The 2014 Ferguson, Missouri riots that resulted from Michael Brown’s death, when he attacked Ferguson Police Officer Darren Brown, culminated in the summer of 2016. News outlets omitted information from stories, causing deep divides and further tensions. The mainstream media only inflamed emotions, destroying any trust in officers. LEO’s suffered for several years in carrying out their duties. As the pendulum reached its pinnacle and began to come back to the middle, COVID-19 struck. Democrats became drunk on power; some LEO agencies started blindly following orders from politicians – resulting in a new blow to the badge.
It is often said that law enforcement officers, if ever faced with the unfortunate task, would stand up for the rights of citizens and refuse to violate the Bill of Rights. However, the edicts declared from the thrones of Democratic governors have some wondering if that is true.
In the last six to seven weeks, Americans have been under stay-at-home orders from our respective governors. At first, we did not know the extent of the virus, and most citizens understood that we should wait to see. Data shows us that the virus affects a small portion of the population in a severe manner and some not at all. Citizens began to believe the lockdowns may be excessive.
Businesses are on the brink of permanently closing – some already have shuttered. Americans are ready to go back to work. Families have been cooped together for almost two months. Now, citizens see there is a political agenda behind the governors who continually extend stay-at-home orders and have become restless.
Democrats are encouraging tattle-telling on neighbors if social distancing is not followed, which is not surprising.
Two officers contacted a mom in Wisconsin after she allowed her child to play at her neighbor’s house during the emergency declaration. The encounter was contentious at best. In New York City, officers attempted to break up a crowd of people on the sidewalk to enforce Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decree. The attempt resulted in one of the officers getting into a verbal altercation which turned physical. The officer is now under an Internal Affairs investigation after slapping and punching the man while he laid on the ground. Officers cited salon owner Shelley Luther for opening up “too soon.” She was sentenced to seven days in jail after a judge called her selfish for not caring about public health.
These incidents are anti-American. However, let’s not forget the sheriffs across the country, refusing to enforce the social distancing guidelines and understanding their oath to the Constitution – protecting freedom and liberty.
Now, Democrats are using law enforcement for political reasons. The majority of Republican-led states are opening. Many Democratic-led states are not. The left sees a lockdown as a way to suppress Trump’s economy in an attempt to win in November. Law enforcement officials are the way to accomplish their goals.
Sherriffs and police chiefs who do not acknowledge there is a political function to this are causing more damage to law enforcement in general. As we all know, the internet can be brutal – especially to LEO’s.
The First Amendment is trampled on daily. Law enforcement leaders cannot continue to blindly follow the orders of politicians like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D), or New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D). These people do not care about the damage to law enforcement.
It will take years for LEO’s to recover from this. They are being used as boots for a political agenda. At this point, when will police chiefs and sheriffs stand up to politicians who use them as pawns to keep businesses closed and the American dream suppressed?
Law enforcement’s reputation is severely damaged now. The problems and mistrust that have developed from enforcing health guidelines, instead of honoring their oath, will take years to heal. Not all agencies or LEO’s are implementing the Democratic declarations, which is encouraging to some degree. However, all it takes is one lousy internet video to further damage law enforcement. Now, multiply that by the multitude of recordings.
The new blackeye is not going away any time soon.
John Dempsey is a graduate of American Military University and has a deep understanding of law enforcement issues and how they relate to the Constitution, society and our culture. He’s been published in BearingArms.com and AmericanThinker.com. He can be followed on Twitter @John_Demp83.