STEP OUTTA THE CAR, COPPER

It seems odd, sometimes, that when someone pulls out a gun, there's not a cop for miles around to put a stop to what might just become a very bad situation. Yet, speed up to 57 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone, and there they are. The cops. Right behind you in a flash with blue and red lights flashing and sirens blaring.

I'm not saying that cops aren't necessarily doing their jobs. I'm not even making light of the fact that cops have a very difficult job. The job of dealing with people in any capacity is difficult—just ask anyone who works in retail or some other customer service capacity. Go talk to a waitress.

But there is this underyling thought that cops are less and less there to protect and serve us. There seems to be something else that is the motivator, here. I think it's money. That's what it comes down to is money. You see, real criminals do not pay fines. For that you need to catch speeders. For that you need to find someone driving along without a seat belt on.

How many times do we drive by a squad car just sitting on a sidestreet between intersections? How many times do we see a cop sitting alongside the highway? Why aren't they driving around? Why aren't they getting out of their cars and walking into a McDonald's to make sure kids are behaving appropriately when their parents aren't around? Or looking for someone in a store acting suspiciously?

Crime is a product of opportunity. If cops made their presense more visible everywhere, I'm inclined to believe there would be less crime. When a cop may potentially be in a grocery store aisle at any given moment, one may think twice about stuffing that item in their coat. Or pulling out a gun. Or even kissing and half undressing their girlfriend in a fast food restaurant.

We need to have police out and about and on the beat. On the streets, sidewalks, in the stores and restaurants. We need them policing for criminals. Real criminals. Not just policing for minor offenses for which there are fines attached.

Springboard recommended reading:

Immorality (at McDonald's)!?
Do You See What I See?