In search of the ‘perfect cop’

I am not in law enforcement and never wanted to be. I am a citizen and taxpayer and know the kind of person who would make a perfect cop. He, or she, would be:

▪ Patient, when they listen to one spouse rant about the other on yet another domestic call.

▪ Compassionate, when they tell the old woman she can’t leave her shopping cart there. Some laws can be enforced gently.

▪ Calm, by forgetting about their own 14-year-old, sassy-mouth kid as they ticket a car full of teen boys talking tough in front of their friends.

▪ Alert, when just by being visible might stop a future crime.

▪ Strong, to stop bullies from bullying.

▪ Focused, to know just how much force is necessary and use no more than that.

▪ Brave, to go toward the danger instead of away from it.

▪ Careful, so they can go home after the shift and hear the 14-year-old tell them how uncool they really are.

Now as a taxpayer, I have to wonder, if we can find these perfect people, how could we ever afford them?

This story was originally published July 23, 2016 at 1:22 PM with the headline "In search of the ‘perfect cop’."