The Bastardization of "To Serve and Protect"

To "Serve and Protect" is the motto that most police cars have painted on their side. In light of the deadly behaviors of police in the United States, one must ask the question "Serve and Protect whom?"

During the 1960's and 70's, much depended on where you lived as to every day interaction with the Police. Even during anti-Vietnam protests there were police who were sympathetic to the cause and would stop their more "aggressive" brothers from violence against unarmed people. As we cruised into the 80's and 90's, the idea of "neighborhood policing" was popular and actually worked in many areas. The concept was that a beat cop would do just that, 'walk their beat' thereby getting to know the community they served. Things appeared to get better in the short term, for many situations. However, the more the "War on Drugs" escalated, the more militant police became. On one hand, given the extreme violence and militancy off cartels and the like, being ready to combat them was a logical idea. Cops who had been carrying revolvers switched to semi-auto, high capacity magazines and assault type weapons. Heck, they were fighting people armed with AK’s, Uzi's and explosives...it made some sense.

Now however, one must wonder if the pre-employment psych exams of yesteryear have been thrown out the window. Police have forgotten that they "serve the people" even though it is stenciled on their cars. The fact of the matter is that the majority of police have lost sight of this mission. Many receive overtime pay from corporations working on their "off" hours, which creates not only a huge conflict of interest for the public but changes the loyalty of the police towards the entities that allow them to support their families.

Cuts in pay, staffing and training have produced a group of unregulated, loyal only to each other criminals of whom we are all afraid. They roam high and low with high powered rifles, little if any oversight, and we the people do not know if those hired in this time of lessening pay (and thereby standards of those hired to BE police) have the proper temperament, motivation or even capability of become the "Peace Officers" they were meant to be.

We cannot survive as a nation without those whose duty is to "Serve and Protect". After all, bad guys do exist but, without official protection from those who perpetrate violence and crime, the NRA and the "Open Carry" behaviors we are currently witnessing will pale in comparison to those who would sprout in the absence of a true and viable police force.

There are a handful of police "Chiefs" or superintendents in this country, who possess a particular philosophy concerning "police work". This group of men (not a woman among them that I can see) go from employment with one major urban city to the next, spreading their M.O.'s and methods of the modern police, which increasingly becomes more gestapo-like than the "beat cop" pattern would dictate.

Another factor, which I believe contributes to the breakdown of the police lies in the matter of funding. Many cities have been accepting funds from major corporations in order to keep adequate numbers of cops on duty. The question must be asked how this practice has affected the mission, loyalty and honesty of these police.

During the initial occupation by "Occupation New York", I had expected to see at least a few of the police joining with the crowds, at least in sentiment. That they did not shows just how much more loyal standard police procedure is to the wants and needs of corporations, big business and property values than they are committed to the preservation of life. If this group cannot or will not change shortly, then I have to agree with the concept of radical change, removing those at the top, attempting to retrain the rest from the bottom up.

Lack of funding (cutting police and public unions, salaries, removal of benefits and seniority, everything a person works for) by those Right Wing influences which have moved our government so far to the right, creates a force which  does little more than serve as "Corporate Militias".

These deviations from the original concept of the modern "Peace Officer" can only be controlled and/or done away with by constant vigilance on a grass roots level, the removal of those in government who view the police as personal bodyguards of the rich, and an overhaul of the premise of "Policing" across the board. Otherwise, nobody is safe.