To the Editor:
Recently an Alexandria Police Department (APD) officer was denied service at a local restaurant in Alexandria solely because she was in uniform and the restaurant’s chef took umbrage with that fact and refused to cook her order. The officer left the restaurant and did not escalate the issue, despite the fact that most people would have.
Later, APD Chief Cook and Mayor Silberberg contacted the restaurant management to ascertain the problem and hopefully resolve any underlying issues. Restaurant management responded by terminating two employees at their restaurant. However, where was the outrage from the vice mayor, other City Council members, city manager and residents as a whole?
Yes, I understand that there are some people across the country upset with their law enforcement agency in their community and there are some (very few) officers who have abused their power. However, the vast majority of police officers today are good cops. There are countless officers everyday throughout the United States who want nothing more than to protect, serve and return home at the end of their shift.
Every single profession (doctors, lawyers, judges, teachers, priests, plumbers, police, etc. …) has what I call the “one percenters “ — those that look for ways to do a sloppy job or ignore internal rules or policies. Management will sooner or later weed out these bad employees. It is so wrong to paint all police officers bad, just because a few have abused their powers. Just as some bad officers don’t represent American law enforcement as a whole; neither are the minority of radical protesters who have called for violence against the police representative of all the demonstrators who have gathered peacefully to protest their causes.
Next to those that serve in the military, I can’t think of another profession where the danger level is so high, yet you still find dedicated people who are willing to serve despite the low pay, low morale and lack of public support.
If we all don’t support our police departments, what is the result? The days of the Wild West? People taking the law into their own hands? Rampant discrimination and lawlessness will surely flourish. Furthermore, when you need help who are you going to call?
I would like to thank Chief Cook and Mayor Silberberg for standing by our APD officer and I call on the rest of the City Council, city manager and our city residents to support our police officers because one day you will need them and more importantly because they deserve our support.
Bryan Kirkes
Alexandria