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Building Better Police Departments
Jan 7, 2009
All citizens have the right to expect much from our law officers.  We expect them to be our protectors and to treat citizens fairly.  We protest loudly when officers fail in their duty, and we should.  But it is also right to ensure that law officers are treated fairly, and it would benefit our society as a whole to show more appreciation and support for those who wear badges.  Such appreciation is empty unless it is backed up with increased salaries and job benefits.

Police officers need a raise in pay so that so many of them won't need to work two jobs and go to work too stressed from sleep deprivation to make rational decisions quickly.  That would eliminate much violence by officers who kill or hurt citizens because they overreact to stimuli due to their fatigue.  Also, it would eliminate some violence done by police officers who are not working two jobs, but are plain mean.  The increase in pay may make law officers value their jobs enough to avoid poor job performance and strikes on their records due to complaints of abuse from citizens. 
 
Money answers many things, and officers need better pay.  A substantial pay hike may make officers less likely to walk on the wrong side of the law themselves, such as taking payoffs, etc., because their needs would be adequately met out of their salaries.  This will not help with the truly greedy law officers, but it would help police officers who desire to live honestly but fall into temptation due to their personal financial strain.
 
Furthermore, a pay increase may attract people who would not otherwise consider a job in law enforcement.  Police departments sometimes have difficulty recruiting.  If there was a waiting line of qualified people willing to become officers, this might induce officers who are already hired to be protective of their positions and follow guidelines more closely.

Plenty of money is paid by taxpayers to the prison system to keep convicted persons contained.  Why should so much money stop at the prison budget (currently around $50 billion annually), and so little trickle down to the officers who risk injury and death to make arrests?  Other perks like home and car loans without interest, free college for officers and their spouses and children in state colleges and universities would help to ease financial strain and make policing a more coveted job without raising taxes. 
 
Presently, police officers are not even fully equipped for their job.  We got a call recently asking for donations for police officers' bullet proof vests.  That should not be necessary.  My son suggested that police officers should have at least the same benefits as active military personnel and veterans.
 
In addition to better pay, periodic job rotation may relieve the stress officers feel dealing with the public on a constant basis.  Think of the snooty reception you sometimes get from employees at your favorite hamburger place.  Working with the public day in and out is very taxing on one's nerves, and it is compounded when one's work demands regular interaction with people who are also very stressed.  Another problem is that little consideration is given to officers' ages during their fitness tests.  In order to stay in top form, some officers therefore resort to using steroids, which is dangerous to their mental health and induces aggressive behavior.  I believe that fitness tests should be relaxed as officers age.

Here is an interesting link to check out.  Put two words in your Google browser:  "police save."  Those words will bring up hundreds of links with stories of heroic acts as well as the everyday services officers perform.  Here is the link:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS304US304&q=police+save

I know that it is unusual for human rights activists to advocate for increased pay and job benefits for police officers.  But I really believe that better compensation for law enforcement would reduce many of the issues faced by citizens as well as the police officers themselves.  Treating people with respect is something like a smile - it is contagious.
 
Please comment below and tell me your thoughts.

 

Mary Neal
Website:  http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

Author's Page:  http://www.care2.com/c2c/people/profile.html?pid=513396753

Articles:  http://www.care2.com/news/member/513396753?sort=submitted

Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill
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Posted: Jan 7, 2009 8:51pm

 
 
 
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Author

Mary Neal
female, age 57, divorced, 2 children
Stone Mountain, GA, USA
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