Letter From President Dotson Concerning Officer McKenzie Mattingly

I used to live in Louisville and wanted to become a Jefferson County Police officer. Since then I have moved to Cincinnati to earn my degree in Criminal Justice and am planning on coming back to join. I heard about the officer Mattingly story and I it disgust me to the bottom of my heart. Situations like this make me question whether or not I still want to pursue a career in "LAW ENFORCEMENT." It's time other communites and police officers stand up for what "WE" believe in. I guarentee the majority feels this way but we don't speak out as much or as loud. Police officers have everything to live for and everything to lose: wives, husbands, children and life itself, for low pay and no respect. People complain about officers, but whose the first people they call when they need help. No one and I mean "NO ONE" especially the mayor, can tell an officer what he or she should do in a situation until he/she puts on that badge themselves and experiences the life of an officer. It's a shame that a police officer who had everything to live for lost his freedom over a drug user/dealer and someone who has been aressted twice before. If things keep up, "CRIMINALS WON'T FEEL THE WRATH OF JUSTICE AND COMMUNITES WON'T BE SAFE, BUT CRIMINALS THEMSELVES WILL DETERMINE JUSTICE." Criminals have already made it hard enough for a police officer to do his job without second guessing his decision. One day an officer second guessing their decisiion will cost them his/her life. God forbid.