“I am sworn to serve and protect—a responsibility that I take on with a sense of pride as a calling, not simply a job. Yet I firmly believe that the first person in charge of your freedoms and self-preservation is you. I know that my brothers and sisters in law enforcement are willing to stand watch in the night against the evil in our society, but recent events have proven again and again that your personal safety can only be absolutely guaranteed by one person—and that person is you! That ability to protect oneself can never become outdated, or the very freedoms and individuality this great nation was founded upon would all be for naught.” – Sgt. Jacob Betsworth, Sarpy County (Neb.) Sheriff’s Department [via americas1stfreedom.com] [h/t BP]
Well said.
Indeed. And the vast majority of law enforcement says the same thing but every time they do, the anti crowd puts their finger in their ears and goes, “La la la la la, I’m not listening!”
And then they trot out big city PD Chiefs, politically appointed by liberal mayors, to make it seem like all LEO’s want us to call 911 and patiently wait for them to come defend us.
Then you get the silly anti-cop people that frequent this page who think all cops are Nazis, yet they don’t realize they’re using the same logic that the anti-gun crowd uses to infringe on our rights.
Sigh. Ben, Ben, Ben . . . The “Blue Wall” apologies and lamentations about cop-haters wear a bit thin after awhile.
About time. Sorry folks, we are on our own. Law enforcement’s job is to come clean up the mess and take the left overs to jail to await trial. This “law enforcement” stuff is something made up in the 1960’s.
Well, not only that, but the Statist view of “law enforcement” really got a push in the 90’s with “Community Oriented Policing.”
That’s another misnomer…it sounded good, but scrape away the top layer and it was more “give government responsibility for your neighborhood’s health and well-being.”
Perhaps if it had been implemented as it what it sounds like, it could have been better. But in the end, all it seemed to result in was an increase in the nanny attitude….not just in the cops, but in the neighborhoods as well.
At least that’s my read. My perspective was not “national” but very local.
I personally think the best thing for policing would be to return to beat cops that live in the neighborhoods they patrol…make them part of the community again. There was a cop that lived right up the street from me a year or two ago, and I never knew his name. He was not a “neighbor” in the classic sense.
We used to park our cars and get out and walk around…got to know the people in the area. Knew them by name, and they knew us. We were there for good things (birthday parties in the front yard, drinking a coke at the corner store, just loitering and swapping stories), and not just the bad (someone called 911).
I think that helped a LOT…I know the people in those neighborhoods treated the cops that did that sort of thing differently than the ones that could not be bothered and just drove around…faceless and soulless symbols of power.
And the sorriest part of that is the increased communication ability that exists today. In the era you are talking about, when you were out of the car you were unavailable, there had to be limits. Today, every officer, I bet even in the smallest departments, carries full time constant communication with him. It should be easy to get out of the car and interact with people. Of course, they may not welcome that, since courts have ruled that any amount of subterfuge and outright lies by police is fine while they gather evidence to lock you away forever. Maybe some laws need to be changed.
“We used to park our cars and get out and walk around…got to know the people in the area. Knew them by name, and they knew us. We were there for good things (birthday parties in the front yard, drinking a coke at the corner store, just loitering and swapping stories), and not just the bad (someone called 911).”
That and community “storefronts” was the intent of COP, and was implemented with Executive Chief Norm Stamper taking a leading role in San Diego for a time.
Unfortunately as time goes by budgets impose and aging ideas cycle to new ones, especially when it’s more…shall we say…’expedient’ to drive around and respond to dispatch calls. Plus there is always that long institutionalized ‘us versus them’ attitude that creeps in to throw everything off track when it comes to that style of policing.
Ultimately, with old style “Community Oriented Policing” it comes down to the work ethic, efforts and attitudes of individual policemen…and women.
Officer Betsworth, just how do WE guarantee OUR personal safety when legislators deny lawful self defense by restricting use of the most cost effective tool devised by man?
Herein lies the issue. If he really means what he says, he’ll ignore gun laws and refuse to arrest people for them.
I would like to hear comments like this from California and New York. Otherwise it’s just self-congratulatory.
Yes. Meanwhile cops in NJ arrest working single mothers and confiscate their tool of protection for the crime of being honest.
I want to see a NJ cop refuse to arrest a single working mother and confiscate her means of protection for being honest. Then I’ll feel like some good is happening.
Nebraska cop saying “it’s up to you to protect yourself” while nice to hear isn’t all that special.
I look at this comment by this officer this way:
As more cops say this sort of thing, and live it, more cops that think this way will likewise speak up. A snowball starts small.
There have been numerous high profile comments like this made by cops: Chief Craig, the Sheriff in Georgia (I believe), one in Minnesota? Now this one.
Keep ’em coming, I say. The push has started, now increase the momentum.
Definition of a good cop:
Does not enforce laws that criminalize lifestyle choices where people are not harming or threatening anyone. In other words, doesn’t waste his time victimizing peaceful pot smokers and the like.
Tries to stop other officers when they blatantly use unnecessary force and reports on officers that violate the civil rights of citizens. (I know, reporting things like this to the police brass will get exactly nothing done)
By this definition there are exactly zero good cops because they will all get summarily fired.
Another way to look at it… he wouldn’t have a problem asserting his Authority to coerce you to give up every constitutional right you have..Keep that in mind as you back slap him with atta boyz…
I’m a CA cop and I agree.
I’m not a cop, but I live in CA and know several and 90% are like this guy.
Apparently you’re not from LA.
Depends on both the region and the jurisdiction.
Such statements tend to leave me conflicted. On the one hand, he’s absolutely correct. It is each person’s responsibility to defend himself and those he’s responsible for. Government and private resources are always spread more thinly than potential threats. At the scene of the crime, it’s up to you to repel violence or at least minimize its impact.
On the other hand, these statements sound a little self-serving, as though they’re preemptively (over)playing the underfunded/understaffed card to avoid accountability for duties that do rightfully fall within their purview.
So for now I’ll just take his comments at face value and keep doing my thing for my family (and community, when/where appropriate). Beyind that, I’ll just try to maintain realistic expectations of law enforcement, and be prepared to criticize officers when I think they’ve fallen short of their duties.
The cop who taught our CCW course explained it to us by pointing out that most of the time, regardless of how fast the police arrive, the criminal has either been incapacitated (whether by his own hand or by someone else deciding to help him along) or has fled. That cop, at least, didn’t sound as if he were complaining about lack of funding or being lazy, but rather was pointing out a very real limitation of the system.
That’s fair, especially from a cop teaching concealed carry classes. There isn’t much more than beer money in teaching licensing classes, so most everyone like myself does it because we’re believers in the underlying rights and responsibilities. Sounds like your instructor shares that view, too.
Which will always be there for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that criminals will normally wait for a police officer to drive away before they murder you and your family. Sort of “duh”. If we paid to double or triple the number of LEOs in this country, it would not change that.
Well, if we get enough exceptions, one day we might have a rule on our hand. But not just yet.
So he gets the 2nd ammendment, but what about the 1st, 4th, 5th, etc.? Let’s not go giving him a gold star sticker for his report card just yet.
That’s right. Just because a rapist drives the meals on wheels truck on Saturdays doesn’t mean he’s a good person.
Everyone is so quick to strap on the slurppin pads over some cop who found an ” in” with progunners… they dont stop and think how this guy wouldnt hesitate for a second to ruin your life if you forgot to signal for a lane change…
You KNOW that for a FACT? You keep saying this, but the truth is, I bet you don’t KNOW this particular cop would do ANY of the stuff you are accusing him of.
How about you stop bearing false witness against a man. Maybe he’s like you describe, and maybe he’s not.
But what he says on the gun issue is encouraging. Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face and make an enemy out of someone you really know precisely nothing about.
Unless, of course…you actually some factual basis to make the comments you are making. If not, please the live the histrionic, emotional horse sh1t to the anti’s, please.
Do I know this for a FACT?… if he doesn’t then he isnt doing his job now is he?… If you are expecting him to overlook you as just another sheep, than you will be seriously let down..
Whom do I need to protect myself from, my fellow citizens or cops like this guy? Judging from recent events, I’d say both. Ask the man about his dough nut eating habits and I bet that smile disappears real fast.
“Where the officer is killed in the course of the disorder which naturally accompanies an attempted arrest that is resisted, the law looks with very different eyes upon the transaction, when the officer had the right to make the arrest, from what it does if the officer had no right. What may be murder in the first case might be nothing more than manslaughter in the other, or the facts might show that no offense had been committed.” John Bad Elk v. U.S., 177 U.S. 529.
“Citizens may resist unlawful arrest to the point of taking an arresting officer’s life if necessary.” Plummer v. State, 136 Ind. 306.
“An illegal arrest is an assault and battery. The person so attempted to be restrained of his liberty has the same right to use force in defending himself as he would in repelling any other assault and battery.” (State v. Robinson, 145 ME. 77, 72 ATL. 260).
“Each person has the right to resist an unlawful arrest. In such a case, the person attempting the arrest stands in the position of a wrongdoer and may be resisted by the use of force, as in self- defense.” (State v. Mobley, 240 N.C. 476, 83 S.E. 2d 100).
“One may come to the aid of another being unlawfully arrested, just as he may where one is being assaulted, molested, raped or kidnapped. Thus it is not an offense to liberate one from the unlawful custody of an officer, even though he may have submitted to such custody, without resistance.” (Adams v. State, 121 Ga. 16, 48 S.E. 910).
One time some guy was banging on my front door about 3 am in the morning. Called the local village cops. Before they arrived I finally answered the door with a gun in my hand. Seeing it, the crazed guy took off real fast. About 15 minutes later, two cop cars pulled up on the adjacent street. Door to door, the cops chatted then drove away. I later complained about the lousy response on their part and was told that they contacted the homeowner who called (me) and determined that all was safe. It never happened. Someone was too lazy to leave the comfort of their cruiser so they lied. Yeah, we’re on our own alright.
A lot of cops feel the same way. Alas, a lot of cops who feel the same way also feel that our right of self defense ends with sh1tting our pants or simply surrendering to the bad guys. Because us mundanes aren’t trained professionals dontcha know.
Why can’t more cops pull their heads out of their asses and be like this one?
There are a number of factors where a LEO may be encouraged to remain silent. For example, a police officer risks his job for stating any opinion about a law. Even if his opinion is right, if it is contrary to the opinion of a politician, he could lose his job or miss a promotion. Trust me, most police officers support the 2nd amendment. The average career of a police officer is 8 years, which means most former LEOs do not qualify for HR 218. In other words, after most LEOs move to other careers, they have to rely on the 2nd amendment to continue to arm themselves.
Yeah, Nice speech Officer bullshit artist..As he jumps back in his car to continue Using the zillions of traffic laws as an excuse to trap people into giving up their Constitutional rights…My Bullshit meter spiked
Good thing your BS meter is about as relevant as the dog poop down the street, then, huh?
When you actually KNOW what you are talking about, please feel free to share some facts about THIS guy. Until then, you are only making yourself look like a closed minded tool.
I’ve read many of your posts on this site, and know you are better than this.
My Bullshit meter works just fine thank you, I don’t put unrealistic expectations on a body of law enforcement.. I EXPECT them to do EXACTLY what they are trained for.. There is no room for A ” THIS GUY” in the law enforcement community, the brotherhood is alive and well.. .. You can trash my posts all you want, It doesnt make or break my day…They prove themselves everyday thus making my points an obvious, without even making an effort.. the next time you muster up a warm fuzzy feeling of back slapping,hand shakes and Bro-hugs,towards him/ them.. just jump out of your car and approach one, Don’t forget to tell him you are one of the good guys, while he is running your ID Looking for an unpaid traffic ticket ( Or less ) so he can communicate to you that he doesnt give a shit what your definition of a good guy is..
You put more faith in Officer Bullshit, than he puts in you, .. and THATS a Fact..
I’m glad he says that now, but I wonder how he would respond to an order to go seize some vet’s guns because he went to a councilor for PTSD?
I didn’t realize that this had become an Onion-esque satire site!
But but the ONion is never funny…yeah it sounds great in theory. Maybe I’m out of line but doesn’t this officer look a mite obese to protect us all? We’re truly on our own…
I guarantee that this officer has observed other officers breaking the law, violating the rights of citizens and
engaging in criminal misconduct and DONE NOTHING to either stop these actions or bring his associates to
justice. Thus he DOES NOT ‘get it’. He is just one of many ‘bad cops’ who turn a blind eye to other ‘bad cops’
and enable a corrupt system to flourish. Words are just that ….words. When he starts handcuffing and arresting
the officers he witnesses violating rights and committing crimes he can start making claims of righteousness. Till then it’s just hot air.
If there were two LEOs in every car, fewer troublemakers would get shot. Budget constraints result in more unfortunate shootings in order to protect the community and the officer.
While working my way through college, I managed a food concession stand at the local beach. Most of the cops would use it to grab lunch and happily passed by the cashier without paying. I guess they believed in “professional courtesy.” The company told us to clamp down on the “freebies” and have them pay for the grub. Being the ever faithful company employee, I accosted several of them about the need to pay for their food. It didn’t take long for one of them to pull me over and hand me my speeding ticket for going too fast in a turning circle. Yeah, in a 1960 Ford Falcon with a two-speed transmission. He had that same shit-eating grin on his puss as the fat Sarpy County cop when he handed me the ticket.
Fast forward 30 years after moving to the St. Louis area. There were two ways to head home from work. The clogged highway with many poorly-timed traffic lights or via several side streets. On one really clogged evening, I decided to try a side street. Bam, got pulled over for doing 25 in a 15 mph zone. And no school in sight. I practically kissed the cop’s ass but it did me no good. As the cop handed me my speeding ticket he had the same shit-eating grin on his puss as the fat Sarpy County cop when he handed me the ticket.
No wonder I don’t like cops, especially after they lied about responding to my late evening call for help (see my earlier post). BTW: the St. Louis area is notorious for a plethora of speed traps that enrich the local cities’ bank accounts. If you’re lucky you’ll get a cop who smiles like the fat Sarpy County cop.
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