(Editor’s Note: The following is contributed by the General Counsel for The National Narcotics Officer’s Association Coalition.—eeb)
By Peter Boyce
DACULA, Ga. | Last year was alarming for many reasons including Covid, border security, and overdose deaths. The law enforcement profession now MUST stand up, be heard, and take an aggressive role in reversing these disturbing trends.
Boyce
Police officers are each sworn to promote and protect the public good. Public health is a big part of the public good. Covid was the leading cause of death for police officers in 2020 killing six times as many officers as were killed in shootings.
Yet far too many police officers throughout the country have refused to take the required vaccine mostly not for religious or legitimate health conditions. Why refuse a vaccine given to nearly a billion people? Why expose unvaccinated officers to the public or their vaccinated peers? Why risk the lives of officers who refuse to comply with mandated vaccine regulations? Why risk the life of every person an unvaccinated officer has contact with each day?
Border security is a tremendously difficult issue. It is difficult to understand, with all the resources we have in this country, why we can’t secure our entire border and then enact a reasonable policy to allow some controlled immigration and maybe a path to citizenship for the millions here illegally.
Law enforcement must do a far better job telling the truth to the voters (not to the politicians), about all the crime, drug smuggling, and terrorists who pass through our border each day. Why can’t we collect and publish every crime committed, every drug dealer arrested, every drug bust, every terrorist caught as a way to make reasonable people finally question the irresponsible politicians who seek ways to remain in office by catering to their base with their nonsensical policies and legislative enactments?
Recently it was reported that annual drug overdose deaths would top 100,000, setting a record. No one in law enforcement is surprised by that number. The police community has been trying for years to convince the politicians we have an immediate crisis that needs aggressive action.
Few political leaders seem to listen or even care. They release drug dealers and drug offenders from jail and move to legalize or decriminalize pot and in some states nearly all drugs. They tolerate and, in some instances, promote civil unrest. They take billions gotten from the OXY lawsuits and rarely use those funds for any efforts to combat the drug trade.
Will it take 150,000 to die next year from drug overdoses for the political leaders to take notice? Not likely unless a groundswell from law enforcement and the public demand action now. What could happen if every police chief and sheriff in the country started a vigorous campaign to persuade the public that the illegal drug trade is destroying their communities?
Law enforcement needs to stop pussyfooting around and become the leader in this effort to combat illegal drugs in each community they serve. The law enforcement leaders who spearhead any such campaign may lose their jobs by speaking the truth, but they may save their communities.
These multifaceted challenges must be addressed. The law enforcement profession must commit its resources and expertise to take the lead in doing everything possible to stop the spread of Covid. Additionally, law enforcement must speak loudly about how open borders and a laissez-faire attitude about illegal drugs raise violent crime rates and tragic drug overdose deaths.
Our profession, if we commit full resources, can reverse these very dangerous trends, or future students of history may ask “Why did a free American society perish?”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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