THE DANGER OF BLURRING THE LINES OF WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT

THE DANGER OF BLURRING THE LINES OF WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS

 

I’m done with Minneapolis and everything that comes with it. No more arguing with people who want to feel first and think last. You guys can play in that divisive sandbox if you want. The leaders there want the chaos for political reasons. It’s literally the 2020 strategy all over again. It’s almost criminal what the officials, organizers, and those funding this, who are working together, are engaged in. I’m not falling for any of it. Unfortunately, many good people are, and it’s turning them into something unrecognizable.

 

During a related protest in another part of the country, two individuals got in their car, revved their engine, and drove towards my fellow officers, who were not federal or ICE agents. One is someone I love with all my soul. At the last second, they decided it was not a good idea and drove away.

 

This message is simple: blurring the lines of whether ICE agents are law enforcement officers or not is deadly for ALL law enforcement officers and protesters. These activists on the ground you support don’t care if you’re ICE or a local law enforcement agency just showing up to keep the peace.

 

The disinformation you spread saying that ICE is not law enforcement is not only false but could, and already has, gotten people killed. Spreading this only encourages overly captured minds to believe this and put themselves and law enforcement in danger.

 

If you’re currently a cop, or retired, spreading this, or even a faith leader clout chasing, you should be ashamed of yourself. There are cops you worked with and supposedly love still out there having to deal with this coordinated and organized assault.

 

I don’t agree with all the tactics used by ICE, but I also know and understand they are doing their job under a level of resistance and agitation many agencies would never understand. I understand it because I dealt with it in 2020. I know that when you’re working in extreme chaos, mistakes can be made, bad calls can happen, and stress levels can be high, which is the whole point of the protests. They are literally hoping to cause this. I know their playbook. Been dealing with them too long.

 

Calling a branch of law enforcement thugs, untrained, or Nazis hurts all law enforcement because in a quick stroke, it could be your local agency. Many of you dehumanizing them have never been in their position. And to those who have, and are either cheering this on or at the least not telling the truth, I’m disappointed in you.

 

They are federal law enforcement officers who have been tasked with an extremely challenging task: to deal with a mess that was allowed by failed, feckless leadership.

 

I respect peaceful protests of their actions. I respect logical criticisms of them or even city law enforcement. I even respect filming law enforcement. I will never respect impeding them, blocking them, or assaulting them. I can never respect inciting people to do that. I can never respect elected officials fanning the flames.

 

Truly decent people must work to bring the temperature down as a country.