Behind the Badge
On Saturday, police officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were assassinated in New York.
Police officers all over the country mourn for the loss of these heroes.
Cops are angry because for months, they’ve had to endure relentless 24/7 media coverage that mostly vilified what, up until recently, was considered among the most professional law enforcement agencies in the world:
The NYPD.
Cops are angry because they’ve stood at the front lines across the country and endured undeserved abuse from protestors chanting “good cop dead cop.”
Now, two more officers are dead.
Cops are angry because many politicians and community leaders encourage and feed into the civil disobedience that has metastasized into its own special cancer of hate.
Cops are angry because no one seems to understand that being hyper-vigilant is what keeps cops alive. Yet, in most of the mainstream media, politicians typically are portrayed as deeming such vigilance an overreaction. And the pundits seem to understand police work only from what they see on television and absorb on social media.
Cops are angry because the political leadership of this country lacks the backbone to call for supporting the men and women in uniform who every day put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities.
Cops are angry because across social media, thousands of people are posting celebratory comments congratulating the killing of these two officers.
Cops are angry because they realize there are many members of a supportive public who choose to remain silent as police officers continue to die simply for wearing a blue uniform and taking an oath to serve.
Cops are angry because two officers kissed their families goodbye for the last time five days before Christmas.
Now, simply because these cops wore blue, they are dead.
I used to be a cop. I’m angry, too.
We all should be.
Joe is a retired Anaheim Police Department captain. You can reach him at jvargas@behindthebadgeoc.com
