To the Editor:

I have watched the national socio-political scene seem to spin out of control. More than one challenge of momentous proportions seems to beset us all at the moment. This is reflected in the breakdown of civil society and the consequent demands and lense this puts on constabulary everywhere.

As a veteran, I have some appreciation of the kind of violent and chaotic circumstances that such professions accept as a duty for the sake of civil society. As a long term resident of the North Country I have interacted with the state ... county and various village police numerous times but usually it had to do with me going too fast. Those days are over. It was a lesson learned.

More recently my life circumstances involved me more desperately, as it were, with local police personnel on numerous occasions. These situations were highly charged with individuals no longer responding to rational intervention. The police were eventually summoned and in every case they were the solution. They acted interested and sorted it out. They were professional and brought immediate stability to the situation.

On numerous occasions we went to local officers or they came to my house as we reported the background and real concerns of the situation and the third party threats that were the real cause of the trauma. The police were always upfront, attentive, knew the rules of the law and told you what they could and could not do. In every case lent a measure of insight and concern to the immediate situation and did whatever they could within the legal codes of the land.

I always knew that good cops were necessary and bad cops sometimes real, but the ideal remains the same. An honest, professional, informed and compassionate constabulary is necessary to civil society. From my personal experience this has been the case in SLC.

Our North County constabulary at every level are most always trying to keep the peace and do a remarkable job.

One remark that a deputy made to a distraught individual reminded me of their and our circumstances. He told the person that he was not a trained therapist and not allowed to be a taxi service. I realized that he had made an argument for an expansion in community health workers and services at a time when the mental health of the nation is certainly being stretched to the outer limits.

While I am drawing on my own experience I have had others tell me that the police that are our neighbors, friends, and family are sometimes a problem for the bad boys but are more likely to keep the peace anyway they can.

A year or so ago an enraged man took to murdering a woman. The local police were called to the scene. An officer had to shoot the deranged knife wielding man to death. It was a battlefield in our own backyard. That young officer took the heat and the trauma that always attends such violence for us all. He will never be the same.

I am for Black Lives Matter and recognize that just like the men and women who put on blue and find it comes with a cost so does the simple condition of the color of one's skin. It can and does influence others behaviours and attitudes. And Black men and women die sometimes as a consequence and so do the men and women in blue...because of attitude...prejudice...bigotry.

Truth is a sword that cuts both ways. Respect and brotherhood are a standard for all.

I think we are blessed in the North Country by the quality and nature of our brothers in blue. I appreciate their position in and contribution to the community. It is by nature a tough road and thin blue line but someone has to walk it for the sake of all.

David Wolf

Hannawa Falls