Respect for police means many things to many people.
Every day American citizens can show respect for law enforcement officers by obeying the laws and following the Golden Rule during interactions with the police. When you see an officer out on the street or in your local neighborhood, give them a smile and a wave! A positive attitude goes a long way!
Obviously, respect goes beyond simple interactions. One of the most important ways to demonstrate respect of one’s profession is to ensure they have the right tools for the job. That’s why it’s important that police departments receive the funding for equipment, and sufficient training on that equipment, to be trained and knowledgeable when responding to every call for help. Citizens should keep policing issues at the forefront of their minds and try to remain informed and engaged on issues in their communities.
Elected officials can demonstrate for law enforcement who protect their communities by not using them as political pawns and by standing with police against negative, biased, and unfair media coverage. Mayors, elected judges, and city council members need to understand the roles and challenges law enforcement officers address each day and stand up for them in the media and in the public eye.
Our Restore for Respect for Police campaigns
In Chicago, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx continues to let criminals run free rather than prosecuting them. While police officers are risking their lives to clean up the streets and protect our communities, she allows criminals arrested for serious crimes like aggravated battery, homicide, and even sex crimes to walk the streets. Recently, rioters and looters shot at police and burned parts of the city to the ground. Chicago police arrested them, and Kim Foxx’s office let them go.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is backwards and had dangerous rhetoric against police officers and calls on pro-police supporters to take a stand. New York City Mayor and failed Presidential candidate Bill de Blasio continues to let his city down. After years of anti-police rhetoric and sacrificing his city’s law enforcement for the “benefit” of his political career, it’s time to say “enough is enough” and stand up for police officers.
Chicago has seen a 139% jump in murders in 2020, according to the city’s police department. Violence continues every weekend, prompting Mayor Lori Lightfoot to say, “it feels like we’re loosing the streets.” However, Lightfoot’s own actions play a large role in contributing to the current situation. She has consistently blamed police for violence and threatened to take away the very power that police need to restore law and order to the city’s neighborhoods.
