From: Sheriff Matt Myers
Columbus
I come from a law enforcement family.
My dad retired from the Columbus Police Department. As a kid, I looked up to and trusted police officers. Police were people you relied on to maintain order and keep people safe. When I was sworn into the Columbus Police Department, by Mayor Stewart, I looked forward to continuing that tradition.
Public service is woven into our family. We have two military veterans and my mom served as a city councilwoman for 16 years. Columbus and Bartholomew County is where I grew up. At home, we learned respect and were taught right from wrong.
The issues that we faced as a community, from a law enforcement standpoint, including the proliferation of dangerous drugs and other criminal activity, are nothing compared to the issues we are facing today in terms of how we interact together. I have never witnessed, in more than two decades in law enforcement, the degree of distrust we are facing now. I understand where some of this is coming from, but not to the degree we are seeing.
I have shared my outrage over the killing of George Floyd. I stand with the community in support of law enforcement reform. I have recently fulfilled another campaign promise by securing body cameras for our officers with the support of the Bartholomew County Council and County Commissioners. I wanted these cameras because I support full transparency and accountability.
There is no room in law enforcement for bad cops. Those who tarnish the badge make it much more difficult for the rest of us to do our jobs. Bad cops must be dealt with in the way our community would expect. At the same time, the 99 percent of our officers who go out every day and do a good job, need our support. They need my support but more importantly, they need community support.
Morale today is lower than at any time I can remember. With televised riots in cities around the country, anarchists calling for an end to police departments, it is impossible not to feel the pressure. We need community support and the community needs law enforcement. We have to build bridges of trust and not paint an entire group of people based on the actions of a few.
Columbus and Bartholomew County have traditionally shown support for law enforcement, and I ask that we all open the lines of communication and understanding.
Community policing is a centerpiece of my administration. The only way this works — and the key to building trust — is when our officers and our community engage each other. Maybe it’s a chance to talk at one of our meetings, or when you see us out in public. My door is always open and our officers are approachable. If you have concerns, reach out and you have our commitment that we will reach out as well.
Rather than talking at each other, let’s talk to each other and listen and learn. Human empathy goes a long way towards a better understanding and heartfelt trust.
