To protect and serve with respect and honour

THE EDITOR: It has dawned on me, not once or twice, how police officers speak to the general public. I mean, the first thing my parents taught me, was how to speak to people. Now I have encountered police officers in public, in road blocks and on traffic patrol and the way they speak to people including myself, it is horrible. They speak to you in this rude, rough and degrading manner, as if they are not here to protect and serve you, but to put fear into you and to have you always frightened and intimidated.

We are all human beings, just as I have respect for and address a police officer with respect, I expect the same. I don’t think I should be intimidated and frightened of them whenever I have an encounter with them. This country is so traumatised and in a bad state with the crime situation, with all these kidnappings, killings and banditry that we don’t need the police to be down on our backs and disrespectful to us also. We need their protection and care and also their respect.

I know that there are those who mouth off at police officers, but that doesn’t give them the right to be disrespectful to every citizen, they should be able to handle that situation professionally, being the professional public figure that they are. I need my police officers now more than ever. I need them respectful, caring, protective and professional in doing their important and not to forget the dangerous job that they are doing. With all respect, I do care and respect my police officers.

S MARK
San Juan