Once upon a time in a beautiful place called America police and communities were (almost) as one and (almost) everyone in these communities lived in harmony with them. (Most) Police lived in the communities that they served, walked beats and knew (most of) the people that they protected and served.  And (most of) the people of this beautiful land with ‘spacious skies’, ‘amber waves of grain’ and majestic purple mountains that towered above ‘the fruited plain’, cared for and highly respected the police.

This land was a land of hard-working immigrants who believed that anyone who worked hard and was determined could achieve ‘The American Dream’ for himself and his family.  They said, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddle masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teaming shore.  Send these the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

But as the years slowly drifted by in this dreamland that frequently stirred misty dreams of utopia, things changed and some of the police began to feel that they were not there to serve and protect the people in these communities by being good stewards of the law and enforcing it, instead, they began to feel that they were the law and, therefore, above it.  Thus began the downward spiral of this majestic land and the people began to complain and rebel.  Today…

Many people are completely fed up with the way that our police are treating the citizenry.  Police departments all around the country are experiencing this problem.  A perfect example of it is exemplified by the ongoing problem in the New York City Police Department (NYPD).  The quickest way for me to share with you what has taken place with the NYPD lately and is continuing to unfold is to share the content of the following article that I posted previously:

NYPD Unions Have Gone Too Far

All of New York and citizens throughout the United States feel the pain that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) feels for its two fallen police officers.  Everyone should be allowed to express those feelings, including Mayor Bill de Blasio.  For NYPD officers to turn their backs on mayor de Blasio at the urging of NYPD unions is shameful.  Not only is it shameful but it seems to me to, at least, border on insubordination.

The killing of these two innocent police officers was committed by someone who apparently had some mental problems.  Under these circumstances, even if the killer did evoke the names of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, it is ludicrous for anyone to lay the blame for what he did at the feet of peaceful protesters who are protesting against police brutality and unequal justice under the law.

For the NYPD unions to blame protesters and use it as an excuse to encourage NYPD police officers to turn their backs on the mayor does not make sense.  This is not the kind of leadership that those with such a grave responsibility as police officers should have.  They should expect more from their leaders.  New York is not a police state and neither is any other state in America.

Citizens have the right to peacefully protest and mayor de Blasio has a right to be a father and counsel his son as he deems necessary.  His situation with his son is unique because it is on the cusp of black and white.  He must recognize and effectively navigate both sides of this black and white dilemma; literally.  Probably all black parents have had the conversation with their children, especially if they are boys, about how they should conduct themselves with police officers.  I know that I had that conversation with my children.

Even if the NYPD unions feel that Mayor de Blasio does not support them and disagree with what he said about counseling his son to be careful in how he conducts himself if confronted by a police officer, they are still completely out of line to encourage NYPD police officers to turn their backs on the mayor out of disrespect for him because of this.  Even if they did not encourage officers to turn their backs on the mayor, as soon as union leaders became aware that officers had done this, they should have discouraged them from continuing to do it.

Whether this statement was a gaffe by the mayor or was something that he meant to say, he is still the mayor of New York and should be respected as such.  What if every angry citizen turned their backs on police and the heads of police departments every time an unarmed innocent citizen was killed whether accidentally or on purpose?  What kind of a society would we live in?

Mayor de Blasio may not be the direct manager of these NYPD officers who turned their backs on him or of the officers who head these unions but he is no doubt at the top of the NYPD organization chart.  What would happen if any of you reading this article treated your boss, let alone the Chief Executive Officer, the way that these NYPD officers treated the mayor?

The NYPD union leaders need to be more responsible and look at the big picture rather than allowing their anger and frustration to dictate their actions.  And if every manager from the chief of police down to the lowest level supervisor hasn’t addressed this issue with their subordinates and let them know that they do not condone such behavior, now is the time to do so.

That is the full content of my previously posted article.  One would think that with all that has happened thus far that the powers that be would put their heads together and try to find a solution.  They are trying.  But you might be surprised to learn what police commissioner Bill Bratton and Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, suggested.  They suggested that resisting arrest be made a felony charge rather than have it remain the misdemeanor charge that it is now.

According to an article in the atlantablackstar.com, when commissioner Bratton was asked about such a change he said that it is an idea that he enthusiastically supports.  And Patrick Lynch’s thoughts; according to this same article he said “We believe this change in law is necessary to deter the type of conduct we saw during last month’s demonstrations.”  He was referring to the protesters who had protested and are continuing to protest excessive force by police, police brutality and the recent deaths of unarmed citizens by police.

That’s right; these men want to give police even greater control over citizens by using the leverage of the threat of them being charged with a felony!  Never mind the fact that police have been found on previous occasions to have lied when they said that someone resisted arrest!  Never mind that police have used excessive force on numerous occasions!  Never mind the questionable deaths of many innocent people like Michael Brown, Erick Garner and Tamir Rice at the hands of police!

What do the commissioner and Patrick Lynch suggest is done to address the problems with police with respect to these situations and others like them?  For example, the recent situation like the one where a NYPD police officer was charged with stomping the head of someone he arrested?

Commissioner Bratton is a former police officer and although he may be a good man with good intentions, it appears that his natural instinct leads him to side with police officers rather than look at the problem objectively.  These protesters and citizens throughout the country who support them are not anti-police as Patrick Lynch has said that they are.

I don’t know about you but I think that somehow those powers that be are going to have to someway find a diverse group of police – including some who are already retired, and civilians who can look at this problem objectively and make a sincere effort to solve it.  We must bring police and communities together again and again make them (almost) as one.  America still won’t be the stuff of fairy tales but it will be better and at least working toward becoming a more perfect union.

Eulus Dennis