Keyboard Critics are Common in Government
Going on a police ride-along can help change that
Policing attracts more than its fair share of armchair critics who have little-to-no understanding of what the work actually entails. They get their opinions from social media sound bites, biased news sources, and sadly, even the halls of academia. Academic theories, conjecture, and data, however, don’t always align with the realities of police work or life on the streets.
What’s more concerning is when elected officials engage in this harmful behavior. They make sweeping statements about an entire profession and write policy based on ideology - not on a solid understanding of law enforcement.
Our elected officials could better serve the people by venturing away from their ideological bubbles so that they might familiarize themselves with actual police work. Police ride-alongs offer such an opportunity.
They might then, just learn that policing can be messy, unpredictable, nuanced, and dangerous. That officers need to be able to switch gears from, say, fixing a bicycle to making a split-second decision that could potentially cost lives. And that cops understand the U.S. Constitution as a lawyer would, except without the luxury of after-thought.
It’s why I was thrilled to see a newly re-introduced House resolution from Rep. Angela Craig (MN-2, and a member of the bi-partisan Problem Solving Caucus) that would require each member of the House of Representatives to complete at least one police ride-along. Failure to comply would result in the House member’s name being noted on public records.
You can read my presser about this resolution for National Police Association here.
Unsurprisingly, the resolution has no co-sponsors thus far. This needs to change. Because thinking and acting as if you know more about a profession than the people who actually work it, is hubris. What we need more of in our legislatures is humility.
Updates (Some Positive News)!
The Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743)
H.R. 743 now has 104 House co-sponsors! This past week, Reps. Darrell Issa (CA-48) and Susan Wild (PA-7) signed on as co-sponsors. Rep. Issa is also a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee, where the bill has been stalled. Given that it’s Republican Committee members who have the power to push this bill through, having Rep. Issa sign on is a step in the right direction.
Please ask your networks to urge their members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 743. And thank you for taking the time to contact your own congressperson!
Women Supporting Law Enforcement
Today I learned that Independent Women’s Network, the organization I’m an active and investing member of, will be working with me on creating an even bigger police and public safety presence than originally anticipated. I’m so excited!
Plans are in the works for National Police Week. Stay tuned. : )
They Don’t Want You to Believe Your Lying Eyes
When politicians and politicized police chiefs claim crime is down, I remain skeptical. Take New York City, for example. If crime has indeed decreased as Mayor Eric Adams contends and there’s no police staffing crisis, why did New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul send 750 National Guard troops to New York City subways after a spike in violence?
When I first saw the video of armed troops standing guard in NYC’s subways and police officers checking riders’ bags, it reminded me of a trip to Poland I took in 1978 to visit relatives. At the time, Poland was still under Soviet rule, and as such, armed Russian troops were stationed at various points throughout Warsaw and other parts of the country. Essentially, Poles weren’t able to travel freely within their own country. I never thought I’d witness this scene in my own country, even if the impetus for it is different.
Instead of potentially violating the Fourth Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, here’s a better idea: Support law enforcement, let police officers do actual police work, keep violent criminals behind bars, and rescind inane bail laws that allow for those accused of even the most heinous of crimes, to be free.
Parting thought . . .
To say that we live in dystopian times would be an understatement. The things happening now in our country on a regular basis boggle the mind. I think the speed in which our descent occurred caught most of us off-guard. Who in their right mind could have predicted any of this?
Please know, however, that all of this has awoken a sleeping giant. A growing number of Americans are pushing back against the insanity, which means we have the potential to get through this dark period and maybe even come out on the other end even stronger.
Keep the faith and know that you’re not alone.
Best. : )
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.
Your testimony about Poland is impactful. My friend, a music major went to Poland in the early 80s and he told me that Bruce Weller's Mission Impossible was incredibly accurate. We don't want that here. Good job. Keep up the good work.
Asking politicians to actually learn about the topics on which they push public policy is both a minimum ask and simultaneously a gargantuan task. Without question, America is in the midst of a public safety crisis. The way forward must be a proactive one. In this effort, it is essential for us not to be deceived by those who are seeking perpetual division for their own ideological and political purposes. As a community, we need our elected and civic leader to foster unifying approaches that advance constitutional policing, reduce violence, address chronic crime conditions, improve public safety, protect victims, foster wellness and enhance community support for the police. When the police are one with the community, our neighborhoods are safer, freer, more stable, and better positioned to help foster the improved well-being of all of the community’s members.
For some additional related thoughts: https://secure1776.us/news-category/tragedy-free-policing/