Every police officer must be held to higher standard

Editor:

Shame on Steve Smith for his insincere and false stance on empathy towards the George Floyd murder. Lest you not forget our country follows the legal principle of presumption of innocence where we are all considered innocent until proven guilty.

Where the responsibility of the police officer is to apprehend and detain a suspect – not be judge, juror and executioner. Where the punishment for (allegedly) using a forged monetary instrument is not the death penalty.

You are right in not judging all police officers by a few bad apples, but every single police officer is held to a high standard of upholding our laws and not breaking or taking advantage of them themselves.

The black-on-black crime you speak of is something their communities are trying to heal and overcome. However, when that crime takes place those individuals are typically always apprehended, charged, held in custody without bail and tried with the long arm of the law. Justice was served, family and friends were able to receive some type of closure.

There is no justice served, and definitely no closure received, when a police officer can continue to murder, assault, abuse the suspects they are sent out to apprehend. Losing a job and still receiving a pension is no punishment at all.

Nicole Zelazny

Buffalo (formerly of Medina)