I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE IN POLICEONE.COM WRITTEN BY DALE STOCKTON. HE’S A LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMIC WHO’S GOT MORE DEGREES THAN A THERMOMETER. HE’S ALSO A 32 YEAR VETERAN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE ARTICLE IS TITLED “WHAT DO 2016 LODD’s MEAN FOR OFFICER SAFETY?” GOOD QUESTION. IN AN ATTEMPT TO REVIEW THE LODD’s HE TOOK A LOOK AT GUNFIRE DEATHS IN, GET THIS, “A LONGITUDINAL VIEW…” OF WHAT OCCURRED.
OK, FINE. I LOOKED UP THE TERM “LONGITUDINAL” WHICH WEBSTER DEFINES AS “RUNNING LENGTHWISE. RELATING TO THE DISTANCE OF A PLACE EAST OR WEST OF THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN.”
I RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT IS THE WRONG TERM AS OFFICER DEATHS AND ASSAULTS WITH FIREARMS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN. PERHAPS SOMETHING MORE APPROPRIATE LIKE ” THE WAR ON POLICE” OR “THE MEDIA AND GOVERNMENTS ROLE IN THE EXPONENTIAL ATTACKS ON OUR NATIONS POLICE.” THAT’S SOMETHING EVERY COP CAN UNDERSTAND.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. IN 2015 THERE WERE 121 OFFICERS SHOT WITH 32 PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE. THAT LEAVES 89 OFFICERS SHOT WHO SURVIVED.
IN 2016 THERE HAVE BEEN 271 OFFICERS SHOT WITH 62 BEING KILLED. THIS MEANS THAT 209 OFFICERS ARE STILL SUCKING UP THIS POLLUTED AIR. I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST FIVE OFFICERS WHO SUFFERED DEVASTATING INJURIES AT THE HANDS OF AMERICA’
S THUGS. OFFICERS PARALYZED OR STILL IN A COMA.
LET’S CRUNCH SOME NUMBERS: OFFICERS KILLED IN 2016 ARE 72% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR. IN ADDITION THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS SHOT INCREASED AN ASTOUNDING 234%!! WOW, AND JUST WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN? NOTHING, JUST THAT THE WAR ON COPS CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY.
STAY SAFE, WEAR YOUR VEST AND BUCKLE UP!!
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