Stand up for your local law enforcement agencies

May 26, 2016

By Becky Holland, editor@pineywoods.news

Members of law enforcement are consistently in the media today – and it is not always good. Law enforcement officers from police departments to sheriff’s deputies to state patrol officers are blamed for crime, racism and negativism that plagues the world we live in.

Thanks to social media, stuff like that spreads quickly without any question or demand for facts.

Our police officers put their lives on the line for us every single day,and they have got a tough job to do to maintain public safety and hold accountable those who break the law.

Yet, there are those – and there are several in the own local communities in Harrison County – who still bad-mouth law enforcement.

We have seen more law enforcement officers die as a result of hatred and other such disputes. Officers are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis by donning the Kevlar vests and badges as part of their work uniform – now, the risk they take has heightened – for they never know when someone might take that kill shot.

From one who has worked behind and with those who are a part of the ‘Blue Line’ (i.e. law enforcement), I can honestly say those ‘haters’ are wrong.

I watched daily how our officers with the Marshall Police Department put all of their personal needs aside to patrol the streets. I saw how they got rained on, snowed on, cursed at, dirty and didn’t get much sleep. Yet, they keep going. Everyday, they come to work for little pay and little personal benefits.

Why? To protect you and me.

Who else do you know what do what they do, put up with they put up with and still keep going to work to do the same job?

During this time, I discovered, and I thought based on my 20 plus years as a journalist that I had a good insight into what law enforcement have to deal with, that the men and women with the Marshall Police Department – in particular those that are sworn peace officers – are just like me and you. They have families. They have friends. They have dreams. They have goals. They have hobbies. They put their pants on one leg at a time- they just have to add a few more layers and a gun to their everyday wear.

Sure, they have their flaws. Sure, they have their “Mondays” like the rest of us.

Overall, I can say from firsthand experience that the men and women who are on the streets of Marshall driving the black and whites and the detectives who are out investigating crimes and bringing criminals to justice are pretty good folks – if you will forgive my plain-spoken Georgia English.

Don’t believe the stuff that is being spread around. Don’t let someone else’s problem or words make you think ill of someone.

Be smarter. Be wiser. Remember – police and sheriff’s deputies are here to take care of us.

The Piney Woods News and Becky Holland support all law enforcement – especially the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall Police Department,the Marshall ISD Police, Waskom Police Department, Hallsville Police Department, Waskom ISD Police, Hallsville ISD Police and all other law enforcement.

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