrong.
You may take
an hour for
lunch and
several coffee
breaks each
day, but point
me out as a
loafer for
having one
cup.
You pride
yourself on
your manners,
but think
nothing of
disrupting my
meals with
your troubles.
You raise hell
with the guy
who cuts you
off in
traffic, but
let me catch
you doing the
same thing and
I'm picking on
you. You know
all the
traffic
laws...but
you've never
gotten a
single ticket
you deserve.
You shout
"foul" if you
observe me
driving fast
to a call, but
raise the roof
if I take more
than ten
seconds to
respond to
your
complaint. You
call it part
of my job if
someone
strikes me,
but call it
police
brutality if I
strike back.
You wouldn't
think of
telling your
dentist how to
pull a tooth
or your doctor
how to take
out an
appendix, yet
your always
willing to
give me
pointers on
the law.
You talk to me
in a manner
that would get
you a bloody
nose from
anyone else,
but expect me
to take it
without
batting an
eye. You yell
something's
got to be done
to fight
crime, but you
can't be
bothered to
get involved.
You have no
use for me at
all, but of
course it's OK
if I change a
flat for your
wife, deliver
your child in
the back of
the patrol
car, or
perhaps save
your son's
life with
mouth to mouth
breathing, or
work many
hours overtime
looking for
your lost
daughter.
So, Mr.
Citizen, you
can stand
there on your
soapbox and
rant and rave
about the way
I do my work,
calling me
every name in
the book, but
never stop to
think that
your property,
family, or
maybe even
your life
depends on me
or one of my
buddies.
Yes, Mr.
Citizen, it's
me...the lousy
cop!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The author of
this article
was Trooper
Mitchell Brown
of the
Virginia State
Police. He was
killed in the
line of duty
two months
after writing
the article.
The sad thing
is that
although this
was written by
another police
officer in
another state,
it could be
meant for any
police officer
killed in the
line of duty.
People, this
is how we
treat our
police
officers of
the United
States of
America. This
is how we
respect the
people that
put their
lives in
danger for us
every day.
Please respect
the police.
Because I know
that not every
one would put
their lives in
the risk of
danger every
day for
others. They
do not get
paid that much
for a life.
Please support
them and
volunteer when
needed.
