LMPD officer sues city over suspension for marching in uniform at abortion clinic

This post is spot on!

After 21 years at LPD/LMPD (been retired 10), it shouldn't still amaze me at how consistently the administration(s) and Mayor's office truly get this whole "police thing" absolutely wrong, but yet somehow it does.

I hate to sound like an old-timer, or over-simplify how things were in those days, but it really wasn't that difficult to understand: you diligently patrolled your beat, addressed any suspicious activity, took the bad guys to jail, watched your fellow officers' backs, and did your best to protect the citizens on your beat.

The writing was on the wall back in the mid to late 90's with programs that had catchy names like "Community Oriented Policing". Not that there's anything wrong with being engaged with the community you patrol, but really, if you were a good beat officer, that should have been happening anyway: know the people on your beat, develop a trust with those you can, and be highly visible. Why did we have to label it? The problem was that the think-tanks were attempting to substitute feel-good catch phrases and a softer approach for good, effective policing.(And before anybody flames me, I'm not referring to the "knock 'em in the head and take 'em to jail" days of the 60's and 70's - Those of you who remember A.F. will chuckle at that)...but just good boots-on-the-ground policing; and if someone IS trying to hurt or kill an officer, then they should be immediately met with appropriate force, without fear of being thrown under the bus by the administration and city leaders.

This job has NEVER been a popularity contest. When we try to win over people with ice cream, march along in everyone's parades/demonstrations, and the hands-off- be-everyone's friend approach, instead of just enforcing the laws across the board, it just won't be sustainable. The results of years of this are plainly visible in our crime statistics.

Just my $0.02

Stay safe out there!

Bottom line and has been said before. We do not have any legitimate qualified leaders in our department anymore. From the chief down to the Majors that are supposedly in charge(we know they are not). We remember the days when a major would come kick you in the azz for not doing your job correctly and we listened because those majors had the credibility to back it up on the street. Those same majors caught hell from the weak colonels and chief for not getting in line. Now we don't see that. Cannot remember the last time I heard a major legit on the street or legit getting in someone's *** for not doing their job. The mayor does not want that not do some council members. Instead they will waste millions on bullshizz snappy names programs that are all lip service and ball-less. They just think it is okay to leave good people across the city living in terror.