To the Editor:
I attended the Cloquet City Council meeting Tuesday, April 18. This is in response to the speaker who attacked the men and women in blue from our town, labeling the department as "corrupt."
Corrupt is a very strong word with huge ramifications. It can involve offenses punishable by jail or probation. It is vastly different from disciplinary issues. By labeling our police as "corrupt" you should be able to name a person and an exact incident. To my knowledge there have been none, because we all would have read about it in the newspaper.
What the public is doing now is making assumptions and generalizations without knowledge of the real issues. All I can say, in defense of the officers who perform a job every day that most people wouldn't want to do, is let the investigation be finalized before making a decision about the officers. They are not the ones being investigated! They are not the ones being questioned for lack of leadership! They are not the ones put on leave. And despite what people are saying out there, they are sticking together for a cause they must believe in, whatever that may be.
Have some respect for those who put on a bulletproof vest and duty belt every time they get ready for work. Think about those who kiss their wife or husband and kids before leaving for work, not knowing what they may face in the next 12 hours. Think about the injuries they endure or the HIV and hepatitis tests they need because of exposures they get on the job. How many of you have to take routine driving skills tests, qualification tests for shooting accuracy in daylight and nighttime hours, and regular psychological tests to maintain your job?
ADVERTISEMENT
We haven't heard everything because it is being investigated and the people involved cannot talk about it. Understand that rather than criticize it. As the saying goes, "Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes."
Kay Johnson
Cloquet
