Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4016 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MARCH 2017 OPINION/EDITORIAL American Police Beat Chairman & Publisher: Cynthia Brown Chief Executive Officer: Sarah Vallee Editor-in-Chief: Mark Nichols Advertising Sales: Dave Quimby Digital Manager: Jeremy Lange Office Assistant: Brendan O’Brien Designer: Karin Henderson How we treat cops, kids There’s so much mud flying around it’s hard to get a decent read on anything these days. People now frequently describe anything they read that they don’t agree with as “fake news,” and that’s probably more dangerous than any of the things we’re being told to be terrified of. You can’t make good decision without quality information. Here at American Police Beat that’s generally how we like to describe what we’re all about. Whether or not the subject at hand is of particular interest is always a crapshoot. Obviously cops pay a lot more atten- tion to things like LOD rates than health hazards stemming from antiquated public infrastructure. But black mold can kill you just as effectively as any human assailant. Odds are this is all currently being swept under the rug as we speak. But the fact re- mains that the conditions of our law enforce- ment agencies and our public schools are a global disgrace. In Los Angeles, many officers are work- ing out of dilapidated facilities that are so neglected they’re now a credible threat to officer safety. They work around black mold – a very deadly threat. Google “black mold health impact” if you’re unfamiliar with the hazards. The most common black mold symp- toms and health effects are associated with a respiratory response. Chronic coughing and sneezing, irritation to the eyes, mucus membranes of the nose and throat, rashes, chronic fatigue and persistent headaches are all common symptoms. For our kids in schools, the situation is far worse. Kids don’t have union that can file a lawsuit alleging willful negligence or whatever. Their parents don’t have Mark Zuckerburg money and as a result have zero influence with elected officials. So what does it say about us, particularly with so many trying so hard to sell the idea that they’re concerned with our “safety” that those who need our protection most (kids) as well as those that protect us (cops) go to school or work in buildings that can make them sick and even kill them? What it says is that the folks who special- ize in things like advertising, marketing and public relations are really good at what they do. How else would explain the thinking of someone worried about the threat an eight- year-old Iraqi refugee poses but is not at all concerned about lead poisoning, brain damage and their kids’ early death? The point is not that we should be worried about the stuff we’re constantly told and programmed to worry about. The point is that if we don’t use our heads and common sense on this stuff we might miss the forest for the trees. Guardians of democracy For a lot of us, particularly during times of tremendous conflict, dissension and unrest, the fact that the vast majority of police of- ficers do their jobs so well is a source of great comfort. In case you haven’t noticed, the state of our union is decidedly divided. There’s nothing new there. After all, our democracy is based on divi- sion. There’s the separation of the stated goals of Democrats and Republicans, the separa- tion of powers and many other divides. And what can make our democracy so frustrating is also what’s special about it. This isn’t a totalitarian or authoritarian state where whatever the Big Dog says goes. Many would like it to be – but only when people they agree with are in power. One of the things critical to a representa- tive democracy like ours is the law enforce- ment community. While policing has become increasingly political and seen through the lens of politics, the fact remains that law enforcement profes- sionals don’t police any differently based on whoever the current occupant of the White House is. The point is that cops of all ages, races, religious beliefs and whatever else, have been the critical difference between the lawful First Amendment expression we saw during the immigration protests recently and chaos and destruction. It’s no secret that lots of police officers feel like they have a friend in President Trump. We’ll be learning in short order if those feelings are well-placed, misplaced or just “feelings.” But it’s also no secret that the fact that major law enforcement groups have aligned themselves so strongly with such a contro- versial and polarizing figure makes many officers nervous. That’s because presidents, with the exception of things like federal grants and the DOJ, have almost nothing to do with local law enforcement. Many people were overjoyed watching peaceful protests across the globe as the result of a poorly planned and executed executive order on immigration. Others were horrified and provided with more indicators that President Trump is “tough on terror.” But a few of us were watching how our police handled a delicate and explosive situ- ation with a great deal of pride. At their very best, police officers are in- deed protectors of the Constitution, guard- ians of democracy, and defenders of civil rights. Feel good corner . . . Arkansas City police officers responded to a shoplifting call and found this little guy hanging by his neck out of a vehicle by his leash. They were able to save the pup in the nck of time. Woonsocket, Rhode Island Police Officer Joseph Brazil responded to a call of a dog trapped in a culvert. Appar- ently, the dog had been frightened by a passing car. So Brazil rolled up his pants, went in and grabbed the little fella. “As I got closer, I could see Cece just clinging to the side and just shaking,” Brazil said. “The dog was very, very frightened.” Sgt. Copley of the Erie County Sheriff’s Depart- ment received a call from a fellow lieutenant, who spotted a fawn trapped between a wall and barrier. Sgt. Copley arrived at the scene and helped free the deer before releasing it.