Behind the Badge
On Tuesday, my daughter sent me a text message asking me what I thought about Beyonce’s Super Bowl halftime show and its references to police brutality and racism.
I didn’t respond at the time, but over the past few days I have become more and more incensed, disturbed, frustrated and angry.
We live in a time when small numbers of highly connected individuals can create the illusion that their opinion reflects the majority sentiment. Social media has made this influence only stronger.
Celebrities can rescript the truth to fit their own version and in the aftermath create conflict rather than solutions.
As I pondered the anti-police sentiment spreading across the country, I had to think about Harford County Deputy Patrick Dailey who this week approached a disturbed man in a Panera restaurant.
In what has been described as an act of kindness and humanity, the deputy sat down and asked him how he could help.
The suspect shot Deputy Dailey in the head then went on to shoot and kill responding Deputy Mark Logsdon.
I thought about Fargo, N.D. Officer Jason Mozer who is on life support and not expected to live. He responded to a domestic violence call and while on a perimeter position was shot and killed by the suspect.
I thought about Mesa County Deputy Derek Geer who was shot and killed this week after responding to a report of an armed suspect. Deputy Geer detained a 17-year-old boy for questioning.
When the teen fled, he shot Deputy David Geer. Deputy Geer was taken off life support this week after his organs were donated.
Locally this week, a Huntington Beach police officer detained a subject on a bike only to be blindsided and attacked by the subject’s father. Both suspects pummeled the officer, and if not for the brave actions of a person on a ridealong the outcome might have been different.
Every time I see the seemingly endless line of celebrities, politicians and pundits painting a picture of racist, jack-booted thugs with no heart indiscriminately beating and killing a populace at will, I get frustrated and angry.
I have to ask, where are their voices when police officers give their lives upholding their oath to serve and protect?
Where is their halftime show?
Joe is a retired Anaheim Police Department captain. You can reach him at jvargas@behindthebadgeoc.com.
