A thank-you to police officers

On my honor, I will never betray my profession, my integrity, character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the laws of my country, my community, and the agency I serve.

- Law Enforcement Oath of Honor

I was very disturbed to read that Seaside Police Sgt. Jason Gooding, age 39, was shot and killed recently. He was executing an arrest warrant on a felon, Phillip Ferry, who had a record of assaults on police officers. Jason Gooding had two small kids. Daddy is never coming home for them again.

I was district attorney for 12 years in Lincoln County and knew all the officers in that county. Each and every day the thought they might not come back entered their heads and the heads of their spouses. Not always up front but it was there sitting in the back.

I want to write about something that has been bugging me for some time: proportionality in the way police misconduct cases are reported in the media, particularly the broadcast media. I think is has a negative and far-reaching effect not only on the way officers and law enforcement in general is perceived but, in time, it may erode their effectiveness.

Believe me, I am very much opposed to racial profiling and have worked on the issue at the local and state levels. The numbers have to be dealt with - more black and Hispanic youth get arrested, and more are assaulted by law enforcement proportionate to whites. It's a reality that is there and endemic in our society - in all professions, frankly - but is more serious at the law enforcement level as they are the peacekeepers and have a duty to be fair. Having said all that, how the media reports on law enforcement is horrid, and terribly imbalanced.

Let me throw some numbers out at you. There have been 1,466 police officers killed in the line of duty over the past 10 years. A cop is killed every 60 hours. There have been 58,930 assaults on police officers over the past 10 years resulting in 15,404 injuries. 9/11 was the worst day in NYC history when 72 officers died.

Sometimes I think the public regards police officers as they do a public utility. You turn a light switch on and you get light, turn on the faucet and you get water, call 911 and you get a cop at your door. Imagine it: you are in your home late at night and you hear an intruder; you call 911 and a Deschutes County deputy shows up. He/she will make sure you are safe and if there is a dangerous or deadly encounter they will get between you and the intruder and perhaps make a costly sacrifice for you that night. It may be the first time you meet them.

The police business is not glamorous. Much of what they deal with is going to domestic violence scenes and breaking up domestic disputes resulting in injuries. Ugly scenes. They sometimes have to remove kids from abusive situations. They mediate things between disputing neighbors, they make traffic stops, give tickets, break up bar fights and on and on.

We expect them to have the patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon. We expect them to be our defenders. They have to have extensive legal training and keep up with every changing law. They spend a lot of time in court. They have to be honest as the day as long. They have to be professional at all times even when some drunk is cussing them, resisting arrest, kicking and screaming. They get spit on often and still have to deal in a calm manner with people I cannot adequately describe in this family newspaper.

I get angry when I hear Brooke Baldwin on CNN talk about some out-of-line cop on every news cycle for days and then lateral the story to the next anchor. I get particularly angry when they offer the usual "of course most officers are dedicated people" disclaimer before they slam cops again. It doesn't seem at all proportional. What good cops do each and every day does not seem to capture the imagination of broadcast news.

When I was DA, I prosecuted doctors, lawyers, ministers and teachers for sex abuse. Does that mean all doctors are sex offenders? All, like cops, were in positons of trust. There are bad cops out there as there are bad actors in all professions. They are a product of the same institutionally racist organizations we all are. It's America. We cannot ignore the offenders in any profession, but neither can we use a broad brush to subtly condemn their profession either - and particularly not law enforcement. I am tired of the media fanning the flames on this one. It's incessant.

I had the opportunity as DA to work with hundreds of great cops over my 12 years. I guarantee you, they were the Jason Gooding kind. You know what? The deputies patrolling the streets of Sisters are, too. Next time they drive by, why not thank them for their service? They deserve it. They deserve a hell of a lot more, but a thank-you will do.

Dan Glode is a former district attorney for Lincoln County and Sisters resident.