file photo by Boyd Loving
by Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo
Westwood NJ, Yesterday January 9th , was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Between December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022 – 61 officers were killed, nationwide, in the line of duty. 58 were intentionally shot. 3 were killed by cars used as deadly weapons. 34 were killed answering 911 calls and 23 answering domestic disturbances. 35 were killed in set-up ambushes.55 of the 61 were murdered by perpetrators who were either in the midst of committing crimes; or who were wanted criminals with outstanding warrants.
By some estimates, 38% of these killers were released into the population due to various state legislatures reducing felonious acts, previously subject to hold over and bail – to no bail misdemeanors.
Prosecutors have contributed to public risk. Some return violent recidivist actors to the population by abusing prosecutorial discretion in the individual case; and undercharging whole classes of criminal behaviors to make those perpetrators ineligible for hold over and bail – regardless of their prior bad acts.
Policing comes with much stress. Not just for fear of ones own safety , but the possibility of making a deadly mistake and taking the life of an innocent whom they’d swore to serve and protect. An officer knows the risk to himself and accepts it as a part of the job. No innocent parties signed up for such an outcome. The deterioration of public order increases those risks across the board.
Law Enforcement is not a career for everyone. We truly appreciate the ones who take the oath seriously, and serve our people professionally , with empathy, impartiality and de-escalating restraint.
Listen we think them all for their duty, but they know what they’re getting into. It’s no surprise, how many construction workers died last year, how many crossing guards died, they say the most dangerous job in the US number one is a crossing guard, number two is construction, That’s based on US insurance association.
There’s a huge difference. With those other dangerous professions, deaths are invariably the result of accidents. Deaths of police officers are the result of criminals purposely deciding to murder.
As the bumper sticker on my friends car reads.. “IF YOU DONT LIKE THE POLICE THE NEXT TIME YOU NEED A COP CALL A HIPPIE”
I Cary my own . All licensed by federal government.