The system of policing we know today is one that has been around for many centuries, constantly evolving and changing to appeal to different types of cultures and governments throughout human history. It was not until the 17th to 18th century, however, that we saw the concrete foundation of the police forces we know today: and it would be this creation of a concept that would be consequential for the Western world in modern-day.
Policing is a requirement for a cohesive, safe, and functional society. This has simply been the status quo of Western society for well over a century, and it has reshaped and evolved into an effective team of brave men and women who serve our country and communities.
In the words of an article from Goodwin University, “From police officers to drug enforcement agents, parole officers to security guards, law enforcement professionals’ core mission is to protect and serve the public. These professionals keep our neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries safe from crime and other unwelcome events.”
The concept of a utopia has lingered in the minds of people for many, many years. Sir Thomas More, an English philosopher and author who was born in 1478, created the concept of utopia in 1516 when he published a book called Utopia, about an island community that was perfect. Ever since then, the term has been popularized and many have attempted to put the concept into effect–like how in the mid-1800s many Americans had attempted to create Utopian societies… a common theme of these societies, however, was the failure of said societies.
It is almost dreamlike that a series of events like this could result in such an applicable and important lesson; people are individuals, and perfection is not real. Not far after their foundations, a vast majority of the utopias “failed sooner or later.” because people cannot all be the same, and with free will, there will always be one person who seeks to disobey the word of law (Forbes). Utopian societies are simply impossible and impractical; no matter how you go about it, there will always be some level of diversity whether of culture, thought, belief, race, anything, and that will always serve to some degree of differentiation and/or polarization.
On that note, abolishing the police force—in any country for that matter—would not immediately spawn a perfect utopian society where everyone is sweet and kind to one another. In fact, in a society without police, rather than a utopia, becoming a crime-infested city is inevitable. You can already see this occur in places that have defunded or underfunded police departments; for example, this is evidenced by two sibling malls in New York City. One is the Fulton Center, completely within the defunded NYPD’s jurisdiction, which faces constant shoplifting and crime; the other is the Oculus Center mall, which has the Port Authority Police presence—a well-funded department, keeping watch over the mall.
The difference between these two malls, which are mere blocks away from one another, is mind-boggling. Westfield, the company that owns the Fulton Center, has even gone so far as to request to back out of the lease and leave the mall for good. As the Fulton Center is quite literally infested with crime due to bad architectural set-up and the police department of NYC rendering nearly powerless against the surge in crime in the city (NBC).
Policing is incredibly important. Not only do police forces help secure neighborhoods, ensuring a safe and comfortable life for Americans, but police officers also save the lives of individual people while putting their own lives on the line. Over 100 officers die in the line of duty each year and these are men and women who are not only protectors of the community but fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters (FBI).
In 2021, 129 officers were killed, 71 of which were in felonious acts; that’s 129 families shattered, and 71 of them have the burden of knowing that their loved one could have very well come home that day if it weren’t for the unscrupulous deeds of murderers (FBI). These are brave men and women, as seen in Article IV; they are not only protectors of the community but selfless heroes who will go to the extreme to save the life of another individual.
It is these people, who live the ordinary life of an American middle-class civilian, who would be the ones charging into the bottom of the burning World Trade Center on September 11, risking their lives to save dozens of innocent American lives on that tragic day. It is these people who allow the mother to have the opportunity to watch her baby grow older and become a successful young man or woman simply by performing CPR on a baby. It is these people who ensure that people can sleep comfortably in their beds at night to ensure their communities are not ravaged by crime. It is these people, who also return to their homes to have dinner with their family, like any other human being.
We must not ruin this old status quo; we simply cannot afford to do so. We must support our police because, without the police, we will live in crime-filled communities where we must always be on high alert. Without the police, many thousands of Americans would likely not be breathing the air they breathe today; for without them, a baby may take its last breath. It has to be our mission to ensure that police officers remain as men and women who will go by any means necessary to uphold the laws of the community and serve as protectors of the community.
So the next time you hear about an incident about police brutality or movements to defund the police, or simply see someone with a bumper sticker that says ACAB, just know that there is always more to the story that so frequently doesn’t meet the eye. Although there are a few bad apples, the overwhelming majority are spectacular human beings who may be the ones to save a life, whether it be a stranger, someone you know or love, or perhaps even you. Always remember to thank our men and women in blue.
Photo Courtesy of USA Today, Legends of America, Los Angeles Times
