Written by Pastor Steve Stucker of New Covenant Church in Albuquerque
All of us are heartsick over the recent shootings involving APD. I have heard some of the most awful, unfair comments…and I’m appealing for everyone to calm down and think this through carefully.
Yes, APD has been involved in a high number of shootings/deaths in recent years. No, they are not gun slinging, blood thirsty cowboys. These officers have families of their own, yet risk their lives for us every single day, showing great restraint over and over again in dealing with the public. I know several who have been shot at repeatedly (one whose vehicle stopped several large rounds intended for him).
I have lived here 30 years, and love our community with all my heart. Yet I am stunned at the high number of people who will threaten lives, wave a gun or a knife at an officer…and be surprised when they are shot! I am equally shocked at how many blame it ALL on the cops. This is something we MUST address as a society, if we are ever to become a better place to live.
Mental health issues abound, and the number of those with serious issues, still roaming the streets is frightening. Many of the victims have been those so unstable that they seek out “Suicide by Cop”. Yet, it’s not always mental health. Much of it is a segment of society that hates law enforcement, and teaches their children to feel the same.
I am not saying the police are never wrong, nor that mistakes haven’t been made. It is obvious that under pressure in the heat of the battle, poor decisions have been made at times. I am simply saying our LEO’s are human, but are facing superhuman expectations. “Why didn’t they just shoot the gun out of his hand?” “It was ONLY a knife, why did they fire?” “Couldn’t they just ‘net’ the guy or shoot him with a tranquilizer dart?” These and other questions, that make NO sense to anyone experienced and trained in the field of protection, are common. HOW quickly we forget about the two APD officers who were gunned down in cold blood while waiting for a mentally ill man to ‘get his things’ from inside his home a few years ago!
How little we hear about the dozens of weekly encounters with aggressive, disrespectful and dangerous lawbreakers, that are successfully dealt with in a peaceful way. Should APD have allowed the ranting, life threatening, knife waving man in the foothills, to wander back down into the residential area where YOUR kids were playing? What about the man who was pointing weapons at children, had fired his weapon at least once, and had a FB page showing he was illegally in possession of high powered rifles while on probation, who called his hollow point bullets “cop rounds”? What if it were YOUR kids he had been threatening? What if the cop he was walking towards with ‘something’ in his hands, was YOUR dad or husband? Why did his neighbors who called in the report, feel the need to cover their heads and faces with towels so they wouldn’t be recognized as police escorted them away from their home?
I have a VERY soft heart for the mentally ill, the poor and the displaced (and volunteer a lot of my time with them each week). Yet for us to basically ignore these people and their pressing needs, virtually ‘dumping them’ out on the streets for the police to deal with…is a recipe for continued disaster. There are several other critically important factors involving the city and APD that make it nearly impossible for officers to win, but this post is already too long. I’ll save those for later discussions.
Want to paint (and taint) a huge force, with thousands of ‘peaceful solution’ SWAT scenarios as bloodthirsty, because one went terribly wrong? Want to call a cop you’ve never met names? Want to critique his actions when his life was on the line, from the safety of your armchair? Your opinions don’t mean much, unless you’ve ever been on a Ride Along overnight in the 505!
It’s time for us to pray! Both the police and the victims are carrying around huge and damaging wounds, that only careful, thoughtful action by well informed citizens can ever begin to heal. We can point fingers of blame at one group forever…with no improvement. Only by extending our hands to each other can we begin to honestly involve ALL those responsible (US) and find solutions.
I know I’ll be soundly criticized myself for this post. Too bad. Some will say “oh they treat YOU nice cuz you’re on TV”. Bull. They are humans, they are our neighbors. They are dealing with what the rest of us have washed our hands of. I’ll be amazed if we don’t have hundreds walk off the force in frustration, disappointment and disgust at the way the public is portraying them.
Expecting the police to carry all this blame and responsibility on their shoulders alone…is criminal in itself.
There is such waste in our world. So much so it is almost always difficult to find the treasures in our midst.
A recovered addict or a bi-polar disturbed individual that has his or her personal demons stilled with medication … they are treasures to their loved ones — If not the world. The law enforcement officers that manage to quell the anger and puzzlement in angry or mentally ill persons. A hundred or a thousand times over. Those giving their personal money to homeless persons, or those helping a mother and her children when they are without a father to be fed. Yes, those too are treasures.
Look for the treasures in our society rather than automatically assume you know everything about every incident involving police action. Rational thought and action will go far to cure this areas ills.
Thanks Mr. Stucker. You are very much correct in your understanding of the issues surrounding these tragic events. Congratulations on being a pastor.