Good cop, bad cop. Bad, bad cop.

There have been some very unsettling, even disturbing stories in the news recently regarding law enforcement officials. I'm sure just about everyone has seen by now the horrific news footage of the paraplegic man being dumped out of his wheelchair by a Florida sheriff's deputy while another deputy looked on and laughed about it. Both of these men, and use that term reluctantly, should not only be terminated, but also be stripped of their peace officer certifications. Instead of asking for people's licenses and registration, they need to be asking "would you like fries with that?"

Equally as disturbing is the story of the female assault victim who was strip searched by a group of male deputies and left naked in a jail cell for 6 hours. Remember, she was the victim, not the suspect. These so-called officers are a disgrace to the badge, their department, even their entire profession. Now comes the story of the Nevada deputy who is seen on camera standing in front of a female subject as the film goes still. When the film starts moving again, the subject is lying in a pool of her own blood after having been beaten to a pulp by an idiot who calls himself a cop. he has been fired.

I have been, am, and always will be an ardent supporter of and have the utmost respect for police officers and the law enforcement profession. That's why I will always stick up for the good cops who always seem to have their names and reputations sullied by the actions of the bad ones. I will not allow them to all be lumped together and disrespected. That being said, I will always be the first to point out the actions and misdeeds of the bad cops who cause many to lose respect for the entire profession. Let me be abundantly clear; the good cops deserve to be respected and the bad ones so richly deserve our disrespect. Let's not blur the lines and confuse the two. Remember, it's only the outrageous misdeeds of the bad cops that make the news. When things go right, we rarely here about them. Only when things go wrong does it lead.

I have the utmost respect for the law enforcement officers who execute their duties fairly and with respect and concern for the citizens they vow to serve and protect. I have the utmost disrespect for the ones who sully their profession by their misdeeds and give their fellow officers an undeserved bad reputation. Let's rally around and show our support for the good cops, and root out the bad ones.

Jim Chitty