Taking Away from Police, Takes Away From Victims
The Effects of Stress, Danger and Less Resources
-The Tactical Victim-
It’s a Mindset, a New Way of Life 🔒
Defunding the police has
“created a shortage of viable candidates to fill remaining police officer positions.”
Causing
“finding qualified police candidates
More challenging due to the,
“Reduction in applicants”
“Special assignments” like “victim advocates”, “could be impacted drastically if personnel shortages occur”
Perplexity AI:
A study by economist Morgan Williams found that adding one police officer to a city prevents between 0.06 and 0.1 homicides annually”
-NPR and Dallas Weekly
Perspective Post
What happens when a school is having trouble teaching its students (possibly over crowded), is falling behind on its abilities to prepare kids for standardized tests, or other life challenges?
Do we take away money? Now, if there are teachers that are truly bad (which can happen), yes, we fire them, or if they are evil, we prosecute them.
However, I have never heard that we take money away from the school.
I am the first to critique law enforcement and their handling of domestic violence and stalking cases.
However, a recent news clips reminded me of why non for profits like Responders First are so important.
Their Psychological Health Effects Our Safety
When they (many first responders in many states), request coverage for a broken arm, they can get help.
But when its for PTSD, many states don’t offer help or coverage.
"Smaller police departments had a significantly higher suicide rate than large departments”
“Inadequate budgeting for mental health assistance may be correlated with this finding.”
“Additionally, an increased workload…and lack of staffing support may result in added on-duty stressors.”
Suicide is the most frequent cause of death among police officers.
Something is wrong here.
Victims like myself, have trouble getting treatment as well.
When we do get treatment, the new challenges arise:
- Whether its being understood, believed, or listened to at all.
- I wouldn't be surprised if police feel similarly, that most therapists and doctors don “get”, what they go through either.
The better health access our first responders have, the better they can help us in our times of crises.
I’ll explain my reasoning more below.
My Own Negative Experiences with Law Enforcement
I’ve seen first-hand and met many others, who were more than unhappy with how their dv/stalking cases and interactions went with the police.
I have too many complaints to list.
But, I also easily forget the times they helped me.
And, I have only heard a little, about how much they sacrifice for others too.
How we are treated by society, affects how we treat others.
More Stress, Suffering and Trauma,
Equals Less Empathy for Others
My Own Example:
Recently, a friend of mine came to me with a problem they were having.
They almost had tears in their eyes, and sounded a little devastated, over a “problem” that was so miniscule compared to what I’ve and many of you have dealt with.
I can’t let little problems like this phases me, I have enough to deal with.
The Effect
I was as nice as I could be, it wore me down trying to help them and made me angry, how easy they had it, compared to me.
My temperament was not the best, nor the worst, and my empathy was very limited.
I’m sure they could tell.
Living with Unresolved Pain
My trauma hasn’t been healed, I haven't gotten the help I need.
No one seems to care.
Police feel, some of whom are former war veterans too, also don’t get the help and resources they need.
There are few breaks for them, and when there’s any emergency, they are expected to put themselves in danger, and many do.
DEFUND The Police?
When a school is underperforming,
Do we take away funding from them?
Do we take away teachers?
Do we increase the work load on them?
Now, when there are teachers who are not fit to be teachers, yes, we need to replace them.
But often, I hear calls for more funding, resources, training and teachers.
The Toll of Danger
My body is pretty worn out.
I’m quite motivated, but I don’t have the energy I used to have.
Yes, being a teacher in some cities, is much harder than others.
Police too, lets remember, have the highest rate of suicide of any profession.
They jump from one potentially life threatening call, to another, often witnessing horrors beyond our imagination.
Why are we taking away resources and personnel, that stretches them thin?
Social Workers Instead, and Social Workers Safety
Many social workers will not or can not, enter a crises in their town, unless accompanied by the police, due to the danger it would put them in.
Increasing social workers and mental health access and funding, I’m all for.
But taking away money and people form those who have to protect them too, doesn’t make sense.
Not allowing them to get the help they need after witnessing horrible events, is mind boggling and wrong.
Trends
After the Pandemic, there was a 47% increase in police retirements and resignations.
Non for profit:
Home (policeforum.org)
The same source says:
“according to policing experts, leaving the communities they protect with understaffed departments and potentially underqualified officers”.
Under-qualified and Overly Stressed Police
This harms us victims, as when we call for the police, we often need more than 10 minutes to explain what is going on, why we thing we are in danger, and so forth.
Less Police means less time they can spend on the call and more calls they will receive while talking to us.
We want those who arrive, to be healthy, well trained, experienced and well prepared.
Less Police and Less Resources for them Means:
More stress, workload, hours, fatigue and danger, for those that stay on.
That means us victims, get less attention, help, time and focus.
I’m not saying reforms aren't needed needed…they are.
But how can we ask someone to do more, when they have less?
I'm not saying major mistakes haven’t been made and some police are not fit to be police…that has been the case more than once.
But taking away time, resources and people, hurts us victims.
I hope others can see that connection too.
Example and Consequences
After seeing a horrific crime against children, 5 minutes later, they get another call, with little time to process what they are feeling and experiencing.
That call may be us..an argument or a fight, that by the time police have arrived, the abuser has often, changed their demeanor and come up with a way to try and manipulate the situation.
The Officer can’t take the time we deserve, or do they have the emotional capacity to understand how this time, it’s different, this time we know (and are in danger).
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Thank you all for your support.
-The Tactical Victim-
It’s a Mindset, a New Way of Life 🔒
