(Previously published in American Thinker.)
Earlier this week, certified firearms and instructor and member of the U.S. Army Reserves Robert Card allegedly walked into a crowded bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston, opening fire and killing 18 people while injuring 13 others. He’s currently on the run, and many police officers are taking part in a serious manhunt to track him down.
On top of that, police have notified citizens to stay indoors and keep everything locked up, in an effort to keep off the streets. Schools have even been closed down, the situation is so serious.
This is just absolutely saddening. I can’t imagine why this man would want to fire on innocent people. Who knows what aspect of what’s happening in our world affected him? My heart goes out to the men and women of Maine who lost loved ones in this tragic shooting.
However, there is a very clear lesson to be learned from this: the value of our police.
I will pound this message home until everyone hears it. Police have been heavily undervalued over the past few years, starting with that awful “defund the police” campaign that shook up a number of governments back in 2020.
Because of these campaigns, thousands of officers have lost their jobs. It didn’t have to be this way — but those Democrats who were gloating over the fact that the police ended up being underfunded are certainly seeing their comeuppance now. Earlier this year, several cities reported a sky-high crime increase, including major ones like New York, Denver, Portland, Seattle, and Chicago.
And some still aren’t learning. A couple of weeks back, Boston was prepared to clear a $3.4-million funding budget to “fund” the police so they could stop the rampant crimewave that had hit their town. But, surprise, the Democrat City Council members shot that down, over concerns of an age-old criminal computer system that seemed more like an excuse on their part.
I don’t see how jaded Democrats or other officials can look at this matter and say the police aren’t needed. We have officers who are working tirelessly to track down Card and stop him from hurting others. They’re going all out to ensure that citizens are safe while they seek out the suspect. They’re giving their all.
I’m sure there are a jaded few out there saying, “Well, they wouldn’t have been able to stop that shooting. They can’t be everywhere.” Well, they would be in a lot more places if they had more officers in the ranks, with the proper gear to respond. Make all the excuses in the world, but the fact of the matter is, our officers are needed.
Democrats aren’t hunting down this shooter. The police are — good working men and women that want nothing more than peace, just like the other citizens of Maine. No amount of bureaucracy can make up for that. It’s a matter of them doing their jobs and doing right for the people in their city.
I salute the men and women working hard to do their job in Maine. And I hope those politicians up on high can see what’s happening and finally understand their worth. Because if they can’t, there’s nothing stopping other shooters from wreaking havoc. We’re talking 565 victims this year from “active shooter” events.
It’s time to take action and give our hard working officers their due.
Michael Letts is the founder, president, and CEO of InVest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. He also has over 30 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, hence his pro-police stance for his brothers and sisters in blue. Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website.
