The following is a letter to the editor from an unnamed Rhino Times reader.
With the murder of Officer Mike Horan, the ranks of GPD got thinner. Anyone who watched either in person or on TV the event of Thursday saw the pomp and circumstance that is an officers funeral (flashing lights, a riderless horse, a caisson, honors, taps, bagpipes and a 21 gun salute). It was miserable and magnificent. Miserable in watching tough, strong men and women in uniform trying not to shed tears or sniffle; another family grieving their lost loved one. Magnificent in the nationwide attendance, the precision of the event and the sense of family shared with all of the departments there.
Unfortunately, this is the second such event in the span of a year. Two too many. Every officer was told at one time or another in their training that the potential for in line duty death is real. Officers accept what is told but live in denial believing as many do, it can’t/won’t happen to me. Why then, when it does happen, is it so shocking and painful? Could it be shared survivor’s guilt-that it could have been me? Danger exists with every radio call, car stop and self initiated activity. Its faced 24 hrs a day 365 days a year.
Police domestically do what the military does worldwide-Protect & Serve. Its not printed on tanks, ships and planes but it is on cruisers. Carrying weapons and ballistic protection with the mission of keeping others safe while placing yourself in jeopardy is an every day occurrence. Is it a sense of duty, bravery, insanity that men and women sign up for these positions? Horan continued from one to the other going from the U.S. Coast Guard to GPD. Military, police, fire, EMS and dispatchers were all in attendance because of the ideas and experiences they shared. He was one of theirs. The citizens in attendance thought he was one of theirs.
Introspection follows an in the line of duty death, not criticism. ‘Why’ is the question to be wrestled with. Why him? Why there? Why then? Sometimes the answers are revealed. Sometimes they are not.
After all the thought, they pick up their weapons and car keys, don the uniforms and go right back to being the sheepdogs. The wolves are still out there.
Great letter. The job of being a police officer is one of the most difficult, underappreciated jobs given they work daily in the darker corners of our communities being lied to, distrusted and disrespected by some of the worst our community has to offer. And they do it for very little pay and often very little support from those they serve.
Hats off and thank you for your service officers!
The city needs to spend more money on recruiting and staffing more officers. . .yet the liberals on the council are focusing on the politics of race. The ladies from east GBO need to forget about who leads the council and more on how to get rid of the criminals. My suggestion? Increase the police force by 50%.
GPD can’t fill the positions they currently have available. So adding more unfilled numbers will not fix anything. You all may have forgotten how city council jumped on the cancel the police bandwagon back in 2020, but people seeking a career as a police officer have not.
Yes, the reason why the police department can’t fill positions is simple. . . .they have become “woke” on hiring and potential employees look at the current city council members and see them as anti-police, and want more “social” programs. . .er um, giveaways to the “leaders” of east geekboro.
Anything to back this up? Most reporting by the Rhino indicates Greensboro pays less than the surrounded cities and doesn’t offer perks such as ability to take your patrol car home kinda thing.
Back what up? That a government that adopted a cancel the police attitude would have a hard time hiring police? I think that’s pretty self evident dude. But if you aren’t sure, go ask the cops that work there. They have no faith in council but are too deep into their lives and careers to uproot and go elsewhere. New kids though? They can just say no thank you. And they are. They are certainly not attracting the best and brightest now are they?
Would those lack of pay and benefits not be an indicator that Don is right? Council could address those issues, but they don’t. It seems you have proven his point.
That’s what’s happened to the British police, Joe. It had been called the police force ever since it was created by Robert Peel, but about a decade ago it was renamed as “The Police Service”.
British cops are totally disinterested if you’ve been mugged, burgled, or even raped. They write a report and file it. That’s it.
They see their job now as “community relations”, which means that crimes committed by brown and black people are largely ignored, but white British people who complain about losing their country are cautioned, arrested, and even imprisoned (Tommy Robinson, Sam Melia, etc).
The UK is now a totalitarian state, and the “Police Service” are the enforcers.
The immigrant who hates immigrants. Classic. Oh right. Austin is a white immigrant so its ok. /s
I hate no-one.
But people who put words in other people’s mouths in an attempt at character assassination are certainly assholes.
That’s you buddy – in case you missed it.
PS
My best friend is Sri Lankan. His family live in “Colombo 5”, the richest and fanciest postcode in the country.
So tell me Chrissy, what kind of white racist has a best friend who’s darker than most African-Americans?
Austin ,I think what Chris is trying to say is that he carries a lot of white guilt. It’s what rats do…they eat their own.Chris is definitely a rat. He thinks because he has a BLM sign on his front lawn the scourge that took two police officers from the city of Greensboro and the Country would spare his pathetic life. He would be dead wrong. There is a huge problem with the 13% of the community committing 80% of ALL CRIME!! As far as I’m concerned both of the culprits in both of the murders of the two selfless police officers in Greensboro should already have uttered their last words within 36 hours of their arrests. I really don’t care about their sad stories anymore. I’m sick of their disrespect of all things and everyone. We have got to do something. We gotta we gotta we gotta. YES! We gotta start putting ALL of these criminal thugs in the ground so the other thugs will come around! The leftist have caved in to their demands after the overdose death of Saint George Floyd. The Media vilified an entire police force, then the courts imprisoned an innocent police officer and put a lifelong piece of garbage like George Floyd on a pedestal. Bizarro World. Stop brainwashing the kids into believing they should feel guilty about slavery and that they owe anything to the black community. That atrocity is history. Too one living today had anything to do with it! I’m not promoting hate of anyone. All I’m saying is if you want respect be respectful. If you want something, WORK FOR IT! As for the corrupt politicians in Greensboro and Guilford County, they are as responsible as anybody for the state of our community and the rampant crime and gun violence that has gripped our community since the death of the Great George Floyd. These politicians (city council and county commissioners) did support defunding our beloved GPD and badmouthed the Police all while supporting the BLM Marxist who openly chanted for the death of police officers. Well, now you know who to thank! Greensboro City Council, ol Skip Alston and the Guilford County board of commissioners BLM the Democrats and all the fine young black men who were encouraged to commit these crimes. The truth is a jagged pill but it’s still the truth. I can hear the gasping Chris now. Brings a smile to my face. P.s. I bet he’ll mistype at least five words if the Rhino has the courage to post this truth bomb.
Rudy Giuliani’s policies were effective in drastically reducing crime in NY City. The Left doesn’t even try to dispute that fact.
So I believe those policies should be reintroduced in New York, and here in Greensboro.
Crime is an awful scourge and we should minimize it wherever we can.