Prejudices are all the same. Whether you’re talking about a big hairy biker, a person of different ethnicity than yours, or a police officer. Your life experiences have created an opinion based upon the people you encounter. I’ve been around bikers my whole life. This has taught me that the only reason you have to fear them is if you give them a reason. Police officers have a very similar stigma. In my experiences with police officers, I have found that some of them became authority figures to compensate for a feeling of inferiority or a sense of insignificance. I choose to believe that is a very small portion of law enforcement officers, and that the rest shouldn’t be judged upon the minority. If you have a fear of police officers, you should probably stop doing illegal things. That will greatly lessen your fears. Most police officers chose their profession out of an overwhelming sense of service and protection, a desire to help make the world a better, safer place. Much like our armed service veterans, they should be honored and respected. At the very least, judge them on an individual basis. You may be surprised to find how great and down to earth they really are. The following list shows several examples of officers doing their duty honorably.
1. Anything For The Kids: Gotta love the matching cars. What a great photo-op.
2. Blind Ambition: It looks like this blind boy wanted to be a police officer, so this cop took him for a ride along, complete with uniform and utility belt.
3. Commander Darth Batman: Darth Batman is the boss. I don’t care what you say!
4. Duck Rescue: Poor little ducklings, falling down the sewer.
5. First Day Of College: This one shows that cops can be good sports and can have a good sense of humor.
6. Heroes: It’s apparent that this little guy idolizes his local police officers.
7. Merry Christmas: That’s not a bad bonus for being a safe and courteous driver. My heart would have still stopped when the red and blues started flashing behind me.
8. Princess Autograph: What a simple way to create memories for the little princesses you encounter.
9. Showing Some Love: A little compassion goes a long way.
10. Smoke Responsibly: I can’t imagine the number of people who tripped out on this announcement.
11. Arts & Crafts: Taking a little time out to play with the sidewalk chalk with this little one.
12. Ballers: You think the man is coming to hassle you, then BAM. He’s schooling you at hoops.
13. #Beastmode: Here’s that sense of humor again. Love it.
14. Duck Crossing: Stopping traffic for the little waddlers. Safety is the top priority.
15. Fed The Homeless Kid: They’re not getting rich off their salaries, but sometimes others need it more than you do.
16. Fix The Girl’s Bicycle: A few minutes makes a world of difference.
17. Handcuffed Jumper: Gutsy move putting your life on the line for someone trying to end theirs.
18. Hood Ballers: Boys in the hood playing basketball with the men in uniform. Great public relations.
19. Horse Cop On A Cop Horse: That’s funny stuff right there.
20. Saving A Dog From A Hot Car: Damn those careless pet owners.
21. Injured Puppy: Showing love for the canines.
22. Bottle Feeding A Kitten: It’s hard to think anything bad about this cop after seeing this picture.
23. Needed A Jump: Good to see them using the tools in their trunk.
24. New Boots: A lot of people would just harass the homeless, this cop helps. No judgement, just a compassionate and generous cop.
25. Out Of Gas: Creative use of a road cone!
26. Police Escort: Get pulled over, make a friend. Sounds good to me.
27. Poor Cow: She just needs a little water and she’ll be fine. I hope.
28. Push: Much better than just stopping and saying, “You gotta get that thing out of the road!”
29. Road Hazard: Helping this guy shove the wood back in. What a good helper.
30. Roadside Assistance: I’ve seen this a lot lately. Well, the helping with a tire change part. Not the one-armed man part. That just makes the help all that more appreciated.
31. Snow Problem: That’s a pretty cool cop!
32. Talk Him Down: What a touching story. Appreciate life everyday.
33. Water Fight: This guy doesn’t have to pretend to be tough. He’s happy to just join in on the fun.
34. Westboro Baptist:
35. Wet Puppy Rescue: Can’t just sit there and watch a puppy drown. But, would you risk your own life to save a dog from submerged car?
36. YOLO
The moral of this story is that law enforcement officers get a bad rap. Remember, they’re doing their job. It can’t be easy to put your life on the line everyday for a minimal salary, and getting very little respect in return. I hope this list helped you to open your eyes and shed a little light on the fact that there are good people doing good things everywhere. Focus on the good; the world just might be a better place than you imagine.