Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

First, I would like to thank police and firemen for the services rendered. 

Not every job demands every employee put their very life on the line every day they go to work. However this letter is more for the policeman than other civilian heroes. 

We all need to remember every job has good and bad employees. Police jobs are not excluded.

I worked with West Monroe Police and also the Marshal’s Office here in West Monroe. I was in fact the second oldest Rookie in the Academy. I was very proud to have worked with these brave men and women. I never heard a word of disrespect from any officer in regard to any person in the community, no matter their race or color.

My respect was heightened again just this past weekend. My wife and I had gone to breakfast here in West Monroe. On coming out of the restaurant. We noticed we had a flat tire. Oh my said my wife, maybe we should call for assistance. Why I said, I can handle this myself. 

Well after struggling for a while, a young man approached and asked if he could help. Sure my wife answered. Had this young strong looking fellow not stopped to help, I guess maybe I would have called some assistance. However not because I could not have done the job but because my wife would have made me. 

It turns this fellow worked for the Louisiana State Police. John Peters will never know the uplift he inspired us with by his good deed. We had never met John but we know his offer to help was not only due to his training at the State Police Academy, but no doubt he must have a wonderful mom and dad. 

So for some of you who may wonder, police officers are not born police, they are real human beings who have feelings and do they job they do because they want to help us all live in a better society.

Every day is not a fun filled day for them, it is a day of respect for their community and all the people who live here in Ouachita Parish and elsewhere in Louisiana. 

Have I ever gotten a ticket ? Yes, but guess what it was because I was speeding or maybe because I ran a stop sign. In other words, I broke the law and I had to pay a penalty.  The officer who gave me a ticket was not smiling, but he knew he had a job to do and he did it. 

That is what we as a society pay him or her to do. Oh! and you can bet I drive with my mind on my driving and not on trying to evade some officer because I think they are mean. 

Are there some bad officers? Yes, just like there are in any other job. But we cannot and should not judge a whole department by the actions of a few bad apples.

 Thank You Officers for taking care of our community and State.

God Bless,

Rudy Hernandez

Monroe