Today I witnessed a team of police officers doing their jobs decently and in order. At about 10:30 A.M. this morning, I heard outside my window, a police officer repeated knocking loudly on a person's door plus announcing himself over and over again. After a while of no response from the resident, he went to his car and called for backup. Once backup came, they went back to civilians home, knocked loudly, and announced themselves. When civilians once again did not come to the door, they utilized a tool and entered the residence.
When everything was said and done, officers came out of the resident with a sequestered individual. Allowed said person to smoke a cigarette and respectfully treated said, civilian family members and neighbors. Officers used total de-escalation protocol that leads to a peaceful arrest that did not traumatize the person in custody or community members alike. Keansburg Police Officers did not utilize the exaggerated protocol used by Louisville Kentucky Police Officers on March 13, 2020, that led to the death of essential worker Breonna Taylor. https://www.nytimes.com/article/breonna-taylor-police.html
These are the stories that don't get told. The actions of police officers who honor the vow of doing things decently and in order exist. And said examples strike a stark difference when a target population of police officers who do not use de-escalating practices or protocols such as non-announcement of their presence can lead to innocent people's deaths.
The acceptable practices demonstrated by Keansburg Police Officers this morning provide both officers and citizens an opportunity to follow the law without fear of reprisal or harm. And the example of police officers doing the right thing can provide a learning moment to other officers who put the safety of civilians and fellow police officers at risk because of their personal biases.
Gold star to the Keansburg Police Officers who do the right thing. I see you! And in closing, that's what community policing is all about Charlie Brown!
Thank you for reading this short report. And if you witness a good thing in your community, we would like to share it in the relaunched online Echo! NJ oldest Black-owned newspaper since 1903.