EDITORIAL - If you have to call 911 in an emergency you are typically glad when a policeman shows up. When someone smashes into your car you are happy for a policeman to show up and cite the driver of the car who smashed you. When someone has wrecked on the highway and the traffic is blocked for miles you are happy for the officer to show up and start the process of the traffic moving again.

Typically, you are glad to see a police car go through your neighborhood indicating the police are present. Often, the presence of the police is a deterrent to a would be criminal. When there is a domestic violence issue, an unruly person at a ballgame or gunshots heard down the street, you are normally glad for an officer to be on the scene to help resolve the problem.

For the most part police officers are our friends who show up and sometimes even risk their lives to help us. Most of them are not overpaid and in many cases are very underpaid. A deputy told me recently he made $12 an hour with no benefits, not even medical insurance.

Currently, we are in a police bashing stage in our society. Police have been caught making some bad judgements. Lives have been needlessly taken by some cops and others needlessly harassed by police. No one likes to see needless death. No one wants to be harassed by police. Too many instances have come out in public view of police doing the wrong thing. This has incited a nation of people who have reported they have had similar experiences and are sick and tired of police brutality and harassment.