To the Editor:
One wonders what people are actually wanting when they parrot phrases like “equitable enforcement” regarding policing. Police already serve and protect all members of the community. “Change the culture of policing” seems to be suggesting police should ignore crime in communities already plagued by incivism and criminal activity.
Trusting law enforcement means supporting police as they clean up the streets, arrest, detain and imprison the riff-raff (irrespective of arrestee demographic), respond to emergencies with requisite speed and effective force, and proactively patrol without being hamstrung by politically motivated curtailment of pretext stops (expired tabs, broken lights, etc.).
I’m a legal citizen, born here, of Scandinavian descent. I’ve been stopped for expired tags, never once considering it was for any reason other than because my plate tags *had* expired. That’s the cop’s fault? Give me a break. Several of my vehicles had glass fog light lenses low to the ground where rocks crash after being launched at speed. Chrysler clearly had a profitable deal with the glass man. Once, an obviously bigoted state patrolman stopped me because my.....fog light was out. How dare he.
See, people who aren’t rolling hot or facing a boatload of warrants from their numerous other criminal enterprises usually *want* to know their tag’s toast or a light (you know, to see and be seen) is out. As someone imprisoned for 31 years and counting with a strong aversion to disorder, I’m telling you: the efforts to handcuff police are preposterous. Be careful what you wish for.
Paul Keller
Inmate, Stafford Creek Corrections Center,
Aberdeen
Formerly of Snohomish County
