Lakewood, Through the Eyes of a Police Officer

"The murder of the four officers in Lakewood, Washington is no longer on the
front pages, but it has stayed with me". "It haunts me"!

Well David it haunts me as well. Every day.

That morning in Lakewood I lost 4 Members of my extended family. I wore an
R.C.M.P. Uniform for several years in the 90's. We are "Members" because
it is a family, and you can never really separate yourself from family. During my Training I was taught that "it is not YOU, it is the UNIFORM" that
some people will turn on. I was also taught, "when you are in UNIFORM, you
are a target".

Well David, no truer words have been spoken. I experienced that so many times, and the 4 Members in Lakewood experienced the ultimate example.

Back in the olden days, when I had hair, there was a group of our peers chanting the Mantra "question Authority"! I, and perhaps you, was taught in our formative years that if you wanted a slap or a grounding, just march into your parents kitchen and "question Authority"! You wouldn't like the response!

In light of that upbringing, I had a "problem" with the "Question Authority” crowd. However, in light of how "Authority" had run amuck, and acquired a lust for Power, by any means, I came to the conclusion that Authority should be held to account. I instilled this in our daughter, and my Son.

Being "held to account" first of all meant, that no matter the Authority figure, he/she
puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. NEVER be intimidated!

Secondly it meant to give respect, to get respect. This eliminated questioning Authority by spitting on them, threatening their families, chucking beer bottles at them, and other such idiotic actions.

I experienced those actions escalating David when I was in Uniform, from verbal
taunts, to spitting, to throwing rocks, bottles etc., to ground fighting, and now in our new Millennium, shooting Authority Figures in cold blood.

I Posted on your Blog this morning David, that "the Rules have changed". Back
in the day, the perps had a Code of their own. You didn't hit on women or children, you didn't steal from the Sally Ann, if and when you were detained you complied................ Not today.

As you alluded to the fact that if one doesn't feel safe in a Public place with Members present, when can we? It reminds me of the hand wringing and sobs that I see on the 6 o'clock News every night. Someone has been shot/raped/kidnapped, take your pick, and some lunatic is braying, "It's such a quiet neighbourhood, I can't believe it happened here"! Like bad guys have no access to "quiet neighbourhoods"? It's all I can do, to refrain from throwing the TV out the window, when EVERY night I hear this nonsense.

In the REAL world, I remember a fellow Member saying to me one evening, that if the good folks in our small rural Gulf Island Community knew what is out there at night,
"they wouldn't walk alone". My response is always, "yup, here's Breaking News, our
Ferry transports BAD GUYS too! Go figure David! But alas, many people don't or
won't.

Anyway, I won't bore you any longer David. I seem to have gotten off the Topic a
bit. I just really wanted to share with you, that "it haunts me", as well.