(Originally published in American Thinker.)
It’s so frustrating watching the fallout from what’s taken place with the “defund the police” campaigns over the past couple of years. Politicians and local governments have given in to these mobs and slashed city budgets, in the hopes of teaching their beloved police officers a “valuable lesson.”
However, it turns out they’re the ones that need to learn from their mistakes.
In case you missed the news, a driver managed to plow into a group of more than 20 up-and-coming law enforcers while they were out on their morning run at the Sheriff’s Training Academy and Regional Services (S.T.A.R.S.) in Whittier, California.
As a result, five have been critically injured, while 18 others have suffered minor and moderate injuries. The driver has since been taken into custody.
This is just the latest example of officers being targeted by disturbed individuals. Individuals that can strike at any time. Individuals that have built up some sort of hatred against officers, either because of something that’s happened to them or someone they know, or, for all we know, motivated by the whole “defund the police” campaign and hoping to do something about it in their own right.
There’s a big problem here, though.
Number one, they attacked recruits. We’re talking about young heroes that brushed aside the politics sweeping across the nation against police officers and who were willing to become them anyway. People who merely wanted to show they have what it takes to don a badge and take care of innocent people. The fact that they were attacked in spite of this perseverance is not only an act of pent-up rage, but also full blown cowardice on the driver’s part.
But, as you may have heard from me before, there’s a deeper problem here. The recruits were wearing high-visibility vests, as recruits often do to show that they’re ready to become police officers. As a result, they became visible targets, and there was little to no protection to stop this suspect from plowing his car right into them.
Where’s the blame? It generally comes back to city governments.
That they’ve slashed city budgets to the point that even recruits can’t get the protection they deserve is absolutely asinine.
As a result, this incident may have de-motivated some to give up on the program – or perhaps even convinced others that it could be far too dangerous to be a police officer.
This is what happened with “defund the police.” These mobs thought they were making a difference with this “punishment,” but we’re seeing the results that come from that. An increase in active shooter events. Crime rising in several cities, including high-profile ones like New York, Seattle, and Portland. Fewer officers on the streets and hundreds of others either retiring or simply walking away while they still have a sense of mental health to call their own. (And keep in mind that this includes people walking away from full pensions. Just to stay alive.)
So, as the new year approaches, I once again implore that these city governments take a close look at their consequential actions and see where it got them. More importantly, fix them. Provide better security not only for our officers patrolling the street, but also the recruits that are ignoring all the negativity surrounding what’s happening to police lately and still giving their all to become one.
I’d also like to see more progress made on the bill currently making its way through Congress that would provide police the funding they so desperately need. That’s funding to go towards better protective gear. Better mental health treatment for those who need it. And more importantly, better security so that the officers of tomorrow won’t face peril, like the S.T.A.R.S. recruits just did in Whittier.
Otherwise, we’re going to see more incidents like this – and more people potentially leaving as a result. We can’t have that, especially now. There is a new year upon us, and we should make it a year where the police aren’t brushed aside for political purposes – but instead welcomed for the heroes that they truly are.
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 here.
