Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

POLICE: Some only see us as bad guys

Today I stepped outside and found a hand-written phrase on my newspaper bag, “COPS LIVES MATTER, Thank you.”

Yes, I am a police officer and yes, there is a police car in my driveway. Over the course of my 17.5 years as an officer, I have had my house and cars egged, graffiti painted on my fence and a slew of unrepeatable things said and not to mention my share of middle-finger salutes. I have watched as a portion of our society has turned us into the bad guys.

I had a African-American male individual walk past me as I waited for a tow truck. I said “Hi,” with a smile on my face. His response, “F@amp; you guys. All you do is kill unarmed black people.”

It is my belief that all lives matter. Let’s see a march with that banner.

We are made out to be horrible, icky people by many when the fact is we are normal people doing a very complex job and doing it the best we possibly can. This TNT delivery person made my day and started it out with a smile. Thank you.

This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 12:17 PM with the headline "POLICE: Some only see us as bad guys."

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