I have worked with police officers in a few capacities, and they are just people like the rest of us. For the most part, good people.

I think too many get put in positions for which they are not trained, get given ill-defined assignments, react as people and not cops, then everyone wonders wtf happened.

In '67 I was talking with a National Guardsman at People's Park. Nice guy. My age, and because we'd had a shared experience in terms of the army--both reserve--we were able to communicate. We were on opposite sides of a tornado fence and some razor wire. Before I parted I suggested he put his rifle on safe. He thanked me saying, I don't want to shoot anyone. I said I knew that, take care, and moved on.

These people ain't our enemies and we shouldn't perceive them as such. As Churchill said, jaw jaw is better than war war.