First step: Eliminating 'us vs. them' mentality

About 50 people gathered Friday outside the Clovis Police Department to pray and show support for local officers following the shooting deaths of police in Dallas on Thursday.

One question on everyone’s mind: Could this happen here?

We all know the answer is yes.

It is certainly possible a Clovis police officer or Roosevelt County Sheriff’s deputy or New Mexico State Police officer could be shot to death for no reason at any time.

It is also possible a verbal altercation involving law officers and area residents could evolve into excessive force that leads to life lost for no good reason.

Anything is possible.

What we have to do is work to reduce the odds that the “us vs. them” mentality between cops and those they’re sworn to protect and serve does not dissolve into tragedy.

We do this by talking to each other, not with violence.

Easy to say, of course; not so easy when fear, ego, alcohol, drugs, weapons, and the urge to control and conquer become part of the mix.

The police officer deaths in Dallas were unconscionable. There is no justification for them, just as there has been no justification for the police brutality across the country that has led to unrest among even law-abiding citizens the past few years.

What’s important to remember here is most people don’t want to kill police officers. Most police officers don’t want to hurt anybody.

The violence brought by a few irresponsible people becomes news because it’s unusual, not because it’s routine.

We have to keep that perspective.

One other thing the average resident should probably keep in mind:

• Law enforcement officers are just that — enforcers of laws, passed by politicians at the request of the majority of people who vote.

When an officer pulls you over for speeding or handcuffs you for possession of an illegal drug, you should not blame the officer; blame the majority of your fellow residents who decided we needed those laws and their enforcers.

One other thing our local police should keep in mind:

• Most people are afraid of you, or at least apprehensive, whether it’s warranted or not. Do what you can to lessen those fears: a smile, a calm voice, an attitude that’s not combative, a quick explanation of the reason you’ve interjected yourself into their life.

With great power comes great responsibility.

Clovis police are slated to host National Night Out on Aug. 2 at Greene Acres Park.

The purpose of the gathering, police told us last year, is to “strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals, letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.”

Maybe the cops can go light on the “fighting back” message, leave their intimidating weapons at home, and focus on getting to know the people they are here to protect and serve.

And maybe the rest of us can spend time trying to understand that police have good reason to fear for their lives and exercise caution every time they’re asked to respond to a domestic dispute or a robbery or even a traffic accident.

There are no easy answers to eliminating the “us vs. them” mentality. But we can start with this:

We are to blame, and they are to blame. We have to work together if we want things to get better.

Balladeer Dan Fogelberg wrote, “You better raise your fortresses or tear them down.”

We need to tear them down.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Clovis Media Inc. editorial board, which includes Editor David Stevens and Publisher Rob Langrell.