DENVER, CO - Denver city officials and the Denver Police Department recently announced their new plan to have their officers no longer stop vehicles for minor infractions.
However, law enforcement supporter, expert, advocate, and political analyst Michael Letts, the CEO and Founder of one of America’s longest-running nonprofit organizations, InVest USA, which provides vests for first responders, warns this new directive could have long-term, dire consequences that will further negatively impact law and order.
Letts recently appeared on Fox News Digital to discuss his concerns over this new policy, especially considering it comes from individuals with no law enforcement background.
“Very few politicians have ever worn the badge,” Letts said in the interview.
He continued, “Most are bureaucrats, which I respect, but it’s sometimes frustrating for members on the street, law enforcement on the street, to be dictated how to do their job by somebody who has no idea how the job functions or what they're doing.”
One such example is that many civilians underestimate the average criminal mindset, and set policy without this in mind.
Most dangerous suspects are irrational, illogical, and very unpredictable. There are concerns that this new directive will simply embolden criminals even more than they have been in recent years.
Issues arise when policy is dictated by those with no practical, hands-on experience. They make assumptions that don’t blend well in a real-world scenario.
“Do they [politicians] run it by law enforcement first? No. They just got this bright idea, they’re the ones that know best, they’re the politicians,” he said.
Letts also revealed where the source of the negative public perception of law enforcement derived.
"We have a number of factors that have converged in what I call the perfect storm. First of all, we created an image in the mainstream media that law enforcement was a bad profession," Letts said. "That there were a lot of bad apples in there and that they were racists and bullies."
He continued, "That's been around for quite some time, but what made it different in the last few decades is that you had a concerted effort, like the Black Lives Matter and others, who created an image, and the mainstream media played with that image. It started with George Floyd. It started with Minneapolis."
Over the last few years, the law enforcement profession has been taking one gut punch to the next, particularly from the liberal community. This negative rhetoric has led to historic police retirements, a recruiting crisis, and officers afraid to do their jobs (and rightly so) over the fear of political retaliation.
Couple that with a low salary.
"The real issue, quite frankly, is that they don't pay them anything to begin with. We have difficulty providing the kind of salaries that they need," Letts said. "Look, everybody knows in law enforcement you're not going to retire as a millionaire, OK? We accept that.
"And in fact, the vast majority of law enforcement officers want to serve the public. They don't expect to make a dime off of it. They get great satisfaction, such satisfaction that they're willing to put their lives on the line every day. And that's part of the job," he said.
Letts’ other concern is that this new directive will diminish the public’s trust that the police will do their job properly when expected to do so. That puts police officers in a predicament.
"The message that they are sending to law enforcement is that they don't respect your ability to do the job and I don't think that you know how to help deter crime," he said.
"This is a good thing for criminals. This means that they can get away with a lot more," he said. "And for the cop, it's just one more incident. They don't want to pay, they don't want to give me proper equipment, and they don't trust me to do my job."
Letts added, "At some point, law enforcement officers have to decide if it is worth wearing a badge. And they have to ask themselves a serious question if it is worth putting my family through this for 20 to 25 years before they can retire."
"This is happening all over the country, and it's quite shocking, where officers who have worked for 18 years are walking away because they feel like they can't do the job," he said. "It's a sad state."
The directive is more than just a simple order – it’s opening a door to more lawlessness, more disrespect from the public, and more momentum for the bad guys.
That is not the American way of life.
To learn more about Michael Letts, go to michaelletts.us and to learn more about his nonprofit organization InVestUSA, which provides free vests to first responders, visit investusa.org.
Read the full history of InVestUSA with Michael Letts by clicking HERE.
-------------------
Writer Eddie Molina is a veteran and has over 25 years of combined LEO/military service. He owns and operates the LEO apparel and accessory company www.BuyHeroStuff.com
However, law enforcement supporter, expert, advocate, and political analyst Michael Letts, the CEO and Founder of one of America’s longest-running nonprofit organizations, InVest USA, which provides vests for first responders, warns this new directive could have long-term, dire consequences that will further negatively impact law and order.
Letts recently appeared on Fox News Digital to discuss his concerns over this new policy, especially considering it comes from individuals with no law enforcement background.
“Very few politicians have ever worn the badge,” Letts said in the interview.
He continued, “Most are bureaucrats, which I respect, but it’s sometimes frustrating for members on the street, law enforcement on the street, to be dictated how to do their job by somebody who has no idea how the job functions or what they're doing.”
One such example is that many civilians underestimate the average criminal mindset, and set policy without this in mind.
Most dangerous suspects are irrational, illogical, and very unpredictable. There are concerns that this new directive will simply embolden criminals even more than they have been in recent years.
Issues arise when policy is dictated by those with no practical, hands-on experience. They make assumptions that don’t blend well in a real-world scenario.
“Do they [politicians] run it by law enforcement first? No. They just got this bright idea, they’re the ones that know best, they’re the politicians,” he said.
Letts also revealed where the source of the negative public perception of law enforcement derived.
"We have a number of factors that have converged in what I call the perfect storm. First of all, we created an image in the mainstream media that law enforcement was a bad profession," Letts said. "That there were a lot of bad apples in there and that they were racists and bullies."
He continued, "That's been around for quite some time, but what made it different in the last few decades is that you had a concerted effort, like the Black Lives Matter and others, who created an image, and the mainstream media played with that image. It started with George Floyd. It started with Minneapolis."
Over the last few years, the law enforcement profession has been taking one gut punch to the next, particularly from the liberal community. This negative rhetoric has led to historic police retirements, a recruiting crisis, and officers afraid to do their jobs (and rightly so) over the fear of political retaliation.
Couple that with a low salary.
"The real issue, quite frankly, is that they don't pay them anything to begin with. We have difficulty providing the kind of salaries that they need," Letts said. "Look, everybody knows in law enforcement you're not going to retire as a millionaire, OK? We accept that.
"And in fact, the vast majority of law enforcement officers want to serve the public. They don't expect to make a dime off of it. They get great satisfaction, such satisfaction that they're willing to put their lives on the line every day. And that's part of the job," he said.
Letts’ other concern is that this new directive will diminish the public’s trust that the police will do their job properly when expected to do so. That puts police officers in a predicament.
"The message that they are sending to law enforcement is that they don't respect your ability to do the job and I don't think that you know how to help deter crime," he said.
"This is a good thing for criminals. This means that they can get away with a lot more," he said. "And for the cop, it's just one more incident. They don't want to pay, they don't want to give me proper equipment, and they don't trust me to do my job."
Letts added, "At some point, law enforcement officers have to decide if it is worth wearing a badge. And they have to ask themselves a serious question if it is worth putting my family through this for 20 to 25 years before they can retire."
"This is happening all over the country, and it's quite shocking, where officers who have worked for 18 years are walking away because they feel like they can't do the job," he said. "It's a sad state."
The directive is more than just a simple order – it’s opening a door to more lawlessness, more disrespect from the public, and more momentum for the bad guys.
That is not the American way of life.
To learn more about Michael Letts, go to michaelletts.us and to learn more about his nonprofit organization InVestUSA, which provides free vests to first responders, visit investusa.org.
Read the full history of InVestUSA with Michael Letts by clicking HERE.
-------------------
Writer Eddie Molina is a veteran and has over 25 years of combined LEO/military service. He owns and operates the LEO apparel and accessory company www.BuyHeroStuff.com
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2024-08-29T17:56-0400 | Comment by: Harry
Denver and the Denver metro area is becoming a sewer of crime and corruption ! That coupled with the DemocRAT controlled Legislature passing numerous extreme gun control laws that will only affect law abiding gun owners, and you have the perfect storm with criminals being given the upper hand and free reign throughout the entire Denver metropolitan area ! Denver used to be a great place to visit, but not any more ! I live in Colorado Springs about 75 miles from Denver and will never visit the city again ! They are a SANCTUARY CITY in a SANCTUARY STATE and are being overrun with illegal aliens, many of them criminals !! But, this is typical of a DemocRAT controlled city in a DemocRAT controlled state ! Colorado should its name to COLOFORNIA !!!
2024-08-30T12:49-0400 | Comment by: James
STUPID, revenue grubbing, victimizing, pig .........