There's No War on Cops? I Beg Your Pardon!
Plus a letter from a retired police lieutenant who gets it
Just because we don’t personally witness an event doesn’t mean it isn’t significant or won’t affect us at some point. Take September 11, for example.
While most Americans weren’t at Ground Zero when the attacks occurred, that day changed us as a nation. It traumatized us and kept us on edge, in fear of another impending attack. The remnants of 9/11 haven’t left us, either. Every time we board a plane and are subjected to multiple layers of security, we’re reminded of our vulnerability.
The war on police is similar. While we may not see it unfolding in real time, it’s still occurring - and it’s having very real impacts on us all.
Why Do People Deny There’s a War on Police?
One dynamic is our hyper-politicized nation, which has caused policing, like most every other topic of discourse, to become tribalized. We live at a time when people rely on videos, sound bites, and hearsay to form their opinions. If said talking points originate from someone belonging to a respective tribe, then they’re apt to become widely accepted by that faction. And there’s no amount of data or perspective that can change that.
Regurgitated talking points that minimalize the war on police also confuse the situation. You may have heard narratives like Most cops die of suicide, as if these very real tragedies somehow diminish the very real increase in ambushes on police officers. Or Good, it’ll weed out the bad cops, while the people saying it are seemingly unaware that officers are leaving police departments across the country en masse, many of them taking decades of experience and honorable service with, and leaving broken communities in their wake.
I also believe that policing is more personal for some people. For example, someone who lives in a once-vibrant city that has deteriorated because officers are dissuaded from engaging in proactive or broken windows policing; or a 911 center who has nobody to send to a resident in distress because of a police staffing crisis.
Conversely, if your world hasn’t been shattered by crime or you don’t have to walk over needles and human waste just to go to the store, you probably don’t give the police much thought. Until, of course, you need them.
3 Major Ways the War on Police is Materializing
Though there are a number of factors that have contributed to the war on police -that work in tandem- the following are some of the major factors that drive and define it.
1. The Continued Rise in Violence of Police Officers
These include ambush-style attacks -which are especially heinous because they’re calculated and unprovoked- which have been rising year-to-year, since the FBI noted the uptick in 2015.
To see the numbers for yourself, read the Officers Shot and Killed updates, which the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) publishes monthly. Unlike police-involved incidents that make headlines, these officers often don’t get as much as a mention.
It’s true that policing is an inherently dangerous profession, and cops know this going in. Being targeted simply for wearing a uniform, however, makes the job that much more dangerous, unpredictable, and stressful. Not to mention the toll it takes on their families and loved ones.
The rise in ambushes are why every self-proclaimed law and order U.S. representative needs to become a co-sponsor of The Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743). By mandating minimal sentencing at the federal level for knowingly assaulting and causing harm to a police officer, this legislation would serve as a potential deterrent.
The FOP have prioritized this bill and created a convenient (and customizable) automated form letter that takes a few moments to sign. If you haven’t already, please sign the letter, or urge your U.S. rep to sign on as a co-sponsor. This is a meaningful act you can do that will help police officers.
2. Attempts to Erase Qualified Immunity for Police Officers
Elected officials and activists with little-to-no understanding of what police work entails are trying to end qualified immunity for officers.
Qualified immunity isn’t the same thing as blanket immunity. Under qualified immunity, police officers are still held accountable for rogue acts. What it does is protect an officer from personal liability, provided the act in question was committed within the confines of the law and officer’s training.
Without the protection of qualified immunity, an officer can be held personally liable for tens of thousands to millions of dollars - even if the act was deemed lawful. Depending on the jurisdiction, it’s easy to see how some juries would readily award complainants regardless of the evidence - and why police officers are rightfully concerned.
(National Police Association has a deeper read on qualified immunity.)
Note that the conversation about qualified immunity focuses solely on police officers. Why are cops held under stricter standards than elected officials, judges, and district attorneys?
3. Zealous Indictments of Police Officers
At the same time that select district attorneys refuse to prosecute criminal perpetrators -including for violence targeting law enforcement- they are indicting police officers who use force in compliance with their training and the law. (To be clear, this is not about protecting cops who shouldn’t be in the profession to begin with.)
These are not isolated cases. They’re part of an increasing trend.
In Austin, Texas, as just one example, the district attorney indicted 19 officers for criminal charges because they deployed beanbags during the 2020 riots that inadvertently harmed demonstrators. This same district attorney, meanwhile rejected felony cases of civilians at a rate 735% higher from the same period in 2020.
You can read about some of these cases on the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund website, who just this week, tweeted about a new case of a police detective yet again having to fight to prove his innocence. The National Center for Police Defense is another nonprofit organization that advocates for officers who’ve been zealously indicted. I’ve also detailed some of these in my ebook, presentation, and video; you can find the links at the bottom of this post.
This has ramifications for law enforcement's ability to effectively do their job. What cop won't hesitate before acting if they have to fear being wrongfully indicted, sued, or harassed? And who can blame them?
A Retired Police Lieutenant Who Gets It
Most of you who write to me, do so with the expectation of privacy. (Keep those letters coming, BTW.) I respect and understand this. We live in an era of cancel culture and overwhelm, and where an innocuous sentence can easily be misconstrued. So it’s understandable - especially when pensions, careers, and loved ones hang in the balance.
The following letter is from a reader who responded to my last post about when police officers hesitate. He has given his explicit permission to publish his words. If you’re in law enforcement, I think this letter will help you realize that you’re not alone and that people do see what you’re going through.
Please know that I will always respect your privacy and keep your confidences. If however, you are a police officer or loved one of a police officer who would like to publicly share your thoughts, I will gladly give you a voice here.
It is undeniable that there is a fierce movement against law enforcement. Officers doing their duty are subjected to intense investigation for their actions by the command structure as well as prosecutors, the general public and media. And the eye of these investigations has shifted from internal to criminal procedures in many incidents arguably pandering to the woke philosophy of defund the police.
So, if you are an officer on the scene your first impulse is to run in and take action, followed by a reflex thought of wait a minute, what if? Herein might be the predicament. Officer ‘s experience and training is eclipsed by apprehensions of mistaken actions that could lead to criminal prosecution which is the current trend.
So where is it mandated that a person with an exposed gun in hand must be told to drop the gun (via Hollywood style?). I have seen too many videos where officers are pleading with individuals to drop the gun sir, and yes, I know they believe they have to cover their asses by saying that and THAT is the tragedy. Unfortunately, this Hollywood style approach to policing has established a terrible standard in the minds of civilians that if police do not tell the perp to drop the gun, then the police officer is dead wrong. (Pun intended).
The police are being forced to be on 'alert' far too much. This increases stress and other factors relating to a sense of threat. The wear and tear from this has an impact. This always on, anywhere, anytime, anyplace era has created a sense of constant crisis. What happens to police in a state of constant crisis is the adrenalized fight-or-flight mechanism kicks in. But arguably the flight reflex is paramount given the vilification by the left if they take any measure (force) to protect themselves and quell any existing threat.
Sincerely......Lieutenant (ret.) Stephen J. laPenta
Lt. laPenta added:
I had 40 active years of service and have a private detectives license. Needless to say I am appalled at the venom that is hurled against police by the destructive forces of our society. Bless those who serve in this hostile environment. Thank you for being a voice for L&E.
I’ve just outlined some of the mechanics of the war on police. There are also reasons why it’s happening (no conspiracy theories, I promise!) that I’d like to delve into for future posts.
For a Deeper Dive Into the Policing Crisis
To delve into these and other issues impacting law enforcement, I encourage you to check out (and share) the following resources. All are completely free!
Defending the Defenders, an e-book about the plight of police officers and meaningful ways to support them.
My short video about the police staffing crisis.
A presentation on how the war on police harms women, presented in partnership with Independent Women’s Network. It features our beloved Chief Mike Koval (retired).
My recent interview with Betsy Branter Smith of the National Police Association, which appeared on FirstTV.
That’s it for this week. As always, thanks for caring and for taking the time to read my posts. I wish you the 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.
Thank you. Very well written.