Dear Editor:
Real leadership demands courage and integrity.
The Cole County Sheriff's Office has had some of the best leadership in Missouri law enforcement. Examples might include the fact that the sheriff's office has excellent statistics when it comes to the racial stops report filed each year with the Attorney Generals office.
The latest report revealed the ratio of vehicle stops for blacks is nearly identical to that of whites. The work of the sheriff in this regard shows a consistent effort to police by the rules everyone treated the same as they drive down the road, and not evidence of Missourians into being stopped on some other basis such as race or social economic status.
Likewise, the use of body cameras shows that the business of law enforcement is alive and well. Adoption of body cameras is indicative of a public official concerned with the safety and welfare of the people policed and the officers that do that type of work.
Body cameras are not the 'end all, be all' to problems like bad conduct, but provide a record for us to utilize in the public review of use of force or worse when a shooting or death occurs. Research shows body cameras help protect the public and peace officers.
Finally, the Jefferson City NAACP recently recognized a sitting sheriff for good constitutionally based stewardship in Cole County. Recognizing good law enforcement is nothing new to the local NAACP; stalwarts of community policing such as Detective Chuck Walker have been recognized in the past. The NAACP used its 53rd Freedom Fun Dinner as an event to honor the work and dedication of a member of law enforcement at the local level. Sheriff Greg White was recognized, and he received the Jefferson City Lifetime Service Award for dedication to his office, hard work in protecting the people in Cole County, and his use of faith and integrity in law enforcement.
Standing up for people is hard. We, as Missourians, must continue to give tools to law enforcement do their jobs. Short-sighted people think that a new gun or even a tank is necessary, but Jefferson City is not Beirut. Regaining public trust will need diplomacy, truth in communications and transparency. The war for the American public's faith in law enforcement is one best fought with reason and using force only as a last resort. Following Sheriff White's example will make us picture perfect for years to come.