I realize this may be an unpopular opinion, but it’s time we stop pandering to public servants, and in this article, I want to focus on the police. Before I delve into this topic, I want to make it clear that, like many Americans, my family and friends include teachers, cops, military personnel, and contractors. That said, it’s become increasingly apparent that the air has been sucked out of the room for the police, the public has turned against them, and, most importantly, their sense of purpose has eroded.

I firmly believe that before the COVID-19 pandemic, our police forces were exceptional at their jobs. Let’s look at the statistics. According to The Washington Post’s database of fatal police shootings in 2019, there were 14 unarmed Black victims and 25 unarmed white victims. In a country of over 300 million people, with one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, the number of unarmed individuals killed by the police was staggeringly small.

This statistical reality is nothing short of remarkable; it’s akin to a bullet hitting another bullet on a battlefield. The chances of such incidents are incredibly low. However, despite these compelling statistics that demonstrate discipline within the police force, a single isolated incident turned the country upside down.

The Los Angeles Police Department, like many others, has a motto: “To protect and serve.” Unfortunately, in many liberal cities and states, it feels like this motto has become an empty platitude. We frequently hear that the rank-and-file officers are good people. But if they are indeed good people, why have they collectively allowed some of the worst individuals to rise to the top of their forces? Why do they continue not to protect and serve when the laws have not changed? The answer lies in the fact that laws are only enforceable if the culture agrees or if officers are not constantly living in fear of imprisonment or media scrutiny for simply doing their job.

However, it’s crucial to remember that while we didn’t take the oath, they did. The oath they swore means something, honor should mean something, and the fear of losing a job should not outweigh the greater good. Yet, in a culture where oaths hold little value and honor is fading, we find ourselves in a lawless society.

I don’t have all the answers, but one thing is clear: we must stop perpetuating the narrative that there are only a few bad apples in positions of power while the rest are all virtuous. They are not all virtuous; they are often followers who lack the honor to uphold their duty to protect and serve.