This morning as I walked to work I saw a police officer asleep in his patrol car. I work in the heart of Times Square. Every morning there are a dozens of officers, mostly standing around chatting amongst themselves. Some direct tourists to the different attractions. This morning, one officer head back mouth gaped open was stone cold asleep. They are supposed to patrol, keep guard, and make sure everything is safe to protect and serve. I don’t get to sleep on the job and my role is not nearly as important as ensuring the safety of millions of New Yorkers and tourists that pass through the streets of Times Square. 

I’m not surprised this happened. If I had asked another officer, he would’ve told me something along the lines of “he worked a double” or “our job is really arduous.” But really, while this officer was literally asleep many others figuratively sleep on the job. 

What I mean? Look around you, open the papers, think about your own experiences with a New York police officer there are many occasions where they’ve been “sleeping” on their duties. 

It seems long ago they’ve forgotten to protect. They’ve forgotten how to serve. Well no, they know how to protect and serve their own. But why isn’t “their own” the people of the city? We are their employers, if you think about it technically. I pay my taxes, which in part, go to their salaries, their resources – them. I don’t feel protected. Have you ever been stopped? I have. I was nervous, afraid, cautious. I was unsure how this situation might play out. I wasn’t armed, but they were and it seemed that they walked to me with their right hip protruding. Saying, I have this [gun]. I have the power. You – you must obey. 

I was pulled over one time for making a left turn in an intersection where it was prohibited. I hadn’t realized. I’m familiar with the neighborhood, but it wasn’t my own and I hadn’t noticed. A police van was behind me. I had my signal. He waited behind me until I found the right moment to make my turn. He turned with me. I got pulled over. I of course received a ticket. Before that however, I asked why had I been pulled over. When he told me, I said, you couldn’t flash your lights? You couldn’t go over the speaker and tell me to keep moving? I fought the ticket and won. Sure I committed the “crime” but I felt even in the simplest of instances your job is to protect me. Turns aren’t allowed at certain intersections because of the volume of traffic making it a difficult and often dangerous place. He allowed me to turn in danger. He didn’t protect. I beat the ticket. He failed to do his job. 

That’s a very minor example. We all know, hear, read the stories about an officer shooting an innocent victim often times in an aggressive manner. 

They always seem to be sleeping on their job. To protect and serve, but who?

notjustmythoughts