Dear Editor:

Do you ever wonder why some people hate the police? Well I can understand why they do.

In my life I’ve seen five types of law enforcement officers: First are the ones only there to earn a paycheck, they don’t really care about anything else. The second type wants everyone to think they are cool guys and they act like they understand you and are on your side. The third type joined the force to make a difference, try to help, and sincerely care. The fourth are sincere too, but they believe punishment and discipline is what’s needed to turn troubled lives around. But the fifth group is made up of sadistic scumbags, poor excuses for human beings. They are bad people with badges.

Much like type four they are quick to punish, but the difference is in their hearts — they love the power to hurt and control others. They will falsely accuse, crack skulls and even kill for no good reason. They love the feeling that they can do anything they want to people and there’s nothing those people can do about it. They get a sick pleasure out of rendering people powerless, dominating and hurting them.

The problem with some police departments is they will all scheme, lie, and cover up for these bad officers, even if it means breaking the very laws they are supposed to uphold. Even if it means more injustice for the person victimized.

And it’s not just the police, but the entire justice system. Prosecutors, judges, lawyers, jailers... So often they all work together to exploit unfortunate people. And those who are too poor to pay for justice can sit in jail for years because they can’t make bail or they wind up with long sentences for petty or victimless crimes because the justice system wants to look “tough on crime.” And we taxpayers foot the bill for all of this. Even when officers are caught abusing their power, we taxpayers pay those million dollar settlements too.

I don’t get mad at the system for enforcing laws, only for all the injustice. Society needs strong, honest law enforcement. But when the system punishes someone unjustly, the system should be punished. But the system is never punished. That’s why resentment and outrage keep building and building, year after year, the anger of victims keeps growing. And the number of victims keeps increasing.

Keep in mind I’m not talking about people who have been treated justly here, just the people who have been treated unjustly. When you are innocent and the police put you in a position where they can do anything to you and you are powerless to speak or move or breathe ... That level of trauma never goes away. We human beings have an innate sense of right and wrong and we don’t like it when someone gets away with evil. When individual officers get away with cruel injustices, I hope someone will always be there shining a light and crying out for justice. But so often nothing is done, and it breeds resentment and hate.

I know there are many good police officers who would even give their lives for people they do not know. But then there are police who falsely accuse, hurt, and kill. And if you, family, or friends have been a victim of this, it’s hard not to look at the police and the whole criminal “justice” system and not hate it.

Tim Waters

Powell