Another chapter in the story of Akron's police community relations comes tonight as FOP Lodge 7 -- representing Akron police officers -- helps with a pro-law enforcement rally downtown. This follows last week's march and rally at the Justice Center by residents of the Celina Avenue neighborhood where Jeffrey Stephens, Sr. was shot and killed by police officers over the Independence Day weekend.
It is a great aspect of our society that for every opinion there is at least one opposing opinion, and in this case the opinions of some in the Akron community questioning the actions of the APD will have a counter-point leading up to tonight's City Council meeting. It is unfortunate, however, that the rhetoric on both sides clouds what should be a central question, and that is what the community considers appropriate policing.
The voices who cry "No peace, no justice" seem to employ a deaf ear to considering circumstances of the Stephens and, before that, the Vinson case. Those harshest criticisms seem designed to divide and benefit those screaming the loudest, not thinking the wisest. Conspiracy theories abound in the latter, while cooler heads in the former acknowledge they are at least separate and distinct incidents. Even if the motivation for some community organizers is to use these cases for their own agenda, does it make asking for more of an explanation anti-cop?
On the other side, there are those also using the community outcry to paint their opponents as anti-cop -- a broad brush to use in an open society where it should be natural to ask questions anytime those legally permitted to carry guns for our protection take a life. The Stephens case isn't cut and dried; there are still important questions to ask, especially whether and if Akron's new police auditor Phillip Young has been able to employ the tools available to him to report back to the citizens of Akron.
We should consider the asking a duty; there should be no shame or negative to question the need to pull the trigger. It's one of the controls that makes law enforcement worth our faith, the understanding that those who protect do so with standards understood and embraced by the community. It doesn't help the APD to have a populace suspicious and feeling threatened, nor does it help the community to have a police force paranoid and feeling unsupported.
For the community, there must be transparency in the system to understand why officers take the action they do; for the force, they must have the backing of the citizenry to protect and serve.
Tonight's pro-cop law enforcement can be seen as a reaction to last week's anti-cop rally, and so it escalates with each side getting tit-for-tat while the search for answers is lost in the smoke and shouting. It would be a shame to ignore the core issue while getting lost in the periphery.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The problem is Marco cries foul everytime there is a police shooting or use of force. Oh wait, you didn't hear a word from him when the black woman officer shot the white deranged woman carrying a "knife." His racism is transparent. Marco should keep his big mouth shut until all the investigations, and there are numerous independant investigations, are completed. Perhaps he should stay quiet even after the investigation because he is not qualified to respond. Surely you do not see it unfair for the APD or FOP to RESPOND to his Criticism that he mostly spews on a weekly basis on WAKR radio.
ReplyDeleteIf I were old enough to want to listen to the Music of Someone Else's Life I would demand equal time for an FOP official. It would be better if a high ranked APD offical to reponded but they know they cannot be truthful or Marco will call for their resignation as well.