Checkmate Loc: Southern California

Sheriff D. Clarke says it best!

It's not the police who need to be retrained, it's the public. We have grown into a mouthy, mobile phone wielding, vulgar, uncivil society with no personal responsibility and the attitude of 'it's the other person's fault', 'you owe me'. A society where children grow up with no boundaries or knowledge or concern for civil society and personal responsibility.

When an officer says "Put your hands up," then put your hands up! Don't reach for something in your pocket, your lap, your seat. There's plenty of reason for a police officer to feel threatened, there have been multiple assaults and ambushes on police officers lately. Comply with requests from the officer, have your day in court. Don't mouth off, or fight, or refuse to comply... that escalates the situation.

Police officers are our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. They're black, white, brown, all colours, all ethnicities, all faiths, male and female, they are us. They see the worst side of humanity... the raped children, the bloody mangled bodies of traffic victims, the bruised and battered victims of domestic violence, homicide victims, body parts... day after day.

They work holidays while we have festive meals with our families. They miss school events with their kids, birthdays, anniversaries, all those special occasions that we take for granted. They work in all types of weather, under dangerous conditions, for relatively low pay.

They have extensive training, but they are human. When there are numerous attacks on them, they become hyper vigilant for a reason, they have become targets. When a police officer encounters any person... any person, whether at a traffic stop, a street confrontation, an arrest, whatever... that situation has the potential to become life threatening. You, Mr & Mrs/Miss Civilian, also have the responsibility of keeping the situation from getting out of control.

Many law enforcement officers are Veterans. They've been in service to this nation most of their lives, whether on the battlefield or protecting us here at home. They are the only thing that stands between us and anarchy in the streets.

If you want to protect your child, teach them respect.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Your point is correct. Unfortunately segments of our society are taught from childhood that police are their enemy...often by fathers who don’t live with them and have spent time in jail.

And as you can see from videos of the current crop of rioters they aren’t all black.

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

When an entity (government) provides a person with housing, food, clothing and medical, that person has no self esteem and no reason to look for a job, and no reason to accept personal responsibility.

When that same person is a male with no father figure helping to raise them, the problem gets much worse.

The solution is not the government, it has to start with the people themselves.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I couldn't have said it better.