It's over America, we're leaving

I have served in law enforcement agencies for more than 27 years - and that's enough with me. These protests and riots were the last straw. Offensive words constantly flying at us turned into stones, bottles and shots. It's over, America, we're leaving.

This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write.

I grew up in a law enforcement family. My father rose to the position of captain of the Fort Smith Police Department in Arkansas. I well remember how a child went to work with him on Friday for a pay.

And I literally reverence for those superheroes with whom he worked.

My father sacrificed a lot, as did my deceased mother. Whether it fell to him a weekly surveillance of suspects, wiretapping of telephone conversations or a pursuit of drug dealers all over the country - his father did everything for our family and often worked overtime so that we did not need anything. Some will call it a privilege, but where I grew up it was called hard work.

The guys at school thought my father had a cool job. He sometimes asked if I had problems because of this, but they never occurred. Everyone respected his profession ... even harder guys, who most of all liked labor lessons.

As a child, I was not going to become a cop, but one fateful evening in the first year of college, everything changed.

My life made a sharp turn when I happened to go on duty with real policemen.

I studied at college for four years, and my father wanted me to work in an organization that respects education. Therefore, at age 21, I moved to Tulsa (Oklahoma), and this was the beginning of a successful career.

I did not know anyone there, but before my eyes was the example of a father who always worked hard and treated people with respect. I saw that many other policemen are also working hard and are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of people.

If, then, 27 years ago, you told me what state the law enforcement bodies would be in now, I would not have believed you for anything.

I do not think that the forces of law and order have become worse, but the world around is yes.

Previously, people with mental disorders received medical care, now they simply send police officers to them. Previously, children were taught respect, but now it’s cool to show no respect.

Previously, when you did the right thing, the leadership supported you, but now they are ready to say that you were wrong to pacify the madmen.

Parents used to be angry with children when they got into the police, but now they are angry with us.

Previously, the media paid attention to the positive contribution of our profession to society, but now they either ignore it or distort the truth in order to cater to the scandal.

Previously, among the criminals, there was a certain respect for us. Those who came across understood: this is our job. Well, now they are blaming us for being in handcuffs, not their own decisions.

Previously, those who attacked the police, the attitude was appropriate. Nowadays, attackers will receive the glory of martyrs, and police - millions of dollars worth of lawsuits.

Previously, we could safely testify in court, and they believed us. Now, without video materials recorded from three different angles, our words are of no interest to anyone.

With all that is being said about racism and racist cops, I myself have never seen a person treated differently because of skin color. And I (realizing at the same time that cowards who never did my job would call me a racist for these words) add this: I saw only criminal acts and the policemen who tried to stop these actions, and they did not care about skin color.

I saw how the police assisted and saved the lives of all racial, gender, and ethnic groups. Previously, this was given some kind of value. Now - no.

What words they just didn’t call ... Many of them were racially motivated, and not one of them sounded from the lips of other policemen. I saw how African-American cops came across this. I even had to dissuade one newcomer from dismissal, who was hunted down by numerous underpants of the same skin color as himself.

I came across words that I had not heard before being served in the police.

“Uncle Tom”, “cracker” (the derogatory nickname of whites. - RT ), “pig”, the word “n” are just some examples. I heard them thousands of times, and have never seen a police officer respond to this.

They just tolerated.

And despite all this, I considered this work to be the best decision I made in my life. Previously, I would advise everyone to follow my example and secretly hoped that one of my children would do the same.

It would have turned out to be a fourth-generation policeman.

But today all this has come to an end. I would not wish such a work to the most sworn enemy. And I would never send a loved one to the hell that our work has become.

Only in this profession can one do everything right and at the same time lose everything.

Only in this profession are citizens for whom you risk your life for this they hate you.

Only this part of society is considered normal to discriminate against and prejudice - and it's all just because of the uniform you wear.

You can’t explain something here. You can’t try to bring any arguments here.

To replace the insults came stones, bottles and bullets.

I saw how the people around me came across this, and I saw their lives derailed.

To do this work is like walking along a minefield. There is always the possibility that the next challenge will turn into universal condemnation for you, and even a trial, even if you do everything right.

No other profession has this.

Being in the hands of doctors, 250 thousand people die per year. This is what is called “medical errors,” - society understands that they perform very difficult work under high stress and they have to make the best possible decision on the go.

The police have the same difficult job, and we cope with it extremely successfully. Despite the fact that the level of violence in society is now higher than ever, less than 1 thousand suspects die per year. 96% attack us with guns, and the rest, with rare exceptions, use their cars, or fists, or (and such cases more and more) fake firearms to help Benjamin Cramp (an American civil rights lawyer) help then their relatives win the lottery.

I saw how the police risk their lives when they could not do this - just not to kill a man.

They, unlike representatives of other professions, are never given their due.

Cowards are everywhere. From the heads of police departments and sheriffs to politicians, no one supports us.

Now they tell us that they will deprive us of the small financing that we have, or even will cancel us altogether.

We will be ruled by citizens pursuing political goals. If you woke up and put on a uniform - that's all, you're already a racist. This weekend I was threatened with murder simply because I was doing my job. Ten years ago, this would have caused widespread indignation and would have become the subject of national news. But now it's just a regular Monday.

More threats, accusations of racism and lies are waiting for us.

I used to discourage policemen who wanted to leave, but now I support them in this.

That's it, America. You finally did it. You don’t have to cancel the police - we already will not be there.

I know that most Americans still value us, but this is not enough, and the risk here is too high.

Those who say “thank you” to us or sometimes treat us to something - this means a lot to us. But those of you who were silent while the robbers and cowards turned knives stuck in our backs, the responsibility lies with you.

To the truth, you prefer hashtags and memes, and this will create (already creates) an environment in your areas that you could not even imagine. If you think that Minneapolis will never turn into Mogadishu, then he is already on his way. And when this happens, do not forget that you were involved in this. This is the America you created.

This article was first published on lawofficer.com .

The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the publisher.