An African American supporting police officers is not the norm in our current day's society. There was a time when all you saw on the news was stories about police brutality or abuse of their power, particularly against blacks. There was the incident against Abner, who was sodomized by police officers with their black stick. Then there was the ever famous Rodney King videotaped abuse. These much publicized events have brought a lot of distrust within our community. I also would like to mention racial profiling. This epidemic has been going on for as long as I have been alive and I am not sure if it will ever end. But despite all of these negatives, the one true positive is they are there when you need them.
It is absurd to believe that receiving a traffic ticket could result in the loss of life. Have you ever seen that popular TV show called Cops? That show has really educated me on the dangers police officers face every time they suit up. I remember watching an episode of Cops where it showed a female police officer stopping a male pedestrian for speeding. The driver of the vehicle was so upset over receiving a traffic ticket that he began to beat this female in the face and head with closed fists until she was unconscious on the ground. All of this over a $100 traffic ticket. Was it really worth it, after all, her surveillance camera caught the entire incident, and now he's facing more serious charges than a mere speeding ticket. .
With all the dangers that police officers face everyday, I feel they are one of the most underpaid professions of today. The starting salary for a police officer is approximately $26,000 a year. This is also the starting salary for a customer service representative. One job consists of life threatening everyday situations, while the other consists of an irate caller every once in a while. Each profession is important in its own industry, but one has an uncertainty each time they dress for work.