ronf78155 Loc: Seguin Texas

I was a Police Officer/Paramedic who was on the SWAT team for 8 years......Im in shock at the hatred for police by the same people that call when they need help.
Next time someone is breaking into your house call Al Sharpton or "Rev" Jesse Jackson !
ALL LIVES MATTER

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

It was a gesture to the police who right now are in the news because the "crime de jure" is going after cops.
One person making a gesture.
Nothing says others can't do the same for military. Will you be the first to volunteer and chip in? If so, go for it.

Oh, in the last 4 generations of my close family: 1 grandfather, 4 uncles, myself and one brother, my oldest son - all veterans, WW I, WW II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam, Iraq (in reserves now). And one uncle a multiple term county sheriff.

Carl D Loc: Albemarle, NC.

I don't hate the police, I just don't trust them. If I wanted to get shot then I'd call a cop, but since I prefer to live, I'll call my favorite pony "Colt" to settle the situation and he's 45 years old. The cops today are trained to be nothing more than paramilitary thugs, who when not in a group are scared of their own shadow.

drivered Loc: Capital District, NY

Great idea

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

If that is your attitude and feeling I feel sorry for you.
I know a lot of police, active and retired, they are not like that.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

We need both the military and the police. And all emergency agencies. Nancy Grace's Legal Cable TV program, HLN, did honor fallen Soldiers, Marines and Sailors with photos, every single day, narrated by her of each fallen, from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. The first ever General Officer was murdered in Afghanistan and made all Cable News Networks. Local news stations generally report the death of police officers first, and then it goes national afterwards. Some get rarely mentioned, especially small rural locations. 5 police officers being killed in one day in any major US city is national news. I attend Memorial Day activities occasionally. And I love taking photos of military members in uniform.

mrova Loc: Chesterfield, VA

Wow. And all the OP wanted to do was share some good news and a positive thing. Just shows that no matter how good the news, how positive the message, somebody's gonna find a way to sling mud on it. I stand with the OP. Heck of a great idea that can't make anything but a positive impact.

Don L G

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Oh wow, Carl, you really have a problem with don't you. I spent a number of years as a cop and actually worked hard successfully to get two fired, because one was not suited for the job and the other was a coward who stood by while I fought three drunks by myself. Most police officers hate to work with a jerk who makes the profession look bad. How is it you think/know that police today are paramilitary thugs who are scared of their own shadow. In recent shootings you SEE police running toward gunfire. THAT is being scared of their own shadow in your mind? Obviously nothing me or any one of us can say will change your mind. It is already made up. But why don't you go on a ride-a-long program if your nearest department offers such a thing. Mine did and citizens who rode with us generally got more of a ride than they thought on just an average night of merriment. You will see your police officers do things you wouldn't think of doing (and may not for any amount of money) such as searching a drunk for weapons who has pissed and shit in his pants, gone to a hospital to see a child who has been beaten to the point of being unconscious, take a rape report from a 13 year old girl. Of course this doesn't count the number of suicides, stabbings, shootings, humans burned to death or vehicle accidents. Try doing a coroner report on a man who has died two weeks ago in a house in Southern CA in 100 degree weather. Wow, talk about your average macro insect photography of maggots when his body separates. Give it a try my friend. Get to know the police in your area and I suspect you won't find many or any who are paramilitary thugs OR who are scared of their shadow. What have you got to lose big talker?

Dennis

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Carl won't be back in this thread, Dennis. This thread was started because of something good a policeman's daughter had done here in Dallas and deteriorated because of a couple of posters. I felt Carl def. went too far and I hit the "ignore" button.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

And he probably should. While I agree that honoring our military is a great thing we do have many programs in America to honor the military. This post was simply about photographing the police and their families by local photographers.

Dennis

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

One of the interesting things that comes out of this thread is that we do not need to run to extremes and polarized positions. Communication and discussion is important. So many people choose to categorize people in very broad and simplistic ways. I may live in San Francisco and have many liberal social values, but as I said to my cousin who is a homicide detective in Milwaukee, "I'm not a bleeding heart liberal, if someone's heart is going to be bleeding, it's going to be somebody else's."

Our police are not perfect, but where would we be without them? Especially when the police force is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious organization.

These men and women put their lives on the line for us. Why not respect and support them?

UXOEOD

Carl, let me offer a bit of advise.

It is often better to keep your opinion to yourself, and allow people to think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right.

I am not sure exactly what your problem is, but keep it to yourself, or at least limit it to between yourself and professional counselor.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

One thing about the Dallas Police Department. I found it utterly ironic that it should be targeted. I have lived in Dallas since 1973 and have seen the great improvement in policing in Dallas. I remember an incident in particular where there was a burglary in the 80's and a young Nigerian man started running away. A policeman shot and killed him. He was innocent of the crime. Dallas started to change their deadly force policy and have been ever since. There was a time when Dallas had a serious gang problem and murders were up as a result. The City and the Police were proactive and broke that stranglehold that Chicago is facing today, yet without an all out war. It was just good policing and community work. I have high regards for the DPD as a result of the changes that I've seen in 40 years, and am saddened that somebody else still felt a need to target its officers.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

What a great idea

Don