Why We Stand Behind Our Law Enforcement Professionals
Submitted by Nick Glidewell on August 11, 2016 – 1:28pm
Another police shooting has taken place, this one pretty close to home. By now you may have heard: Deputy Bill Cooper of the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Department was shot and killed Wednesday, Aug. 10. Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells was also shot in the incident and fortunately was only injured.
The two men along with other officers were responding to a disturbance call. The assailant was a 34-year-old man who was already in trouble with the law and on this day threatened his father with a gun. The father called 911. You can read the story here.
It’s very sad that the men and women who choose a career that involves protecting us and often saving our lives have become targets more than ever in the last year or so. This incident we’re talking about here wasn’t racially motivated, as far as we know, but it doesn’t matter. A man is dead and another easily could have been because a maniac decided to play God.
I’m certainly not going to offer advice on police policy when responding to an emergency call. All law enforcement agents are trained to use caution but at the same time do what’s necessary to protect their lives and the lives of others. In the case of the incident today, perhaps a little too much caution was used.
Ellie and I firmly and totally support our local police, sheriff and state police personnel. Period. Thank God we were raised by parents who taught us to RESPECT cops, not to downgrade them and challenge them. And we know many of our friends and neighbors in Fort Smith feel the exact same way. Police are there for one reason: to keep innocent people safe and to apprehend criminals. It’s very sad that in the course of doing their jobs they sometimes are cut down in the prime of life, creating immense suffering for families and pain throughout their entire communities.
The laws are already pretty stiff for those convicted of killing a cop. I’ll go on record saying they should be stiffer. People out there who think they’re above the law and can do as they please need to know in no uncertain terms that if they make the choice to take the life of a public servant wearing a badge, it will be the end of their life as they know it, now and forever. Every incident, every time, every case.
I hope readers will stand with Ellie and I as we further pledge our support of our amazing law enforcement officers. We thank them for their service, and we try to live the best lives we can – which means staying out of their way and letting them do their jobs.