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Tim Sanders was a nice, mild looking guy. Tall, broad shouldered and blonde, he was the campaign poster picture of the Virginia State Troopers he was a member of. He was married, had children and looked to a bright future from his home in Chatham, Virginia. A good man could start off as a trooper and one day be a sergeant with his own territory. Tim was on his way. But there was one flaw in Tim’s makeup. He was a gentle, trusting person. A career as a social worker would have been more to his calling than enforcing the law, which can sometimes be fierce, physical and rough. One night Tim picked up a drunk staggering along the highway. For the man’s own safety, he would take him to jail. Tim knew the man and wasn’t concerned about having any trouble with him. After a casual frisk, he put the man in the back seat without even handcuffing him. They hadn’t driven far when the drunk began brooding over going to jail. He reached for the small caliber pistol he had in his boot and shot Tim in the back. Tim lived, but would be a vegetable the rest of his life. Too late, he realized being gentle was not enough to be a police officer. An amount of toughness goes with the badge. It’s necessary. There was a time, especially before the Miranda Decision, that investigators could use most any trick to get a confession. The “third degree” was a term applied to a form of torture by police to get information. A lot of guilty people were convicted because of it. So were a lot of innocent human beings. Rubber hoses were used to inflict pain and leave no marks. A telephone book held on top of the head for a blackjack to be applied without scars was a method. In most judicial districts, someone charged with a felony could be shot if he or she tried to escape. It didn’t matter if that “felony” was from a bad check over the stipulated amount or a murder. As always, there were police who used common sense and some who didn’t. It was a perfect place for a masochist to seek pleasure behind a badge. A girl I know was married to a jailer in San Diego. He came home bragging about how he hurt inmates for pleasure. When he started on her, she got a divorce. The pendulum of justice swings from one extreme to the other, as most of society’s fashions do—whether it’s clothes or views on civilization. If an arresting officer doesn’t follow every item in the protocol with a detainee, the whole case can be thrown out. No matter that it would have to be someone from another planet who doesn’t know he can remain silent and talk to an attorney. A policeman can’t even use a weapon unless there is a threat from the offender. In one community, an escapee was believed to be hiding in a dark culvert. Police weren’t allowed to use teargas because it would pollute the air. A policeman is dedicated to protecting the public and safety. It is not very practical for them to politely ask someone causing a riot to stop and be arrested. The act of the offense determines the measure. A naked man high on drugs was running wildly up and down a main street. He resisted arrest as several officers tried to control him. It was for his safety as well as the public. In the scuffle, he was killed. The city was sued and settled for nearly $2-million which was paid to the man’s family. The police had no choice but to use all the force necessary to subdue the wild man. But they weren’t polite enough for the current attitude of the public. Most police officers are conscientious and people with common sense. They do their job not just for the money. It’s a calling. They need the backing of the public—and the courts. When there is a bad cop, one with a history of emotional problems related to his work, the administrators need the authority to make the corrections. When a cop does his job, he should be supported. They do the job they are assigned to do. They are our defense against anarchy and barbarism.
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