There are bad cops. There are bad doctors.

And, yes, there are even bad newspaper editors.

All are subject to the same human frailties as everyone else.

Good police officers need to have a quiet strength, an abundance of patience and tolerance, plus a sense of humor to deal with some of the foolishness they see everyday as they try to keep the peace within their communities.

Unfortunately, a few police officers may suffer from one or more of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Anger, pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony or sloth are not limited to the average individual.

Most police officers learn how to deal with the effects of an adrenalin rush from a police pursuit or a difficult driver at a traffic stop.

Sometimes, however, an officer is unable to keep his fear or anger within limits, or he makes a serious mistake and finds himself on the other side of the law.

The shooting deaths by police officers of Alton Sterling, 37, in Baton Rouge, La., on July 5, and Philando Castile, 32, the next day in Falcon Heights, a suburb of St. Paul, Minn., led to protests in both those cities, Atlanta, Ga., Philadelphia, Rochester, N.Y., and Dallas, Texas.

The killing of these two men, both of whom had guns on them at the time of their deaths, also appears to be the catalyst, or better yet, the excuse, that led to the slaughter of five police officers in Dallas, by Micah Johnson, 25, an Army veteran.

According to media reports, Johnson, who apparently had a racist hatred of some police officers, had long planned an attack of some sort but moved up those plans after the deaths of Sterling and Castile.

The root cause of Johnson’s hatred will undoubtedly be the subject of talking heads and psychologists for weeks, if not months, to come.

Admittedly, for a variety of reasons, not everyone has a positive view of police.

The police know this and are aware of the value of good public relations to help keep themselves and the community safer.

Some police departments in the Lehigh Valley actively seek positive interaction with community members.

South Whitehall Township and Upper Macungie Township police departments have Coffee with a Cop programs, during which township residents can meet and speak with police officers at local eateries.

Both police departments help make Christmas special for underprivileged children by partnering with the Target department store for a holiday shopping trip and lunch.

Area officers attend various camp, library and community events with their K-9 units to form a special bond with children, the future leaders of this country.

Without the presence of law enforcement, the balance between order and anarchy would shift toward the latter.

Fatal traffic crashes, domestic violence, bank robberies, murders and the constant threat of terrorism are just some of the crimes and tragedies local and state police have to deal with and learn to live with.

I pray the murderous hatred that erupted from a deranged man in Dallas is never repeated.

Police officers have spouses, children and loved ones eagerly waiting their return home at the end of their shifts.

I remember once telling a police officer, as I was leaving an event, to “have a good day.”

His response, “Any day I get to go home is a good day.”

The five murdered Dallas police officers did not have a “good day.” They will never go home again.

Everyone, including police officers, needs to remember the Golden Rule: always treat others as you would like to be treated.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press