RSS
Home
Denver police officer suspended, suspected of buying drugs at Lakewood drug house
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
I wonder how long it takes before the TV media dubs this one "the thin, white line?"
A Denver police officer has been suspended after his fellow officers reported spotting him at a suspected drug house in Lakewood, where he may have purchased cocaine and marijuana.
According to reports, the officer, who had been assigned to the department’s information desk, was spotted several times at a home being investigated for drug activity by the FBI.
The officer was reportedly in uniform, on duty and driving an unmarked police cruiser when he was spotted.
Lakewood police attempted to pull the officer over following one of his visits, but a short chase ensued before the suspected officer eventually pulled over.
Though he has not been charged with a crime, the officer has been relieved of duty after being interviewed by FBI agents, reports said.
This is what scares me so much about law enforcement.
Those individuals who sign up to wear badges and carry guns to risk their lives to protect their fellow citizens, also sign on for an extreme battle of will power.
I wonder if it’s realistic to expect that every one of them can resist the temptations of free money or drugs – or at the very least, to abuse the power they wield over the rest of the citizenry.
These people have access to drug stashes; money and valuables that often only they, their fellow officers and the suspects they arrest, know exist.
And officers, though sworn to uphold the law, often get to ignore the rules.
They are allowed to speed and park wherever they want.
On the line of duty, they go undercover to infiltrate society’s underbelly, where drugs and money can flow freely.
I’ve often wondered how often officers have thought to themselves, “Who is going to know if I just pocket a little of this money or drugs?” or what have you.
I wonder how many of them have grown to believe they are above the law – or that they can’t possibly face punishment because of the oath they’ve taken.
I am certainly not alleging that every officer is tempted by such things. I have known a great many who I know would never cave. In fact, I’d bet my life that the thought would likely never even enter their minds.
But I’ve known some others who, if I’d had time enough to do more homework, could likely have been exposed as the dirtiest of dirty cops.
They are, after all, human beings. Not every person can steel himself against the lure of a worry-free personal economy, thanks to helping oneself to someone else’s money or valuables.
But I’m not excusing away such behavior, either.
I’m just saying that society holds police officers up to a higher standard than it holds itself – and because of it, only the cream of the crop should become cops.
Sadly, that is not the case.
Police officers have the same problems as the rest of the world. Unfortunately, some of them are addicts. Some of them are abusers.
And we have to hope that police officers who break the law will lose their jobs.
Yes, when they become officers, they are signing on to be the bigger person – but humanity dictates that not every officer will be up for the job.
That’s when we have to count on their fellow officers to remove them.
I’m glad that the thin, blue line got crossed on this one, and this officer, at the very least, will get the help he needs.
He hasn’t been convicted of a crime. If that happens, I hope the DPD will strip him of his badge and replace him with someone of stronger character.
