I asked some police how hard it was now to wear hat uniform. It’s how police identify someone in the know.
It’s just a role they agree to play, and no one I’ve ever met does it out of spite. They do it to help.
They complained about the DA. And they complained about the anti-police resentment. Those things aren’t new.
Their fear was. They’re all terrified. One policewoman rookie asked me about how I suggested they take out a live shooter.
I’ve been shot at. Its… not pleasant. Whistles of bullets let you know how close they were. I wasn’t panicking.
They were. They’re green. I get it.
We can’t put people who aren’t warriors into a warzone. And police are police. Not warriors. They’re peacekeepers.
And they will stop if we can’t keep them safe. And they’ll never be safe if we don’t give them tools of peacekeeping. And keep giving them cast off war toys.
Try asking an officer how it is to wear that uniform. They’ll see you mean to speak to them, not to the badge, and the conversation will change.
They’re just like us. Give it a try. Human beings in roles they didn’t define, just filled.
