Favourite Books

  • The Green Mile
  • Animal Farm
  • Lord of the Flies
  • Lord of the Rings
  • To Kill a Mockingbird

Thursday 23 July 2015

Something Is Wrong!!

I've sat down, more than once to attempt to write this blog. The only reason I keep trying, is...it bothers me a great deal. I want to make sure I get my personal opinion down, in the way I want to. A way that makes things clear. I don't want this to hurt those who I hold in very high esteem, and I want to ensure they understand, this is NOT about them, I would still wish to call on these people, and have them arrive to keep me safe. One name in particular, in case they do read my drivel, is Dave, because, you ARE one of the good guys, and you wear your uniform with pride, and with the knowledge of all that you must do, in the line of your profession. That said...I will continue on, because, I have to.
  I read comments, our police officers have a heavy burden, they are under pressure, their lives are on the line, all comments in regards to the many shootings lately by the RCMP, shootings that have resulted in deaths. I am not a bleeding heart...you do the crime..you pay the time...However, I do not condone, you create a disturbance, you act suicidal, you wear a mask, you carry a knife..you die!!! The events which seem to now occur on a steady basis, police killing suspects, is something new, and something that just should NOT be happening. I do not care for those folks who say "he had a knife, he wouldn't put it down, he was wearing a mask, he deserved everything he got". WTF???? No, he did not deserve to die!!! People murder other people, do they die? Are prisons empty, because, since only criminals are placed there, and since they do things that require police to enforce the law..have they all been shot?
  I grew up with a massive amount of respect for our Mounties. I watched the single RCMP members in my tiny community provide us with security, law enforcement, and.on top of all of that, behind the scene care for some of the regular heavy drinkers, and..families that needed assistance, well beyond their job description . I met some pretty amazing folks who wore the uniform, and never once did I ever see them with their weapons out of the holster. They kept the peace. I knew, if I ever needed help, I could call them, and they would do what was right.Hey, maybe back in those days, somewhere, there might have been a few that did not hold such high standards, but, they were out numbered, by the good guys.
 I'm sorry. Something has gone very wrong with the system. Somewhere along the line, standards were dropped. Those folks back in the day, well, their lives were on the line too, they were targets for the "bad" people. They put themselves in positions of danger, to keep us safe. Back in the day, Officers were killed in the line of duty, not often, but sadly, it did happen. Once in awhile, they did have to draw their weapons and fire, and sometimes the very bad guys were killed, because the safety of the public was at risk, and there was no other recourse.However, I bet, if I was to go back and look at these occasions, each and every time, the criminal had a gun. Now folks are being killed because they are screaming and acting violent, and holding a knife in their hands. What happened to the intense hand to hand combat training officers received during basic training? I am sure they must have been taught how to take down a suspect with a pocket knife. I am sure they were not taught to draw their weapons and fire. Again, I have to ask..what has gone wrong?
  To watch a video, and, I admit, it was only part of the incident, but, clearly there was more than one officer involved. The two men trained to protect, were incapable of controlling a single masked man, with a small knife, and I say small, because the blade is not visible, so one decided the only thing he could do, was shoot! Oh, and still in fear for his life, he then quickly kicks the knife out of the suspects hand, while the suspect is obviously laying in a huge pool of his own blood, and then his partner whips in to handcuff the slumped, dying man. These men are the ones protecting us? They are not cut from the same cloth as their predecessors. Something is lacking in the selection of those placed to serve and protect. They are no longer brave men and women, they are ordinary people, scared sh*tless! They are no different than you and me, and I know damn well, I am NOT brave, strong, and mild tempered, I would be totally useless in the position of protecting the public. So are those people who put the uniform on, and made a terrible mess of things.
 We do NOT need to allow the average citizen to be placed in the position of the RCMP. We need the cream of the crop, we need those who are capable of facing danger, and able to manage restraint, beyond that which you and I can. We need to be able to look at those wearing the serge, and know, we are safe, and if someone makes a mistake, they will go to court, and then, if they are found guilty, they will go to jail. We do NOT need to skip a whole bunch of steps in the system, and simply put them down, because someone was not capable of doing their job properly.
  As a Canadian, I have always been proud of our very own RCMP, now....I am not so proud. I wonder, if those who joined back in the day when only the very best made the grade, feel the same way? I wonder, do those who have retired, now sit at home and watch the news, and shake their heads? We know what it used to take to ensure we had the best, now we just have to find out how to get it back.
  Just my personal opinion. I know there are still some Bill Raysons, and Hank Garrets out there, I know this, because I have met them!(these two men, were 2 of our local RCMP, and two of the best men that wore the uniform).

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