Police deserve more respect

Police deserve more respect

I am so tired of everyone put- ting down public employees as if they deserve to pay and suffer more in the economic downturn than anyone else. Has anyone bothered to really look at what most public employees make? Well its not as much as most people think; most make less than the average blue collar worker in the private sector. Yes, they do have pension plans but so do private sector workers, and just like them, they pay into their pension.

As far as police officers (who I can speak of first hand as I have several in my family), most work more than one job to make enough to support their families.

I keep hearing how the public employees should take cuts like the taxpayers. Well public employees pay taxes too, and now thanks to our wonderful government they are paying higher taxes than some wealthy business owners. In addition, they work holidays, shifts and weekends without overtime pay. How many private sector employees work holidays and weekends? Not many. Even WalMart is closed on Christmas.

Police officers have taken the brunt of pay freezes, concessions, and most are currently working with outdated equipment and vehicles putting them at even greater risk than the job already places them in but are still expected to continue on. Private sector workers would strike under these conditions, however, public employees cannot strike. They must grin and bear it.

Everyone wants to tell them how to do their job and quit whining. Everyone thinks they know better than the police.

When I was young, wearing a police uniform was an honorable thing and they were respected for their sacrifice. Today, they are disrespected, criticized, treated like lower class citizens by the government and society alike. Well, keep knocking them down and you soon won’t have men and women willing to do the job. Then who will you call when you need help? Maybe you should call Gov. Kasich.

James R. McKee, Austintown