Dear Old Guy: Outraged at police
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Dear Old Guy,
You probably won’t print my letter but I hope I’m wrong.
I live in a small city in a very rural setting. A town like many that is constantly espousing its revival….That so-called revival does not seem to extend to the police force. While a number of the officers are corrupt bullies the rest are only complicit in their silence, there is one in particular whose name keeps coming up, mostly amongst women who have either been pulled over by this officer or know someone who has. To cut to the chase, the policeman in question has been called a rapist. He’s been on the force for years and his reputation is acknowledged in whispers. I recently was privy to two women having a hushed conversation across a coffee counter. Listening in, I heard how a mutual friend of theirs was followed by this officer across city lines one night to a dark road where he turned on his blue flashing lights. I will not describe the rest because I don’t think there is a need. You get the picture. When the two women who were talking realized I was eavesdropping they paused and looked at me a little nervously. I quieted their alarm by saying, don’t worry, I’m no fan of Officer So and So….
As a woman I am terrified. As a mother I know I would shoot anyone who dared touch my daughter. It doesn’t seem there’s anything to be done when the police protect their own. I wrote because a news item I read today triggered an Internet search, which I hope you will share. Here are just a few items:
http://news.yahoo.com/ap-hundreds-officers-lose-licenses-over-sex-misconduct-040143088.html
Signed, Outraged at the abuse
Dear Outraged,
It would seem to me that the good officers across this country, the ones who don’t do the kind of stuff we read in the news every day, would take a stand. Besides their obligation to protect the public they might also be saving their own lives. I hate to say it but even as my own daughter grew up I let her know not to trust someone just because he’s a police officer. So, to cops everywhere, police your own. In the meanwhile in your situation I would suggest organizing a citizen’s sting operation. You can figure out the details to get this cop on tape… If I’m wrong or someone has a better idea, please, write in. In the meanwhile this will be the only letter I answer this week because right now I’m feeling pretty disgusted. —O.G.
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