When Cops Can’t (or Won’t) Enforce the Law

There’s something you should know about me. Although I solidly back the Blue, my primary loyalty is to the U.S. Constitution, my conscience, and doing what’s in the best interest of public safety.

It’s the police who protect us from evil and chaos, and who defend our God-given freedoms. They’re true representatives of our Constitution and it’s why I support them.

I’ve spoken up passionately for the police (even solo) when they’ve unfairly been under attack. When they do something that in my estimation falls short, however, I also feel obligated to speak up. Being a dedicated advocate doesn’t mean you should keep blinders on. In fact, it is when you have a full grasp of all of the issues of a given cause, that you can work more effectively towards meaningful solutions.

That said, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the following, even if you think there’s an angle here I’m not considering. I’m here to share, but also to learn. : )

Heads-up: There is some sensitive stuff in this post.

The reason I even took up this unpopular cause is because of Mike Koval, the beloved police chief of the Madison Police Department who retired in 2019. His leadership skills and personal code of ethics are unlike anything I think most of us have encountered.

Chief Koval always placed his sacred oath, the safety of the community, and well-being of his officers before politics. And he caught a lot of grief in the process.

He’s been mercilessly harassed, had his personal credit messed with, and received credible death threats. Yet he never caved. People like him are a rarity in this world; and it’s why Steve and I always stood by him, and why I became the MPD’s biggest ally. (Nobody in a leadership position currently at the MPD inspires this in us. Nobody.)

Ever since Chief Koval retired, the MPD has become a shell of a department it once was, at least from where I sit.

READ ‘COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP IN ACTION’ WITH CHIEF MIKE KOVAL AND MAJOR TRAVIS YATES

One of the most egregious examples was in 2020, when police command gave orders for officers to stand down and not make any arrests – including of a suspected robbery and sexual assault suspect.

That event felt like a betrayal and honestly, it caused me to question my dedication to this issue.

It has yet again given me pause, and made me ponder how widespread this behavior has become in law enforcement.

It reads, in part:

“A Dane County supervisor is calling on law enforcement to investigate how a naked girl ended up participating in last week’s World Naked Bike Ride in Madison, but police say they’ve found no state law that would apply in the case.”

The MPD spokesperson’s response:

“She said the department’s Special Victims Unit was assigned to the case and detectives “looked at the state’s statues on possession of child pornography and exposing a child to harmful material or narrations,” but that “based on the image observed and city-sanctioned event status of the bike ride, it was determined at this time that neither statutes are applicable.”

And the Dane County supervisor’s response:

“Weigand rejected the notion that state criminal law wouldn’t apply in the incident, pointing to state statutes that, for example, bar sexual exploitation of a child, causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity . . .”

Live and let live are great words to live by. Provided consenting adults are acting lawfully and not infringing on anyone’s rights, I don’t think most of us care what they do. Free country and all.

The key words here are consenting, adult, and lawful. Involve a child, animal, or non-consenting adult, however, and lines have been crossed. And when we see (or even perceive) our guardians failing to protect the vulnerable, it feels like a betrayal all over again.

Although I’m not a constitutional scholar, it’s hard to fathom how allowing a tender-aged child to participate in an event where adults are unclothed doesn’t break the law. Being a city-sanctioned event somehow makes it all ok?

How can this be considered acceptable in any stretch of the imagination? What am I missing? Please, help me out here.

Not being able to investigate incidents due to staffing shortages is, of course, a different matter altogether, and it’s an issue I’m quite attuned to. Police investigations do indeed take time and resources. Failing to act on something that’s so blatant -especially when it’s possibly aligned with city government’s politics- is another.

Given that the policing profession now attracts weak leadership and men and women with integrity are either leaving policing or altogether not applying, I fear we’ll see more of this. The war on police has caused a staffing crisis so dire, that we have no choice but to settle.

Networking with organizations and others is currently a top priority for me. In fact, meeting with people who share these concerns and who are ready to create meaningful change, gives me great hope. The silent majority has started to take note.

Also in the works, aside from two new law enforcement presentations that will be made available to tens of thousands of women (you can view the first one above), is an e-book that will be distributed at no cost. More on that in upcoming posts.

Thanks for reading, and please stay safe. : )

For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at [email protected].

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Source: www.lawofficer.com