Police persecution, a mostly unreported event currently occurring, is high as police hysteria increases countrywide. As the year progressed, certain circumstances such as Jorge Floyd’s Death, Breana Taylor’s Death, and Jacob Blake’s death can have accelerated the cause of the anti-cop and defunding movements. These so-called movements may have good intentions in mind, but good intentions don’t always work well once implemented in the real world.
Amidst the protest calling for the defunding of police in New York, the city complied with the request and withdrew $1 billion in the police budget to youth programs and other social agencies. These events not only revoked money from officers to other agencies, but they made an unintended message to criminals. This cut in funding towards other programs has unintentionally made the problem worse, not better for the city. Crime is higher than in the previous year. As of September, there have been 152 shootings, an increase of 127% of the last year, and 75.9% for murders over the previous year.
The Histeria and hatred around police have increased drastically after the protest, riots, and movements that came after African Americans’ deaths. An example of this is after the shooting of two police officers in Compton, California. After being targeted by a man and shot were critically wounded in the hospital, fighting for their lives in the emergency room. Protestors surrounded the hospital blocking the entrances to the hospital, yelling, “We Hope They Die.” An officer insider said after questioning him if the hatred and pressure from the public are justified, he stated, “No, it is not justified even though there have been misdoings by law enforcement officers it does not mean to follow these actions. Just like any other job, you are going to have good employees and bad ones.”
Police right now, more than before, are being targeted in the streets as their voices are being left out and are being condemned and judged for actions of only a few. As of September 16, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union, stated, “National alert issue to law enforcement, urging them to remain vigilant,” and quote, “Watch your back and that of your partner.” After the officer once again on police targeting and if he feels as though police are being targeted more these past few months than on average, he stated, “Yes because a lot of people don’t have as much respect for us as they used to and instead view us as enemies instead of those that protect the citizens.” After asking him what he believes is driving this persecution towards you and your work, he stated, “Misinfluence by the black race for recent wrongdoings among them.”
Given a chance, what would you tell the police officer critics given the opportunity? “To abide by the law and not use a few bad doings by police officers to excuse non-peaceful protests and to destroy cities or towns in the name of their justice since they are promoting criminal acts. Justice should not be taken in by their own hands.”
