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Letters to the editor
Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the "Policing the Police" article. I honestly am shocked that this article was allowed to be published in a college newspaper. However, I do understand that we each have our own opinions.
My guess is that the guy who wrote this article probably has had bad experiences in his life. What he doesn't realize is that the police do not necessarily work for the citizens, but they are here to PROTECT the citizens.
Several “old timers” like to refer to their tax dollars as paying the salary for the policemen. However, the statistics in most cities will prove that the big businesses in the cities are what brings in the most revenue for the major cities in our area.
Now, the “put them in hot pink uniforms” is what really bothered me. Who is this guy to speak down to the very people who would give their own lives to save his?
He so soon forgets that one day, he may need to call these people to help him, a friend or family member.
No guns? You try driving up to a house where a woman has called 911 because her spouse has a gun to her head and is threatening the lives of her and everybody in sight.
Or try spending four hours trying to talk somebody out of committing suicide, even though you have no clue who this person is.
These policemen not only have to save lives, but they also have to go home at night to their wives and kids, thankful that they got to come home that night.
To wrap my frustrations up, I would like to apologize to the students who just happened to stumble across this article, as I did.
I would be ashamed if I were this writer, and I sincerely hope that his opinion changes after he realizes that he may need these people one day.
Brandi West
Dear Editor:
I have a few comments I would like to make regarding the article on "Policing the Police."
It seems that the author of the article may have a bias stemming from his own unpleasant encounters with law enforcement officers.
I also find it very curious that he failed to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding those encounters.
I also believe that if the author were to do any sort of meaningful research, he would discover just how ridiculous his so-called solutions are and see the error in his generalizations.
It is unrealistic and unfair to group the 740,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the U.S. into one "group that is abusing its power on a daily basis."
Were we to take away their guns, we would only increase the number of line-of-duty deaths per year.
I don’t know about John Q. Taxpayer, but I personally don’t want those who are sworn to protect me to be on the same level as I (defenseless against the random violence of today).
The number of deaths of officers in the line of duty is already outrageously high (approximately 1 every 54 hours—and 62,000 assaults per year) and continues to climb as the media promote an anti-cop mentality with articles such as this.
I also doubt the author would recommend hot pink for our esteemed military personnel (many of whom also wear dark colors) on the front lines of battle.
I can just imagine Sadaam Hussein shaking in his boots at the sight of thousands of big tough troops in hot pink fatigues!
Now seriously, try to imagine those who put their lives on the line every day in their war on crime, decked out in hot pink. And, they do put their lives on the line every day. Besides being the butts of jokes and trying to ignore the many dirty looks or choice words tossed their way throughout the day, they fight this war one traffic stop or knock on a door at a time.
But they also know full well that the next traffic stop could be their last, as it was for the State Trooper in Granbury who was shot in the face and killed on a “routine” traffic stop.
So no, the author cannot possibly identify with the difficulties officers face.
But I can. Why? Because, I am married to one.
I kiss him good-bye in prayer every day that I will see his car in the garage when I come home and that I won’t get “that call” from the Chief.
I know how he hurts for those who are hurting (especially the little ones) and that he will lay down his life for a complete stranger—even one who holds as much animosity toward him as the author of this article apparently does.
A little more research and a little less opinion next time, huh, Mr. Taylor?
Lea Ann Crawford
Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to inform you of the sad state your campuses are in.
I have attended South, Northeast and Northwest at this time.
The nature in which classes are being conducted is reprehensible.
As a professional, I do not see how you are preparing your students for entry into the job market.
As a vice president in industry, I personally would have serious concerns about hiring anyone from your student body.
You have three problems that you need to address directly.
One is your teachers.
Your teachers are not and do not stay current with today’s needs in the I/T industry.
The classes that I attended were, for the most part, teaching old technology.
These teachers were informing your student body of techniques that at one time were highly regarded as cutting edge but now are out dated and unused.
I do not see how the information would prepare them for the job market.
I am well aware that this is a two-year school and many will go on to a four-year degree.
But what good are you doing them when you are not giving them the building blocks to move on to the next level?
vLet me give you one example of what I am trying to convey here.
Your hardware teacher at NW wanted me to instruct his students in the LAN cabling.
I asked the instructor which of these he would like me to explain to them. He said he wanted me to show them “Thin-Net” cabling.
I was very perplexed when he made this request. I was expecting maybe Fiber Optic or even 10 base T CAT 5, which is the only thing that is used in the real world today.
The only thing that learning thin net will do is prepare them to be cable repairpersons.
Your secondary problem is the lack of security in dealing with computer hardware.
I have heard more than one instructor mention thefts campus wide.
Since I have no figures in hand, I can only speculate as to the amounts of hardware that has been lost to theft.
The only problem that I can see right off is the idea your I/T people came up with to use removable hard drive carriers.
For about $25 any one of your students can buy a key to these carriers allowing them to steal a great many of these hard drives, thus causing a lot more problems than they are worth.
The third and final problem that you really must deal with is the police force.
Being a retired police officer myself, I can relate to all of the problems they are going through.
They are treated as though they are nothing but security guards, and this is why you cannot keep any staff in this department.
I feel that once they are respected for who they are, the job of asset protection will be more accepted.
Do not take this letter as an insult to how you are doing your job. I understand that there are more underlying problems.
I just thought that you might want an observation from an outside source.
John Excalibur Walker USAR
Vice President of I/T
Letter policy
The Collegian staff welcomes all letters to the editor concerning articles that have run in the paper or on other subjects that may be of interest to the general public.
All letters should be signed by the writer, who should include his or her social security and telephone numbers (the numbers will not be published).
Letters should be typed and not exceed 150 words. They will be edited for grammar, style and space and will run as space is available and at the discretion of the editor. Letters should be addressed to The Collegian office in CAB 120 on NE Campus.
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